Scoop vs Stanley vs Lovborg
They all possess a power that women are drawn to yet put off by. Stanley’s animalistic power is thrilling to Stella and Blanche is unwillingly attracted to Stanley. Scoop is charismatic and Heidi is attracted to him for that, yet he is obnoxious and Heidi dislikes him for that. Lovborg was a free spirit and lively man, which excites Hedda yet she still wants to be able to manipulate him.
Class issues
In Hedda Gabler, Hedda’s aristocratic background puts pressure on her husband to make money. Hedda uses her background to manipulate people, she has friends and family constantly trying to please her, yet because of her background she is placed on a pedestal. With her aristocratic Background, and female role, she is powerful in a sense but still caged. In streetcar Aristocracy is an idea that has been abandoned or is used as a façade. Stella rejects her posh upbringing by marrying Stanley. Blanches uses her aristocratic background to mask her desires and insecurity, and to make Stanley insecure. In Heidi wealth is less significant than in Hedda and Street car, but it still plays a role. Scoop is very well off and he is materialistic, but he finds his life isn’t really meaningful. There is a motif of career success in Heidi Chronicles but money isn’t usually the focus.
The role of the past
Heidi holds onto past ideals of idealism and feminism, she eventually is rewarded for this. Because this play occurs over a longer span of time past and present aren’t as distinctly separated as they are in Streetcar and Hedda. In Streetcar the past of the old southern glory, and the new rougher south are conflicting. The old south has deteriorated demonstrated through blanches insanity, and is finally let go, shown by Blanches removal and Stella’s choice to remain with Stanley.
in the past Hedda was free to be an individual, but then she married Tesman and is now caged. This is interesting because part of the play is about the death of Victorian society, and the movement of a more liberated society. Yet Hedda’s past where she enjoyed the most freedom, she is moving backwards. Similar to Stella choosing Stanley, Hedda choosing Tesman is regressive in a sense. Except in Stella and Stanley’s case there is passion in Tesman and Hedda’s relationship there is none.
