ABOUT THE PLAY

Hedda Gabler

By Henrik Ibsen
A new version by Patrick Marber
From a literal translation by Karin and Ann Bamborough
Directed by Molly Atkinson

House Program

Grade Recommendation Grade 11+

Content Advisory

This play deals with mature themes including patriarchal oppression, sex and sexuality, alcohol abuse and suicide. Please see the show page for a detailed audience advisory.

Synopsis

The honeymoon is barely over and the mercurial Hedda Gabler is already bored with her husband and the respectable life he represents. When new people with old ties to the couple arrive on the scene, she seizes the chance to challenge what society would have her accept as "happiness," instead asserting her powerful will and wreaking havoc on everyone in her reach. Henrik Ibsen's masterwork shocked late-19th-century audiences with its complex portrait of female identity and independence.

Curriculum Connections

Global Competencies

• Citizenship, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Metacognition, Self-Awareness
  
  

Grade 11-12

• The Arts
• Canadian and World Studies
• English
• Health and Physical Education
• Technological Education
• Social Sciences and Humanities
  
  

Post-Secondary

• Suitable for courses in disciplines such as Arts, Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, Drama, English, Fine Arts, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, Music, Social Development Studies, Teacher Education and Theatre

Themes

• Authorship and Collaboration
• Family Relationships
• Feminism
• Friendship and Betrayal
• Gender and Identity
• Guilt and Judgment
• The Idealization of Women
• Illusion and Reality
• Individual vs. Society
• Inheritance
• Isolation and Secrecy
• Liberation, Power and Oppression
• Jealousy
• Morality and Hypocrisy
• Patriarchal Structures and Oppression
• Revenge
• Sex, Love and Intimacy
• Social Status and Power

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

PRE-SHOW QUESTIONS

•  Hedda Gabler was first performed in 1891 in Europe. In your opinion, how have Western understandings of gender changed between now and then? What changes still need to occur to achieve gender equity?
• Hedda Gabler is often described as a feminist text. In your opinion, what would a play require in order for it to be categorized this way? Do you think this play fits the bill? Why or why not?
• This play is a translation of a 19^th-century Norwegian play. What challenges might a translator encounter when adapting the text to a different language and culture?
• Ibsen is considered one of the most influential early practitioners of realism in theatre. Some of the key characteristics of realism are: drama that is psychologically driven, dialogue that sounds true to life, realistic sets and costumes and the maintaining of a fourth wall between actors and the audience with no insight into the character's internal thoughts through soliloquies. Considering these characteristics, why do you think Ibsen felt realism was the most effective form for exploring the societal challenges of his day? Do you think realism is the most effective way to do this? Why or why not?
• What does it feel like to be independent? Is it important for someone to retain their independence when in a relationship? Explain your thinking.
• What does jealousy feel like? Is jealousy natural? Explain your position.
• How important is it for a character to be likeable? Is there a difference between likeability and reliability?
• Have you ever felt constrained by other people's expectations of you? What advice would you give to someone experiencing this? How might they respond? What impact might this have on their relationships?
  
  

POST-SHOW QUESTIONS

• When Hedda Gabler premiered in the late 19^th century, it was considered a radical and subversive work. Why do you think that was? Do you think its reception is different today? Are there any elements in the play that still feel radical?
• The title of the play is Hedda Gabler. Why do you think Ibsen made the choice to identify Hedda with her father's surname (Gabler) rather than her husband's (Tesman)? What does it suggest about Hedda's relationships to both her father and husband as well as her view of herself as a daughter and as a wife? If Hedda could have, which name do you think she would have chosen for herself?
• What does the play suggest about love and power in relationships?
• Why do you think Hedda burned the manuscript? Could you understand her motivation? How did the staging affect your understanding of her choice?
• How did the design of the production affect your understanding of the play's themes, particularly in relation to the character of Hedda?
• In Act 2, Hedda says, "Courage is the most important quality." Would you describe any of the characters in the play as courageous? Why or why not? What do you think Ibsen is attempting to suggest about courage and cowardice through his characters?  
• Who is culpable at the end of the play? Explain your thinking.
• Ibsen wrote in a letter "So to conduct one's life as to realize one's self-this seems to me the highest attainment possible to a human being." Do any of the characters in the play achieve a state of self-actualization? Why or why not?
• Are there any unintentional harms that might be caused through the production of this play? If so, what are they and what might be done to take care of the artists and audience members participating in the work?
  
