The darkness that Hedda brings to others.
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, is a tragic play about a woman and how she affects the people around her. There are many different themes in the play that help portray the character Hedda Gabler to the audience. Hedda Gabler manipulates and uses the other characters in the play, whose only wishes are to please her in some small way. Her cruel intentions are emphasized by use of light and darkness in the play. .
At the opening of the play, the mood is happy and there seems to be no problems. However when Hedda comes into the room, she complains of how the windows are open and there is too much light in the room where most of the play takes place. "Oh, that maid's left the French windows open. This room's flooded with sun. Tesman dear, draw the curtains. This light's blinding me."(Ibsen, 1469). As soon as Hedda enters the room, she wants the room to darken, showing that, with her presence, comes a dark mood.
All the characters through the course of the play try to please Hedda, who is of a higher class than them. One of many instances of Hedda asserting her social superiority can be seen in at the beginning of act one when Aunt Julle comes to see how Hedda and Tesman's honeymoon was. Aunt Julle has just bought a new hat, so that Hedda would be pleased and so that the two of them could go on walks together. Hedda, seeing how hard Aunt Julle is trying to please her, says what a horrible-looking hat it is. "Hedda- Look at that! She's(the maid) left her old hat lying on the chair. Suppose someone came in and saw it? Aunt Julle- Inded it's mine. And it doesn't happen to be old, Hedda dear."(Ibsen, 1470). Hedda's disapproval of Aunt Julle's hat saddens Aunt Julle. .
Hedda has a way of manipulating the different characters to make them feel bad, as she did with Aunt Julle or to have them tell her their secrets and feelings. Hedda has no feeling for those around her, she enjoys playing with their feeling and seeing what they will do for her.
