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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why might Tesman not get the professorship he was promised?

2. What are people suggesting when they note Hedda has "filled out" during her travels?

3. What was the basis of the close friendship shared by Lovborg and Mrs Elvsted?

4. What does Mrs Elvsted ask of Tesman in Act 1 of Hedda Gabler?

5. What role did Ejlert Lovborg play in the Elvsted household prior to the happenings in the play Hedda Gabler?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Julle and Tesman discuss Hedda, what do they usually focus on?

2. At the end of Act 3, what does Hedda say to Lovborg about vine leaves? Why?

3. An incident happened at Diana's that ended with the police being summoned. What was that incident?

4. What is the financial situation of the newly married couple?

5. What reason does Hedda give Tesman for burning the manuscript?

6. In Act 2 of HEDDA GABLER, what do we learn about the hat incident of Act I that was not divulged to us at the time?

7. When Lovborg leaves at the end of Act 3 what does Hedda do? What does she say while she does it?

8. What does Hedda do to Brack when he approaches at the very beginning of Act 2 of HEDDA GABLER?

9. In Act 1 of Hedda Gabler, what does Hedda say about her piano? What does Tesman suggest in reply, and how is his suggestion received?

10. At the end of Act 1, what is the one thing Hedda says she still has one thing to amuse herself with?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the play HEDDA GABLER, all the characters surround the title character and in their own way add to the entrapment that she feels. Write an essay detailing the trap that Hedda ultimately feels she must escape at any cost, and the role each of the surrounding characters played in the trap.

Part 1: What role did society play in creating the situation that Hedda finds herself in? What other paths were available to her that she could have chosen that would not have left her feeling so limited?

Part 2: What role did Hedda play in creating the trap for herself? Does she have weaknesses that keep her from happiness? What attributes might she have that would have kept her from feeling this way?

Part 3: All the other characters in the play, including her unborn child, aid in tightening the trap around Hedda. Discuss how the actions of each of the other characters affect Hedda and cause her to feel constantly more trapped.

Essay Topic 2

"Hedda Gabler" is the maiden name of the character we meet in the play as "Hedda Tesman". However, we often hear her referred to by other characters as "Hedda Gabler" and the play itself is named HEDDA GABLER.

Part 1: What do you think was Ibsen's purpose in this? Is he making her connection to her father, or her unmarried life, stronger than her connection to her husband? We see many contrasts between Hedda's maiden life and her married life, are there any parallel changes in her, or, like her name, is she stuck how she was before getting married?

Part 2: Throughout the play we hear people refer to "Hedda Gabler" with deference and admiration. Hedda was clearly successful at what was expected of her before marriage. What happened? Why is she having such a hard time now? Does Hedda have a way to continue her own legacy, or in the play is she merely the shadow of herself?

Part 3: What role has society played in causing this discrepancy in Hedda's life? Does she have many choices that would lead her to happiness or self fulfillment?

Essay Topic 3

In the play HEDDA GABLER, the character of Julle is seen only briefly, but she is mentioned often and has several important roles to play. Write an essay about the need for her character in the play.

Part 1: What many purposes does her character have? Ibsen needs to use her to achieve several things. What are they? Who does her character help to contrast? Who does her character add depth to? Who does she help define?

Part 2: Discuss the importance in general of minor characters that don't play a major role in the plot, and what they often are there to do. Does realism need them more than other genres? What complications for the writer might they help solve?

(see the answer keys)

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