TO WHAT EXTENT IS HEDDA GABLER A TYPICAL DOMESTIC TRAGEDY?

Hedda Gabler a typical domestic tragedy

To what extent is Hedda Gabler a typical domestic tragedy?

Hedda Gabler is tragedy and as a whole it falls into the type two major categories of tragedy genre of English literature. These categories are classical/epic tragedy and modern/domestic tragedy. The latter is seemingly less intense than the former, and yet both highlight the same issues. Usually the domestic tragedies incorporate the instances such as breakdown of a family, revealing the corruption and chaos which is veiled by superficial domestic order. The themes and issues raised in domestic tragedy are just as touchy, intense and ambitious as in a classical tragedy yet lack the grand, confessional speeches that are a norm for Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

Tragedies primarily concentrate on three aspects to add to flavour to the tragedy. These aspects are; suffering, in which the central characters must endure and perhaps overcome chaos in his life. Suffering can be of personal level or social level involves disintegration of either an individual central character or society as a whole. The tragedy finally ends at death which concludes the drama. Ultimately these aspects together promote a bleak view of life concentrating upon failure, conflict, and disaster and thus rendering a sorrow tragedy. Domestic tragedy is a well defined genre with particular characters and a particular structure. Besides the common features described above, domestic tragedies frequently display one or more central characters moving towards their death either through their own actions or those of the society around them (Smith, 1928, pp 113-156).

Hedda Gabler itself was written at the time when fundamental change was occurring within Norwegian society. David Thomas refers thus works as a 'play about men and women interacting within the limitations imposed by a contemporary bourgeois society. Interaction in such situations social conditioning and social expectations obstruct and inhibit human potentiality. During the 1880s and 1890s feminist thinking was prevalent throughout society, although it was hugely rebuked by most men. A new, fierce independent woman was emerging on the social horizon and it was this 'new woman' concept that upset the traditionalists who wanted status quo in the order of society. Hedda Gabler represented this new emerging woman mentality. Any drama which portrayed a 'new woman' character, as Hedda, would have likely ended in a tragedy (Breitbart, 1980, pp 55-80).

A typical trait of the domestic tragedy is the occurrence of some act which disrupts society and consequently impacts the social order. Immediately in Act One it is evident Hedda is uncomfortable with her marriage to Tesman, primarily because of his roots belong to a lower social class than her. This is evident from her refusal, to show any interest in Tesman's slippers, despite Tesman's effort to engage by arousing her interest. Her cold reply of 'Thanks, I won't bother' ultimately shows her lack of interest in Tesman and what he values. She becomes distressed by his presence and deliberately moves to her 'private corner' to get ...