Hedda Gabler Gender Roles Essay
The Effect of Victorian Gender Roles on Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen was first performed in the 1890’s. Most critics did not receive it well because many of them felt that no such woman existed. Oswald Crawford, a critic for the England's Fortnightly Review, shared the opinions of many at the time. He called Hedda Gabler “an impossible, inhuman woman-a savage that real women should be angry at Ibsen for inventing” (Crawford 738). Critics were reacting to Hedda’s behavior and manner, believing that she did not reflect women in Victorian society. Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, unable and unwilling to accept the roles assigned to women in Victorian Norway, commits suicide simply so she can have control over her own life.
While many critics vilified Hedda, others saw past her callous exterior. They recognized her for the wonderfully complex character she is. Justin McCarthy of Black and White called Hedda Gabler “the most interesting woman that Ibsen has ever created” (221). Although Ibsen directly denied being a feminist, he did strive to illuminate societal issues. Author, Tanya Thresher explains, “Ever since [A Doll House] was published in 1879, Henrik Ibsen’s social dramas have been recognized for their depiction of …show more content…
She has attractive, but not particularly abundant, brown hair (Ibsen 859). He describes her eyes as “steel-grey, cold and clear,” alluding to her emotionally cold and unfeeling nature (Ibsen 859). During her first scene, Hedda complains of the abundant sunlight and flowers in the home, preferring a darker, less feminine environment. This behavior supports the idea that she is less feminine than the other women in this story. In a world that values femininity, Hedda is a misfit. As critic Richard D. Altick explains “a woman was inferior to a man in all ways except the unique one that counted most [to a man]: her femininity”
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen was first performed in the 1890’s. Most critics did not receive it well because many of them felt that no such woman existed. Oswald Crawford, a critic for the England's Fortnightly Review, shared the opinions of many at the time. He called Hedda Gabler “an impossible, inhuman woman-a savage that real women should be angry at Ibsen for inventing” (Crawford 738). Critics were reacting to Hedda’s behavior and manner, believing that she did not reflect women in Victorian society. Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, unable and unwilling to accept the roles assigned to women in Victorian Norway, commits suicide simply so she can have control over her own life.
While many critics vilified Hedda, others saw past her callous exterior. They recognized her for the wonderfully complex character she is. Justin McCarthy of Black and White called Hedda Gabler “the most interesting woman that Ibsen has ever created” (221). Although Ibsen directly denied being a feminist, he did strive to illuminate societal issues. Author, Tanya Thresher explains, “Ever since [A Doll House] was published in 1879, Henrik Ibsen’s social dramas have been recognized for their depiction of …show more content…
She has attractive, but not particularly abundant, brown hair (Ibsen 859). He describes her eyes as “steel-grey, cold and clear,” alluding to her emotionally cold and unfeeling nature (Ibsen 859). During her first scene, Hedda complains of the abundant sunlight and flowers in the home, preferring a darker, less feminine environment. This behavior supports the idea that she is less feminine than the other women in this story. In a world that values femininity, Hedda is a misfit. As critic Richard D. Altick explains “a woman was inferior to a man in all ways except the unique one that counted most [to a man]: her femininity”