Considered the most influential playwright of his time, the late 19th century
One of the founders of modernism in theatre and is often referred to as “the father of realism”
Author of Hedda Gabler
Introduced to the European stage a new order of moral analysis
Left a lasting legacy - his works continue to resonate strongly today as they tap into universal themes and explore the human condition in unique ways
Author James Joyce once wrote that Ibsen “has provoked more discussion and criticism than that of any other living man”
Hedda Gabler - 1891 or 1890?????
Hedda Gabler is a Norwegian play produced by Henrik Ibsen in 1891
Published at the height of his fame and performed across Europe
The play dramatises the life of protagonist Hedda, the daughter of a general, who is trapped in a mundane marriage and house that she views with contempt. Over the play, Hedda is forced to evaluate her life and the roles she plays - as a wife, woman and person
Ibsen of the title of the play - “My intention in giving it this name was to indicate that Hedda as a personality is to be regarded rather as her father’s daughter than her husband’s wife”
The play critiques the marriage, society and gender norms of the time and as such provoked great controversy when premiered
The play helped usher in the realism movement - focused on everyday people experiencing everyday problems. Arguably canonised as the epitome of realism and 19th century theatre
Subject Matter
Ibsen - Hedda Gabler portrayed certain “social conditions and principles of the present day”
Living a heroic life in modern society
Freedom and self-fulfilment in modern society (this theme can also be called The Self vs Society)
The role and the nature of the artist (and art) in modern society
Living vicariously versus living life directly
Social ideology (class, gender, etc)
Set
Sitting room/drawing room
Chairs, rugs, bookshelves curtains
Clean, generic, plain
Dimly lit
Representative of a normal middle class home
19th century set and props
Characters
Females remain in sitting room, males come and go
Female characters - hysteria and madness, incomprehensible to male characters
Judge Brack - “people don’t do such things.” (72)
Males drinking (whiskey) - why? Vice, a tonic for stress, allusions to Greek mythology (and theatre)
Lovgrad’s alcoholism
Male characters play active role - Hedda challenges this