Determine Norwegian society reflected through the text of Hedda Gabler

Determine Norwegian society reflected through the text of Hedda Gabler

Determine Norwegian society reflected through the text of Hedda Gabler written by Henrik Ibsen?

What Sort of Society is that? Is it a conservative society?

Hedda Gabler is a play written by Henrik Ibsen during 19th century Norway. This period is known as the Victorian era which is largely characterized by its peace, success, and social reform. The reader can find elements of the same society throughout Ibsen’s play in various forms ranging from human rights to economic individualizes. Firstly, through plot development, it is apparent that Judge Brak and Hedda Gabler are the only members that belong to the aristocratic social class while the other members are upstarts that have gained their membership through other means. Particularly, viewers witness Berta commenting “I should never have dreamt in those days that she and Master George would make a match of it.” In other words, Berta is surprised that two individuals from different social classes have married in such unlikely circumstances. Additionally, the reader can find Miss Tesman trying to fit within her newfound status by purchasing a hat. This attempt fails as Hedda mistakes it for a maid's garment. Miss Tesman’s unfamiliarity and discomfort with her position only serve to emphasize the domination of the middle class. Henceforth, the reader can find the theme of new money versus old money where previous upper-class members find their world dissipating by the membership of the middle class.Determine Norwegian society reflected through the text of Hedda Gabler

Compared to the previous century, gender roles in society remained largely unchanged. There was still a large belief in a male-controlled system within households and the government. Emperor was still in place, only to be impeached in the late 19th century, with the aristocrats controlling economic and political elements throughout the country. Although the Era was a time of large reform, women’s roles were restricted to household duties and intermediaries of wealth through marriage.

Hedda struggles against setting standards of her burning passion to find the purpose for her life only to fail since society did not teach, and provide her with the necessary resources to do so. Additionally, Tesman’s membership to high society can be mainly attributed to Hedda accepting his hand in marriage thus signifying women’s roles as contracts of wealth. Moreover, Hedda’s dilemma can also be attributed to the lack of economic mobility women faced. Her material wealth disappeared when she married Tesman thus showing that women had no control over property at the time. On another note, the role of men in society was largely defined by the material success they achieved outside of the house. Throughout the play, Tesman is ecstatic about his career opportunity but rather jealous of Lovborg. This is shown when Tesman seems to take a subtle joy in the destruction of Lovborg’s “child.” After all, Lovborg achieved recognition by publishing a highly recognized yet controversial book while Tesman safely continues with his research. Therefore, this jealousy is mainly qualified to how society deemed men worthy and the characteristics men attributed themselves to when it came to self-worth.

In conclusion, Ibsen represents that same age was a time when economic changes vastly swept over the country. Hedda Gabler, that the middle class is now flooding what use to be an exclusionary society. Despite the economic changes, male and female roles were largely unchanged but strictly defined. For one, males were responsible for bringing in and controlling wealth and pursuing worthy jobs. The female role was mainly within the household with little to no opportunity for mobility in society. They were largely expected to take care of all household duties and retain an essence of purity, hence the impact of a sexual scandal. In short, the play revolves around characters strictly adhering to traditional social standards with only a few representing the oppressive and restrictive nature the standards carry. Thus, the viewer can understand the whole play that it portrays the conservative Norwegian Society.

#Norwegian 
#Hedda-Gabler

Henrik Ibsen