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

2. When did Lovborg write his book?

3. What does Tesman bring home with him in the second act of HEDDA GABLER?

4. What does Mrs Elvsted tell Hedda that Lovborg has done for her specifically because he knew she wanted it?

5. What kept Hedda and Tesman up late the night of their return?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Brack press Hedda to do regarding Lovborg in the first part of Act 3 of HEDDA GABLER? Why?

2. Who was Hedda Gabler before she married Tesman? What was her life like?

3. What is the main question of importance that Lovborg has for Hedda when they are talking in private?

4. 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?

5. Describe Hedda Gabler's character.

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

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

8. What does Hedda tell Lovborg that finally does have an impact and he starts to drink? Why does it affect him so?

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

10. What do Tesman and Hedda discuss at the end of Act 1 of HEDDA GABLER that causes severe disappointment to Hedda?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a full analysis comparing and contrasting the two characters of Tesman and Lovborg.

Part 1: Compare and contrast their abilities, their weaknesses, their strengths, their motives and other attributes of the two characters. Discuss both their personal and professional aptitudes.

Part 2: What point do you think the author was trying to make by contrasting them?

Part 3: The character Hedda is clearly the center of the play and these two men act as a way for us to see more about Hedda. What does each one tell us about her? How do they each shed light on the nuances of her character?

Essay Topic 2

In the play HEDDA GABLER, Hedda is distraught about the loss of power she has over her own life. She confesses to marrying because Tesman could take care of her and wasn't ridiculous. The society she lives in gives her few choices about her life, and the only option she has is to marry despite the fact that she quite clearly does not want a family. Write an essay about the roles and responsibilities of society and the individual.

Part 1: Hedda ends up by destroying both a brilliant man and herself. Was she a pawn to an unjust society or careless and self centered?

Part 2: Given the society that Hedda lived in, and her fear of scandal, what options did she have to avoid the loveless marriage she found herself in? What opportunities might there have been for a lady of wealth and intelligence to maintain a semblance of her lifestyle if she chose not to marry?

Part 3: Does this understanding make her character more understandable and tragic? Is Hedda's behavior at all justified by the times and society that she lived in? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

"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?

(see the answer keys)

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