All Good Things Must Come To An End

So how about that Ibsen? I liked Hedda Gabler. I was trying to decide whether I like The House Of Bernarda Abla or Hedda Gabler better and it is very hard to decide. Hedda Gabler was interesting and full of underlying meanings and action taking place. From the love triangle to Hedda's pistols to Lovborg and his ever so popular manuscript, all the many elements came together to create a successful work of literature. One of my favorite scenes in the play is when Hedda converses with Lovborg and she dishes the dirt on her marriage to Tesman, her desire to control others and the steamy, tension between the two. I was disappointed in Hedda's decision to commit suicide at the end of the play, however, the action was in line with the cowardly character Ibsen had created. The next authors better come hard because we have experienced the goods with Lorca and Ibsen!

That's Not My Baby

I have seen fathers (supposed to be fathers) deny their children. Rarely does a mother deny her children though. It seems that carrying a child on the inside of you for nine month knowing that the baby is actually apart of you creates a bond between a mother and a child that is unlike any other. We know that Hedda is pregnant, but does she? She has to know, right? Whatever the case may be, she is not happy about the idea of becoming a mother. That was the role of a woman during the time. Hedda did not want to fit into the typical life society had created for so many women. However, Ibsen may be commenting on how even when women did not want to comply and wanted to step outside the motherly role, it was impossible. In class, someone commented on how if Hedda did have the child she would totally control its life. Hedda was definitely on a power trip so why would she turn down the opportunity to rule over another person as she so desired? Well, I think things are the total opposite of what my classmate described. When someone has a baby, their life is OVER. Okay maybe that's a little extreme but the point is that the baby becomes top priority and most things will be centered around the child. I personally think being a mommy is one of the greatest jobs and honors a woman could have. I am anticipating starting a family, when the time is right of course. Hedda probably viewed motherhood as a responsibility that would take too much attention off of fulfilling her desires. Do you all think that if Hedda would have acknowledged her baby and accepted the responsibility of being a mother she would have killed herself even if it meant living under Brack's control?

Thora...I mean Thea

Ironically, Thea is one of the most courageous women in Ibsen's Hedda Gabbler. Based upon Thea's physical description, she seems to be the typical woman, very feminine and soft spoken. While Thea may actually be both of these things, she is definitely not a punk. When her marriage goes sour (honestly, it doesn't seem like it was ever sweet) Thea leaves. Thea knows that she cannot be with this man. She also knows, people are going to criticize her for breaking societal expectations. However, these people are not living her life. They could never truly understand what Thea experienced in her marriage. Not only does she leave her husband, she writes. What...a female writer? I know this seems totally lame, but this was the way things were. Women did not work and certainly were not writers. On top of all of this, Thea co-authored the book with Lovborg, her lover whom she left her husband to be with. I have to admit though, the one thing I did not like about Thea was the way she let Hedda disrespect her. Hedda manipulated Thea to find out what she wanted to know and even used physical force. Okay... Thea this would have been a good time to exercise some of that courage you had built up. NO Hedda is all I wanted to hear her say...N-O! But overall, Thea was a very likable character who pushed the boundaries and made the play a little more interesting.

Passionately Pink For the Cure

Hey Generals
Our helped is needed. We have the opportunity to make a difference in the world on Tuesday, October 28, 2008. King is going pink. Wear your best pink outfit or costume to show your support for the thousands of women who have overcame, are battling or left this world a little less beautiful when they lost their fight with breast cancer. Donate what you can. Your second hour teacher will collect the money. Our goal is to raise $1000 which will be donated to the Susan G. Komen foundation. Just know we are not there and actually not even half way there yet. So, we need your help. If you donate more that $5 you get an awesome pin. I have mines so you know I have tried to do my part but in order to achieve this goal, we have to work together. The second hour class who is the most pink and donates the most money will get a free breakfast. Donuts, juice, bagels...ummm sounds good to me. So spread the word, lets work together and make a difference. We CAN defeat this disease that has taken too many of our mother, sisters, daughters, aunts and friends. Let's get PASSIONATELY PINK!
Love and Peace to all!

It takes Two toTango...Apparently Three Is Alright Too

Judge Brack had way too much going on for me. I mean come on...Judge you're forcing it here. I know people say get in where you fit in but he was trying to fit into all the wrong places. Ibsen was making a statement. During this time in history, having an affair was considered obscene. But, two men and a woman...together...at the same time...In the famous words of George Tesman, "Imagine..huh?" However, people have been pushing societies' sexual boundaries since the beginning of time. While one might not have informed the world about their participation in a love triangle, Ibsen is acknowledging that this type of behavior was taking place. Ibsen had courage and he kept it real. I have to admit that when I first read the story I had not totally understood the love triangle. But some of my classmates cleared things up for me. Thanks Benny! Judge Brack wanted to dabble in a little bit of everything. I think this gave him a sense of power and security. The entire scene, when the love triangle is addressed seemed full of sexual tension. I could only imagine how it was acted out. They probably mist in the air. Okay maybe not I'm sure Ibsen and his stage crew were not as technologically advanced as we are. Nevertheless, the scene is interesting and characterizes both Judge Brack and Hedda. Brack is assertive. He works with what he has and plays on Hedda's emotions and lack of spark with Tesman as a way to measle himself right into their relationship. Hedda accepting Brack's offer demonstrates her unconventionality. Hedda carries pistols, tries to run her household and engages in threesomes. All of this would be totally unexpected from a woman of her background during this time in history. However, maybe Hedda should have stuck to living what would have been considered a "normal"life because at the end, things went bad with her and Judge Brack. The three of them would have never worked. Brack and Hedda would have both tried to dominate their relationship while Tesman watched in awe, his marriage unravel right before his eyes. Two may be better than one. But, lessoned learned three...is just way too many!

