“Hedda Gabler is deeply preoccupied with the nature of power.” To what extent is this statement reflective of Ibsen’s play?

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"Hedda Gabler is deeply preoccupied with the nature of power." To what extent is this statement reflective of Ibsen's play?

In Ibsen's play Hedda Gabler, the nature of power is seen in the inter-relationship of the characters, led by Hedda Gabler the main protagonist. It is a complex study of Human Beings and their place in the power sphere within Hedda Gabler; their power over others, how they relate to power and how the nature of power can be destructive or put to higher purposes, depending on how it is used.

The nature of power comes in several forms, in various degrees. They are the power one has over others, the power to control, to influence, power over situations, power in using other powers to satisfy one's end. Ibsen also explores the power struggles between characters, the power of good and evil, the power of Alcohol; the power society has over its inhabitants and the power of the Law.

For one to understand this nature of power that Ibsen writes about, one must be aware, among other things that 'Power is knowledge and Knowledge is power'. In the play, the power to manipulate or control lies mainly in the hands of those who have additional knowledge and intelligence which gives them dominance over situations and the other characters. For Brack and Hedda, this is especially true.

Brack is a judge and therefore would be privy to a lot of information and he uses this to get what he wants. In Act 1, Brack informs Tesman of Loveborg's arrival and its potential of ruining Tesman's career prospects. He uses it as a diversion, so that Tesman will be too preoccupied with this to notice Brack's scheme to get Hedda. Brack also uses this power to threaten Hedda, further on in the play when she refuses to have an affair with him.
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Throughout the play, one witnesses Hedda as a manipulative, hurtful and dominating women, able to coax her husband into fulfilling her every whim and to persuade her surrounding characters to act against their will. Hedda employs this power of knowledge to manipulate Lovborg into drinking. She uses what she knows of the relationship of trust between Lovborg and Thea and destroys this trust, which causes Lovborg to break down and succumb to the drink again. In several instances, she uses prior knowledge to distract or get rid of Tesman. For instance when Brack tells Lovborg that "[he] came ...

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