4. In Act 2 of HEDDA GABLER, Hedda tells Lovborg that her not daring to shoot him when their previous friendship ended was an act of cowardice, for fear of a scandal, but that it was not her greatest act of cowardice that evening. What do you think she is alluding to as her greatest act of cowardice?

5. What does Lovborg tell Mrs. Elvsted he did with the manuscript? Why does he tell her this?

6. Hedda does two things in Act 1 that make Julle uneasy. What are they, and why did they make Julle uneasy?

7. In Act 1 of Hedda Gabler, Hedda and Tesman have just returned from a trip. Where were they, and what did they do?

8. What does Hedda do to Brack when he approaches at the very beginning of Act 2 of HEDDA GABLER?

9. Where did Tesman find Lovborg's manuscript and why didn't he return it at once?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that discusses the challenges of changing the setting of a play.

Part 1: What options does someone have if they choose to retell a play in a different setting? What things can be changed and the play still stay recognizable? What is important to keep in tact?

Part 2: Bring up some examples of literature or theatrical works that have been retold in a modernized or alternative way. How successful have they been? What have they changed and what have they kept? Were they more or less effective than the traditional version? Why?

Part 3: In your mind, are there benefits or detriments to this practice? Is it bringing classical stories to the masses and giving them fresh life or is it vandalizing something beautiful?

Essay Topic 2

"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?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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