New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-12

Ibsen,s new play is less like drama than rather
dull and disagreeabe novel written in shorthand
We say written in shorthand, because It's meaning Is
not obvious the whole of the character stuues pcis
presented in authorizations which make IL necessary W
read into them great deal not put tlere pS ''o
author before consistent or ineligible view can W
evolved. The so-called drama possesses one I'M
denabe merit in the fact that the dramats personae
number no more than seven, Willie Of these only hve
occupy the stage for any length OF time or take any
important part in the action Not that there Is much
of the latter The whole drama Is represented WIN
ont change of scene, apparently. and considering It's
general character this is not very difficult hitherto
Ibscn has been nothing If not ddactc but 1t is not
easy to perceive the ethical bearing OF Hedda Gabier
unless II be intended TO show how preternatnrany
disagreeable, perverse and stupid youDg woman can
be who Is wholly given over to the indulgence Oh
selfish and frivolous desires, and who while possess
nq vicious incnaions sufficiently strong to make her
wish to be conventionbreaker lacks the courage TO
carry these mutinous prepossesslons into erect
Hedda Gabler is really not Hedda Gabler, but Hedda
Tesman. Possibly Ibsen intended to intimate subty
that marriage had not changed her. in giving the play
her maiden name. That IL had not changed her Is
in no way wonderful for II IS shown at very early
stage that she married George Tesman for homo
and the opportunity to mix In society. and not at al
for love. much better GIRL indeed, might have
failed to feel affection for George TcSman, who is
young man Of letters absorbed In his preparations for
a work on "The Industries OF Drabant During the
Middle Ages" He is represented as spending his
honeymoon exploring archives for material and leav
ing his bride TO NOPE at hotels alone. The scene
opens on their return from the honeymoon to the
villa he has bought because she had expressed
liking for il. His Aunt Julana, who brought him
up ard who is the only endurable person in the cast
has mortgaged her income to assure him possession
of the coveted house. and he accepts the service
with little show Of gratitude, while Hedda takes the
first opportunity to insult the kind old lady r. We
are left to infer that before FER marriage Hedda had
airted with one Ebert Lovborg, another man OF
letters who had gone wrong-apparently by yielding
to a love Of drink-but who had been reformed by
Sheriff Elvsted and Mrs Elvsted. 1t appears later
that the latter has fallen IN love with LOvborg. and
that being abused by her husband she has left him
and followed the reclaimed Ebert to the town where
Iiedda lives, and whore he repairs in order to see
Hedda, and to renew the old filtration.
Mrs Elvsted simple soft soul, calls on Hcdda and
in an outburst Of confidence tells her everything
Then comes Ebert himself, with manuscript Of
new book, which he wishes Tesman to read. Punch
offered him here but he refuses TO drink whereupon
Hedda, jealous in her malicious way, sets herself 70
overcome his scrupes, laughs at him until he becomes
angry and so drives him to defy his fate and drink
several glasses of punch Thus he is prepared to join
Tesman and Judge Brock in carOr3 at the rooms Of
the latter and after turbulent night he loses the
precious manuscript on his way home. Judge Brock,
another highly disagreeable parsonage. who has also
been an old flame OF Hcdda's wishes to establish in
Innate relations with her. Int being more afraid
of Mrs. Gr1Idy than she herself is he proceeds with
great tmidity George Tesman finds the lost MANI
script and persuaded by Hodda to leave it with her.
She does not read IT, but burns 1t. Lovborg, under
the impression that he has lost the manuscript under
compromising circumstances gives ont that he has
destroyed IT, and being by this time desperate he visits
Hedda who delicatey suggests suicide by making him
present Of one of her fathers pistols, at the same
time enjoining him to do it beautifully" she feels
the want of poetry in her life. and here she thhS'
is an opportunity to introduce little Lovbors goes
away. and presently Judge Brock in with the
news that he has shot himself. Hedda Is Informed
that the fatal wound was In the breast, Whereupon
she regrets that it had not been in the temple ana
learning later that it really was i'll the ABDOMEN she
is quite disguised with the vuearity OF Lovbcrgs
method and appears to renounce his memory thence
forth
Then comes Judce Brock and Informs her that ne
has recognized the pistol with which LovborG Killed
himself and that if it should be identified by ing
notice she will be involved in dreadful scandal TIC
assures her. however, that so long as lie remains
silent there is no danger and she at once cohcluV
that his purpose IS to establish mastery over ie
n his own purposes. Against this she rebels DuV
.ho ,horcb+ of n scandal is too much for her, and
ro{irrr n the next room she shoots herself THIS Is
the bod outline of Iedda Gaber" so-cailea drama
with scarcely one truly dramatic quality, ana inc
story OF which Is by turns puere, unnatural ana re-
voting There IS no character In the play to winch
any genuine interest attaches ,..-
NJ mental or moral quality Is represented (save
in tho case of Aunt Julsna) which 1t is pleasant 10
cont amniate The heroine is worthless, the nero Is
worthless and all the masculine characters are CON
4ernntibe or tedious. There Is not an appIo1ch "
consistency In the development Of iedda GaDlefs own
ahsnrd mental constitution for whereas she IS repre-
son+ed as completely under the dominion oI hcf
foar ~ scandal she ends by the most scandalons
ot,oD oetonslbIv In seeking to avoid that to which
eha &c hastening She does not love her husband
she does not love Lovborg. she lcves no9cdy Du'
her,oIf Poor silly weak Mrs Elvsted, though in no
vav estimable, inspires much more sympathy thal
docs Hedda whose thoughts and actions are alike
either incomprehensblc or preposterous Her motive
for de,troyirg the manuscript fr instance is BEYOND
conjecture DID she do it for pure spite and Jealousy
or d,d she deliberately propose to destroy E)erts
loot hone of recovering his position? II the as Wha'
| is there in the play TO interpret such mahsnty
Ac IN the dialogue, IT is slngularly insipid and
tasteIess There is not flash OF VII OF manor IRON
hoo,rrinr IN end A lcaden atmosphere envelopes
| o,orv+h,nr The two men OF letters exhibit no NOR
+,oc.ral br,ll,ancy thaa IL they had becn two Hitter
40 oons II there is no liveliness in the dialogue
moreover there is no defnlteness In tire general cri
| 90 the socalled drama. The psychology OF " llcuu'
Gablern is not that OF the world VIC live III. IL
| rather that Of bad dream ana the pay Hscn
| much more Ike such dream than II Is Ike pay
Everything mstily abnormal, unwhoiesome' pcrVer'
and confused in IT, The sentiments expressed appea
| IN have little or no reference 70 actual lie All u
people talk in that indefinite unntercstcd, I'm
natural manner which Uelongs to the dream state
The reasoning too Is fantastic and ncons 'quen Their
,s no LOGICAL warrant for the death OF either Lorbo
| or Iiedda. Love no doubt does some times over
| throw logic and reason together but in this cas-
| there was no love TO play the deus machina."
is on the whole very queer pcce OF work; unfttc
ooualIy for tie closet and the Stage; and oleTin
| ANYTHING but cheerful prospect 10 those who hol
that Ibsen's mission is 10 show forth the drama 4
the future. "