Method of the Study

In the dialogue, the rudeness towards Miss Tesman is revealed through language; one of devices of characterization where the character is described through the use of language and expressions when he or she talks to another character Reaske, 1966: 48. In this dialogue between Hedda and Tesman, Tesman tells Hedda to speak a little more affectionately to Miss Tesman. Based on that utterance, it can be concluded that the language and the expression that Hedda used did not show any affection and respect to Miss Tesman when Hedda talked to her. Although her husband asks Hedda to do that for him, she still insists of not doing that. The next characteristic which is going to be discussed is ignorant. The evidence that shows the ignorance of Hedda Gabler is in the situation when Miss Tesman gives Tesman a present. TESMAN [opening it]. Well, I’m blessed You’ve kept them for me, Aunt Julle That really is sweet of her, Hedda, isn’t it? Eh? HEDDA [by the what-not on the right]. Yes, my dear. What is it? TESMAN. My old morning shoes. My slippers – look .............. HEDDA [going over to the stove]. No, thanks. It really doesn’t interest me. TESMAN [following her]. Just think, Aunt Rina embroidered them for me in bed, lying ill like that. Oh, you can’t imagine how many memories are worked into them HEDDA. Not for me, particularly. pp. 273-274 In the dialogue between Tesman and Hedda above, we can see Hedda’s ignorance obviously by using a dialogue between characters; where the personality of a character can be revealed through the way he or she speaks to another character Reaske, 1966: 47. In this case, the other character is Tesman. When Tesman receives the present from Miss Tesman and then asks Hedda to take a look at it, she just refuses to see it. She shows her uninterest expression to see it and says, “No, thanks. It really doesn’t interest me.” By looking at that dialogue, we can also see that Hedda does not care about her husband’s feeling after getting a present by saying, “Not for me, particularly.” For Hedda, it is not important at all. What she really cares about is just herself. Another characteristic that is going to be revealed from the main character is selfish. The evidence that represents the selfishness of Hedda is shown almost at the end of the play when Hedda is playing a piano in an appropriate condition. The situation and the dialogue is the following. [Hedda goes into the inner room and draws the curtains after her. There is a short pause. Suddenly she is heard playing a wild dance tune on the piano.] MRS ELVSTED [jumping up from her chair]. Oh What is that? TESMAN [running to the doorway]. But, Hedda, my dearest – don’t play dance music this evening. Think of Aunt Rina And of Ejlert, too p. 363 Through this excerpt, the selfishness is revealed by using one of the methods of characterization which is called character in action; where one’s characteristic is depicted through the his or her own actions Reaske, 1966: 48. In this scene, the author uses the stage direction as the mean to tell the action. In the stage direction provided, it is stated that Hedda is playing a piano with a wild dance tune. From it, we can infer that Hedda’s behavior or action is showing the selfishness because she is playing a piano on such joyful tones while everyone is still in grief due to Aunt Rina’s and Lovborg’s death. She cannot place herself in an appropriate condition and she does that without concerning the situation. Through the scene, it is obvious that Hedda is a person who never concerns the others’ feelings. Another personality which can be revealed from the main character is heartless. This personality is revealed through the scene when Hedda is sitting alone and burning the manuscript on the fire stove. [Hedda listens a moment at the door. Then she goes across to the writing- table and takes out the manuscript in its package. She glances inside the wrapper, pulls some of the sheets half out and looks at them. Then she goes across and sits down in the easy-chair by the stove with the packet in her lap. After a moment, she opens the stove-door and then the pocket.] HEDDA [throwing some of the leaves into the fire and whispering to herself]. Now I am burning your child, Thea. You, with your curly hair. [Throwing a few more leaves into the stove.] Your child and Ejlert Lovborg’s. [Throwing in the rest.] I’m burning it – burning your child. p. 345 In this excerpt, Hedda is revealed as a heartless person through her speech that says, “Now I am burning your child, Thea.” The manuscript, in fact, belongs to Lovborg, and she is burning it as if burning a child of Thea Mrs. Elvsted and Lovborg. We can see the reason why the script is regarded as a child through the following scene. MRS ELVSTED. Do you know, Ejlert, this, what you have done to the book – all my life, it will seem to me as if you had killed a little child. LOVBORG. You are right. It is like murdering a child. p. 342 Mrs. Elvsted and Lovborg consider the script as their child because they were working together to make it. If it is considered as their child, it means that the script is very precious to them. However, Hedda has destroyed the manuscript on purpose and she clearly knows that it is really precious to Elvsted and Lovborg. That is the reason why Hedda says that she is burning a child instead of burning a manuscript.