@article{ART000998383},
author={Yongkwan Lee},
title={The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters},
journal={Journal of Modern English Drama},
issn={1226-3397},
year={2002},
volume={15},
number={2},
pages={8-215}
TY - JOUR
AU - Yongkwan Lee
TI - The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters
JO - Journal of Modern English Drama
PY - 2002
VL - 15
IS - 2
PB - 한국현대영미드라마학회
SP - 8
EP - 215
SN - 1226-3397
AB - Hedda Gabler, as one of Ibsen’s later plays, has often been judged in the context of his earlier realistic plays. The attentions used to fall upon the new woman in content, and the well-made play in form. The approach to Hedda Gabler based on the criteria of early realism results in missing its underlying meaning, because Hedda Gabler is somewhat different from its predecessors. Ibsen constructs a complex play in Hedda Gabler, seeking after Inner Reality, the characteristic of Modernism, as well as Outer Reality.
Under the text of Hedda Gabler, Ibsen weaves a subtext, “concealed” or “unspoken” text which centers around the absent characters or offstage characters. The subtext gives aid to the fine building of Hedda Gabler. Aunt Rina, an unseen invalid helplessly lying on bed offstage, stands for a typical “motherly figure” which Hedda abhors. She, however, gives an influence to Tesman, in an unknown way to Hedda, which hints a primordial life force ironically. So, the death of Aunt Rina entails the death of Hedda. Diana, a prostitute, plays the part of a connecting tissue to complete the symmetry of a male-female structure. She functions as substitute for the unavailable Hedda. Psychologically she is a surrogate- self of Hedda, an embodiment of Hedda’s repressed desire. General Gabler, absent as he is, both begins and ends this play, as the portrait and the pistols which are metonymic substitutions for him. The heredity and the environment he has sown determines Hedda’s ways of thinking and behavior. The absent father in modern drama, symbolizes the Death of God, as it were, the loss of an absolute standard.
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Yongkwan Lee. (2002). The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters. Journal of Modern English Drama, 15(2), 8-215.
Yongkwan Lee. 2002, "The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters", Journal of Modern English Drama, vol.15, no.2 pp.8-215.
Yongkwan Lee "The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters" Journal of Modern English Drama 15.2 pp.8-215 (2002) : 8.
Yongkwan Lee. The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters. 2002; 15(2), 8-215.
Yongkwan Lee. "The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters" Journal of Modern English Drama 15, no.2 (2002) : 8-215.
Yongkwan Lee. The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters. Journal of Modern English Drama, 15(2), 8-215.
Yongkwan Lee. The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters. Journal of Modern English Drama. 2002; 15(2) 8-215.
Yongkwan Lee. The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters. 2002; 15(2), 8-215.
Yongkwan Lee. "The Subtext of Hedda Gabler:Offstage Characters" Journal of Modern English Drama 15, no.2 (2002) : 8-215.
