Hedda Gabler

What It's About

This play follows a newly married woman who finds herself trapped in a respectable but suffocating household. As her dissatisfaction grows, she begins to manipulate the people around her, testing the limits of control, freedom, and consequence. What unfolds is a tense psychological drama about power, boredom, and the destructive desire to shape other people’s lives.

Key Concepts

Themes of social constraint, gender roles, and personal autonomy sit at the centre of the work. It explores psychological manipulation, hidden resentment beneath polite society, and the consequences of suppressed identity. The play is often read as a critique of bourgeois expectations and the lack of agency afforded to women.

About the Author

Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906) was a Norwegian playwright often regarded as one of the founders of modern realist drama. His works challenged social norms and examined the tensions between individual freedom and societal expectations.

About This Edition

This is a translation by Edmund Gosse and William Archer.