Jerron...Jerron...Jerron

Some of my classmates and I created The Jerron Montgomery Show (our spin off of the Jerry Springer show) Jerron gave the audience his closing thoughts and I was responsible for writing that part of the play. This was my overall impression of every character and the play.
Jerron: Honestly, Hedda you are crazy. You seem to have some type of front going on here. You try to control everyone’s life and here’s your unraveling right before your eyes. Tesman please do us all a favor and move on. She does not love you. Do you know what that means, uh? Thea I actually admire your courage but I am not sure if Lovborg was ready for the world to know about what you two share. Lovborg you seem to let the women in your life control what is going on. And Brack you said Hedda was a hoe? You… I don’t even know what to say about you. But I do have one word…NASTY! All of you need some help. I’m sorry we were not a help to your dysfunctional family, Berta. But it’s time that all of you get off my stage!!! None of you even fought. You bring a bad name to the Jerry Springer show. My ratings are going to be horrible. To those of you at home… please keep close watch of what is going on in your household. We’ll have another dysfunctional family on the show tomorrow, the ladies of the House of Bernarda Alba. That’s a wrap!!!

The Tesmans were running one dysfunctional household.

Imagine That... Uh?

Tesman is by far the most comical character in the play. I don't think we realized until we got towards the end of the play the importance of Tesman's role. At first Tesman seems naive and ignorant. However, the man is very powerful whether he realizes it or not. Hedda only wishes she could do what she wanted to do and have what she wants when she wants it. But the truth of the matter is that Tesman totally runs that household. Why? He's got the money Baby! Not only is Tesman powerful, but entertaining. His constant uhs.. and huhs are hilarious. Tesman may think that he needs a little reassurance but in reality, Tesman has everything under control. Hedda tried to undermine his power by carrying pistols and burning Lovborg's manuscript but at the end of the day, Hedda still ended up with the short side of the stick. Tesman expects the best out of those around him and tries his best to please everyone. I like the man. How bout you...uh?

Please Don't Shoot

Guns are used as a form of intimidation. Hedda Gabler owned pistols and she was not afraid to use them. In Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, she only pointed her guns at the men in her life. During a time when women were usually powerless, Hedda found a resource that she used to gain control over the men in her life. Tesman and Judge Brack were scared and at the mercy of her finger when she held that pistol. However, Hedda ignorantly turns over her power. Judge Brack smoothly takes the gun from her hands, representing Hedda turning over her power which becomes evident at the end of the play. The deep desire to control someone else's life caused Hedda to lose hers. When Hedda gave her pistol to Lovborg she lost her power. Actually, Hedda was unfit to possess the type of power she had when she held those pistols. It was her own pistol that was used to take her life. Hedda became the victim of her own inabilities to responsibly use her power. I could imagine everyone yelling, Hedda please don't shoot..!

Trading Places...

As I reflected upon Hedda's and Tesman's relationship, I was reminded of Usher's song Trading Places. Throughout the play, Hedda tried to control their relationship. She wanted to trade places with Tesman and be the head of the household.
In the first verse, Usher sings the following:
Now we gonna do this thing a lil different tonight
U gonna come over and pick me up in your ride
U gon knock and then u gon wait
Ooo u gon take me on a date
U gon open my door and ima reach over and open yours
Gon pay for dinner take me to see a movie
The actions described in the verse would usually be carried out by the man in the relationship. However, in this instance, Usher is saying that the woman is going to open his door and pay for the meal.
The chorus of the song is sexual but compliments Ibsen's Hedda Gabler which also makes sexual references.
I'm always on the top tonight I'm on the bottom
Cuz we trading places
We know that despite Hedda's denial, she indeed is pregnant which means that she and Tesman had sex. I could image that even in the bedroom, Hedda attempted to have absolute power.
At the end of the song, Usher says,
"Now we gon do this thing a lil different tonight
Trading places
Stay tuned for part 2
You been me I been u
But we gon switch this thing back"
In the beginning of the play, a lot of people thought that Hedda was in control. However, by the end of the play we realized that because Tesman made the money, Hedda totally relied on him and was under his control. Tesman switches things back right when we begin to think that they had traded places.

The Only Way Out..!

I was reading the end of Hedda Gabler last week and things were getting juicy. I wanted to finish reading because I only had like six pages left but I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. Deciding to finish the book the next day while watching the end of "Dead Man Walking" in ToK was not a thoughtful decision to make. Between the execution taking place in the movie and the suicide or possible suicides taking place in the play, I became overwhelmed with emotions. Is it just me or do we all get attached to characters and they almost become real to us? This is the fruit of an excellent writer. But what is up with all of these people just pulling the plug on life? Do we really have the right to decide when humans will leave this world? I understand that Hedda would not have lived the enjoyable life she demand Tessman to create for her with Judge Brack knowing that the pistol used to take Lovborg's life belonged to her. She would be living at his mercy. But she made the decsion to try to control another human beings life. When things didn't go as planned, instead of living with the consequences of her decision, Hedda punked out. YES Hedda truly is a coward, just as Lovborg said. For her to be such a dominant and seemingly confident character on the outside, Hedda is lost and obviously hurting on the inside to the point where she no longer desires to live. I am sure most of us know someone who has committed suicide. I have experienced what it feels like when someone very close to you decides to end it. Just as I was upset and sad with the person in my life, I was upset and sad when Hedda headed (nice play on words Aliyya...) down that same path. Adela and Hedda in my opinion are playing into the prominent stereotype at the time that still exists today that women are weak. I say, "Stand up, be a real woman, fight and find another way out!"