Hedda, the proud and willful daughter of General Gabler, newly married to George Tesman, returns from her honeymoon to Norway. She chafes at the prospect of a dull life in a loveless marriage until a former lover, Eilert LĂžvborg, returns and throws their financial future into disarray. The appearance of Heddaâs old schoolmate Thea, who wants to reform LĂžvborg, and Judge Brack, who wants Hedda in his power, leave her struggling to build the life she wants.
Hedda Gabler was first performed in Munich in 1891, and within months there were productions in Berlin, Copenhagen, London, and New York. It was Ibsenâs first play to be translated from proofs before performance or publication. Productions of the play have won two Olivier Awards and been broadcast in multiple countries; since 1917, it has been adapted into more than a dozen feature films in almost as many languages.
restless to sit down.
Hedda
Oh no, youâre not. Come here.
She draws Mrs. Elvsted down upon the sofa and sits at her side.
Tesman
Well? What is it, Mrs. Elvstedâ â?
Hedda
Has anything particular happened to you at home?
Mrs. Elvsted
Yesâ âand no. Ohâ âI am so anxious you should not misunderstand meâ â
Hedda
Then your best plan is to tell us the whole story, Mrs. Elvsted.
Tesman
I suppose thatâs what you have come forâ âeh?
Mrs. Elvsted
Yes, yesâ âof course it is. Well then, I must tell youâ âif you donât already knowâ âthat Eilert Lövborg is in town, too.
Hedda
Lövborgâ â!
Tesman
What! Has Eilert Lövborg come back? Fancy that, Hedda!
Hedda
Well wellâ âI hear it.
Mrs. Elvsted
He has been here a week already. Just fancyâ âa whole week! In this terrible town, alone! With so many temptations on all sides.
Hedda
But, my dear Mrs. Elvstedâ âhow does he concern you so much?
Mrs. Elvsted
Looks at her with a startled air, and says rapidly. He was the childrenâs tutor.
Hedda
Your childrenâs?
Mrs. Elvsted
My husbandâs. I have none.
Hedda
Your stepchildrenâs, then?
Mrs. Elvsted
Yes.
Tesman
Somewhat hesitatingly. Then was heâ âI donât know how to express itâ âwas heâ âregular enough in his habits to be fit for the post? Eh?
Mrs. Elvsted
For the last two years his conduct has been irreproachable.
Tesman
Has it indeed? Fancy that, Hedda!
Hedda
I hear it.
Mrs. Elvsted
Perfectly irreproachable, I assure you! In every respect. But all the sameâ ânow that I know he is hereâ âin this great townâ âand with a large sum of money in his handsâ âI canât help being in mortal fear for him.
Tesman
Why did he not remain where he was? With you and your husband? Eh?
Mrs. Elvsted
After his book was published he was too restless and unsettled to remain with us.
Tesman
Yes, by the by, Aunt Julia told me he had published a new book.
Mrs. Elvsted
Yes, a big book, dealing with the march of civilisationâ âin broad outline, as it were. It came out about a fortnight ago. And since it has sold so well, and been so much readâ âand made such a sensationâ â
Tesman
Has it indeed? It must be something he has had lying by since his better days.
Mrs. Elvsted
Long ago, you mean?
Tesman
Yes.
Mrs. Elvsted
No, he has written it all since he has been with usâ âwithin the last year.
Tesman
Isnât that good news, Hedda? Think of that.
Mrs. Elvsted
Ah yes, if only it would last!
Hedda
Have you seen him here in town?
Mrs. Elvsted
No, not yet. I have had the greatest difficulty in finding out his address. But this morning I discovered it at last.
Hedda
Looks searchingly at her. Do you know, it seems to me a little odd of your husbandâ âhâmâ â
Mrs. Elvsted
Starting nervously. Of my husband! What?
Hedda
That he should send you to town on such an errandâ âthat he does not come himself and look after his friend.
Mrs. Elvsted
Oh no, noâ âmy husband has no time. And besides, Iâ âI had some shopping to do.
Hedda
With a slight smile. Ah, that is a different matter.
Mrs. Elvsted
Rising quickly and uneasily. And now I beg and implore you, Mr. Tesmanâ âreceive Eilert Lövborg kindly if he comes to you! And that he is sure to do. You see you were such great friends in the old days. And then you are interested in the same studiesâ âthe same branch of scienceâ âso far as I can understand.
Tesman
We used to be at any rate.
Mrs. Elvsted
That is why I beg so earnestly that youâ âyou tooâ âwill keep a sharp eye upon him. Oh, you will promise me that, Mr. Tesmanâ âwonât you?
Tesman
With the greatest of pleasure, Mrs. Rysingâ â
Hedda
Elvsted.
Tesman
I assure you I shall do all I possibly can for Eilert. You may rely upon me.
Mrs. Elvsted
Oh, how very, very kind of you! Presses his hands. Thanks, thanks, thanks! Frightened. You see, my husband is so very fond of him!
Hedda
Rising. You ought to write to him, Tesman. Perhaps he may not care to come to you of his own accord.
Tesman
Well, perhaps it would be the right thing to do, Hedda? Eh?
Hedda
And the sooner the better. Why not at once?
Mrs. Elvsted
Imploringly. Oh, if you only would!
Tesman
Iâll write this moment. Have you his address, Mrs.â âMrs. Elvsted.
Mrs. Elvsted
Yes. Takes a slip of paper from her pocket, and hands it to him. Here it is.
Tesman
Good, good. Then Iâll go inâ âLooks about him. By the byâ âmy slippers? Oh, here. Takes the packet and is about to go.
Hedda
Be sure you write him a cordial, friendly letter. And a good long one too.
Tesman
Yes, I will.
Mrs. Elvsted
But please, please donât say a word to show that I have suggested it.
Tesman
No, how could you think I would? Eh?
He goes out to the right, through the inner room.
Hedda
Goes up to Mrs. Elvsted, smiles, and says in a low voice. There! We have killed two birds with one stone.
Mrs. Elvsted
What do you mean?
Hedda
Could you not see that I wanted him to go?
Mrs. Elvsted
Yes, to write the letterâ â
Hedda
And that I might speak to you alone.
Mrs. Elvsted
Confused. About the same thing?
Hedda
Precisely.
Mrs. Elvsted
Apprehensively. But there is nothing more, Mrs. Tesman! Absolutely nothing!
Hedda
Oh yes, but there is. There is a great deal moreâ âI can see that. Sit hereâ âand weâll have a cosy, confidential chat.
She forces Mrs. Elvsted to sit in the easy chair beside the stove, and seats herself on one of the footstools.
Mrs. Elvsted
Anxiously, looking at her watch. But, my dear Mrs. Tesmanâ âI was really on the point of going.
Hedda
Oh, you canât be in such a hurry.â âWell? Now tell me something about your life at home.
Mrs. Elvsted
Oh, that is just what I care least to speak about.
Hedda
But to me, dearâ â? Why, werenât we schoolfellows?
Mrs. Elvsted
Yes, but you were in the class above me. Oh, how dreadfully afraid of you I was then!
Hedda
Afraid of me?
Mrs. Elvsted
Yes, dreadfully. For when we met on the stairs you used always to pull my hair.
Hedda
Did I, really?
Mrs. Elvsted
Yes, and once you said you would burn it off my head.
Hedda
Oh that was all nonsense, of course.
Mrs. Elvsted
Yes, but I was so silly in those days.â âAnd since then, tooâ âwe have drifted
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