  

MINDS ON

Objective: Students will explore how writers use dramatic foils to develop character and theme by analyzing the characters of Hedda Gabler and Mrs. Elvsted. 

Materials:

• Writing utensils
• Hedda Gabler Dramatic Foil Organizer

Directions:

1. Begin by asking students what techniques writers use to develop their characters. A simple framework to share might be:
   • What the character says
   • What the character does
   • What is said about the character by others
2. Invite students to try this out by talking about a character in a common text (e.g., a fairytale, a Disney film, a Shakespeare play).
3. Introduce the concept of a foil:
   Foils are aspects of literary works that highlight traits of one character through contrast. These are often other characters whose words and actions contrast with the protagonist's to reveal character and develop the author's theme. A foil can also be non-human (e.g., an animal, the setting, a sub-plot).
4. In pairs, invite students to brainstorm examples of character foils they know from television, film, novels, etc. For each, ask them how the foil helps viewers or readers understand the protagonist. 
5. Provide each student with a copy of the Hedda Gabler Dramatic Foil Organizer.
6. Working again in pairs, students will analyze the differences between Hedda Gabler and Mrs. Elvsted using the criteria listed on the worksheet.
7. Once they have completed the worksheet, invite students to share their responses with the rest of the class.

 Debriefing Questions:

• Is Mrs. Elvsted an effective foil for Hedda? Why or why not?
• What is something new you learned about each character through this exercise? Did that re-enforce the impression you already had about the character or did it cause you to think about them differently?
• If you were the costume designer for a production of Hedda Gabler, what would Hedda's costume look like? What about Mrs. Elvsted's? Explain the design choices you would make for each character and how you'd attempt to stress their differences through design. Discuss what you noticed about the design choices made by set and costume designer Lorenzo Savoini in this production.
• What does Hedda's way of speaking tell us about her? What about Mrs. Elvsted? What tactics does each character use to get what she wants?

Possible Extensions:

Additional Foils: Ask students to identify other characters or aspects of Hedda Gabler that are foils, and then have them analyze how effective each pairing is in developing character and/or a key theme. 

Exploring Subtext

1. In groups of four, have students read aloud the moment in Act I when Hedda and Mrs. Elvsted are first alone on stage together.
2. In their groups, ask students to determine the particular tensions inherent in the scene. What is not being said (i.e., subtext)?
3. Have the students draft lines that capture the subtext (the inner voice of each character) beneath each spoken line of dialogue.
4. Then, two students will play Hedda and Mrs. Elvsted and will say their lines as written. The other two will be the inner voices of each character. After each of the "real" spoken lines of Hedda and Mrs. Elvsted, the inner voice counterpart will speak the imagined subtext. The students can run through the scene a few times in this way, refining the subtext as they rehearse.
5. Students will then present their scenes to the class.
6. After all the groups have presented, ask students to reflect on what they learned.
7. How did exploring the scene's subtext enhance your understanding?
8. How would you illuminate the subtext for an audience if you were staging this scene?

CONNECTION TO THE ARCHIVES

This is the seventh Ibsen play the Stratford Festival has produced and the second time it has produced Hedda Gabler. The first performance was in 1970, with Irene Worth in the title role, as seen here. How do you think the theatre's representations of women and specifically characters like Hedda Gabler have changed since 1970? What changes do you hope to continue to see on stage?

