Tuesday, September 1, 2009

how darkly the dark hand met his end;

I feel like no matter how much changes, I will still find some way to relate to Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler". When I first read it, I was shocked at how much I related to Tesman, the naive man who was so devoted to the woman he cared so much about, blind to her faults, simple to the cruelty of the outside world. But recently, I'm not acting so much like Jorgen Tesman.

I think that when first receiving bad (possibly unfortunate is a better word for this scenario) news, the only appropriate action is denial. It's what makes us human, we will fight off the idea that something is not as it seems, regardless of the facts at hand. To be a human IS to be Jorgen Tesman in a way, that ability to turn a blind eye to the negatives and only focus on the positives is inherent in all people.

But, to be Ejlert Lovborg is something different entirely. To know full well of the manipulations and machinations of the people around us, and yet remain there as something you initially had no desire to take part in, is not quite foolishness. The foolishness remains in his questioning of Hedda's motives, to ask if she was being honest with him, to believe there was that connection, that is Lovborg's fatal flaw; he cares.

However, is it really a flaw to care? We, as people, are not a carbon copy of Dexter Morgan, and trying to be can only isolate us, turning us into a shadow of Patrick Bateman, the anger associated with trying to rid one's self of emotion can often lead to a temporary loss of sanity for as long as we attempt this foolish endeavour.

But I digress; there is no shame in finding similarity with Lovborg, I've come to realize. Lovborg is the one character that shows strength enough to move out of the puppeteer-like control of Hedda. Here's to hoping that when I finally find my Thea Elvsted, the person who can provide me with genuine inspiration and compassion, I can make a 'beautiful' exit on my comrade. Ha.

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