5. In Act 4, what does Brack tell everyone at the Tesman household happened to Lovborg? What did he tell Hedda was the truth when he was alone with her?

6. In Act 2 of HEDDA GABLER, Hedda tells Lovborg that her not daring to shoot him when their previous friendship ended was an act of cowardice, for fear of a scandal, but that it was not her greatest act of cowardice that evening. What do you think she is alluding to as her greatest act of cowardice?

7. When Tesman and Julle are discussing future prospects, they are talking about different things. What does Tesman talk about, and what does Julle talk about?

8. Tesman foresees many months of work to reconstruct the manuscript. How does he recommend they all arrange themselves while the work is going on?

9. How does Lovborg feel about Hedda being married to Tesman?

10. What does Tesman ask of Hedda shortly after Julle leaves in Act 1? What does Hedda reply?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

For the title character in HEDDA GABLER, having power and influence over someone is of immense importance.

Part 1: Describe Hedda's need for power or influence. Why did she feel it? Was she particular about who she influenced? Was she well meaning in her attempts to influence? Was she responsible with her power?

Part 2: Write an essay about the people in your life that you have influence over and those that have power over you. Discuss the roles of responsibility and power in each relationship. What happens when power is not handled responsibly? What are some of the outcomes of the power or influence in your life and in the life of those around you?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about the complexities and challenges of developing the plot in HEDDA GABLER and other similar plays.

Part 1: The entire play happens in one room in the Tesman household over two days. Are there advantages and disadvantages in choosing such a limited stage setting? What difficulties does it present and what might it simplify? What affect does an entire play in one room have on the audience?

Part 2: In the play HEDDA GABLER, Ibsen uses various techniques to make the play flow despite the limited setting and lack of a narrator or asides. How did Ibsen develop his characters? How did he give his audience the information they needed to understand who everyone was? What techniques did he use to help his characters seem natural? How did the action of the play get conveyed to the audience?

Essay Topic 3

The importance of perspective is important in the telling of any story. Clearly, Hedda Gabler is told from Hedda's perspective. Write an essay about how the actions and happenings of the play might have looked very different from the perspective of the other characters.

Part 1: Tell how the story, and specifically Hedda's actions, would have looked from the perspective of Lovborg, Tesman, Mrs. Elvsted, and Brack. How different do her actions seem to the different characters?

Part 2: Would any of them have understood her motives? Who, amongst the other characters would be most likely to understand her reasons for the various things she does. Would anyone have not only understood, but appreciated them? Would anyone have simply not understood at all and been entirely confused had they known all her actions?

Part 3: What would the other characters have thought about her final act of taking her own life? Give a brief summary of how Lovborg, Tesman, Mrs. Elvsted, and Brack would react to and view Hedda's suicide.

(see the answer keys)

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