Irene Worth as Hedda in Hedda Gabler, 1970. Written by Henrik Ibsen. Directed by Peter Gill. Designed by Deirdre Clancy. Lighting design by Gil Wechsler. Photograph by Robert C. Ragsdale. Stratford Festival Archives, GPO.1970.004.0036

The Stratford Festival's Archives maintains, conserves and protects records about the Festival and makes those materials available to people around the world. Their collection contains material ranging from 1952 right up to the present and includes administrative documents, production records, photographs, design artwork, scores, audio-visual recordings, promotional materials, costumes, props, set decorations and much more. These materials are collected and preserved with the aim of documenting the history of the Festival, preserving the page-to-stage process, and capturing the creative processes involved in numerous other activities that contribute to the Festival each season.

RESOURCES

Study Guide PDF

Stratford Public Library's Hedda Gabler Reading List

Study Guides

View Study Guides for selected 2024 plays along with those from previous seasons free of charge on our website.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Hedda Gabler and Henrik Ibsen

Hedda Gabler & Ibsen's Women | Hartford Stage

Henrik Ibsen: Biography, Plays, & Facts | Britannica

Psychoanalyzing Hedda Gabler | Writers Theatre

Symbolism, Realism, and a Nordic Playwright Grudge Match | Crash Course Theatre

Understanding the cruel, witty and profoundly alluring Hedda Gabler (2016) | Martha Schabas, The Globe and Mail

The Virtual Ibsen Centre

We need to talk about Hedda: Why the National's Ibsen shocker isn't sexist (2017) | Lyn Gardner, TheGuardian

The Work of Ibsen: Part Two | National Theatre

Literature and Female Characters

Are We Too Concerned That Characters Be 'Likable'? | The New York Times

The New Woman | Digital Public Library of America

What is a Foil Character in Literature? | ThoughtCo

Mental Health & Suicide Prevention

9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline | Government of Canada

Canada Suicide Prevention Helpline : 1-833-456-4566

Hope for Wellness Helpline : 1-855-242-3310 (Available 24/7 to Indigenous People Across Canada)

Kids Help Phone : 1-800-668-6868 I Text 686868

LGBT Youthline

Provincial Mental Health Supports | CMHA

U.S. Suicide Prevention Lifeline : 1-800-273-8255

Booking Information: Student Matinées, InterACTive Preshows, Workshops & Chats

Student Matinées

You may book any available date, but selected student matinée performances for this show are at 2 p.m. on the following dates:

• Thursday, April 25
• Tuesday, April 3
• Friday, May 3
• Tuesday, May 7
• Thursday, May 9
• Wednesday, May 15
• Thursday, May 23
• Thursday, June 13
• Thursday, September 5
• Friday, September 13
• Wednesday, September 18
• Thursday, September 26

Workshops & Chats

Workshops and Chats (virtual, onsite or at your school/centre) can be booked by calling the Box Office at 1.800.567.1600 or by emailing educate@stratfordfestival.ca.

Pre-Show Workshops customized to your students' needs and interests are available from 10-11 a.m. or 11 a.m.-noon before selected matinées. $10 per student. For more information, visit  stratfordfestival.ca/Workshops.

Half-Hour Post-Show Chats with cast and creative team members are available after selected matinées. $3 per student. For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca/Chats.

TOOLS FOR TEACHERS SPONSORED BY

Tools for Teachers includes InterACTive Preshows, Study Guides and Stratford Shorts.       

THE 2024 SEASON IS SUPPORTED BY OPHELIA LAZARIDIS.

 PROUD SEASON PARTNERS:

SUPPORT FOR THE 2024 SEASON OF THE TOM PATTERSON THEATRE IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY

PRODUCTION SPONSORS:

M. FAINER

THREE GENERATIONS OF THE SCHUBERT FAMILY

SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION INITIATIVES IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY THE ESTATE OF NOELLE SAVILLE, LAURIE J. SCOTT AND AN ANONYMOUS DONOR.