1.) Who Am I?
I am rather skinny. My features are sharp and my expression cold. My eyes can pierce into your deepest darkest, thoughts and desires. I normally dress in monochrome colours; as if I am in a constant state of morning for my old life. My childhood was quaint, yet not entirely personal. My father was, and still remains, my biggest idol and proudest boast in life. His work normally took him elsewhere, so as a child I had nannies attend to me and later I found comfort in a long line of men that lined the streets hoping for me to pay them the slightest bit of attention. It was a funny game, but games get boring. I never cared for many of them, but they were good company while they lasted. My father taught me some of the most important lessons in life. I believe, as he did, that to succeed in life you must make your enemies believe you are their friend. Manipulating people is the only way to succeed in life. Whatever your opponent is willing to do to win, you must be willing to do two times over.
2.) What time is it?
I am living in 1890 Norway. It is autumn and the leaves on the trees outside my window have started to turn yellow and wither. There is a slight chill in the air, but is quickly turned into a warm breeze by the fire. I can smell the damp of the street cobbles. It send a shiver down my spine. The grandfather clock in our hallway has just chimed 6 o'clock in the evening. I can smell Berthe finishing off our dinner; roast lamb I believe. She has been working since the early hours of the day, whilst I just sit here, keeping warm by the fire, smelling nothing but trodden leaves and pumpkin pies being sold by a street seller, two roads down.
3.) Where am I?
I am in the drawing room of my house. The windows tower over the rest of the room. I am perched on a sofa, between two chairs. Their is a piano in the back corner of the room. A table sits at the centre of the seating arrangement. A drinks cabinet holds bottles of whisky and brandy and fine silver glasses. Their is a bookshelf of George's books and some fantastical novels that I like to lose myself in. The carpet is soft and new, courtesy of George's Aunt I presume. Everything fits perfectly. And vases of flowers- so many vases of flowers; left right and centre.
4.) What surrounds me?
I am surrounded my finely embroided cushions that have been plumped up by our maid. The carpet at my feet is the most exotic feature of my life, telling stories of ancient Persia; beautiful and glorious. The vases on every single surface are sickening. You pay money for fine china painted with intricate flowers that live far longer than the bouquets they hold. They are so fragile, so easily breakable- they are the personification of everything I hate in life.
5.) What is my relationship to the things and people around me?
Eilert is a strange man, yet I secretly admire him. He has a charm and wit far beyond any man I know. Yet is is despicable. He invites scandal and outrage into his life williningly. How could a man stoop so low? The funiture makes me physically sick. It is not mine, it belongs to my husband and his Aunt. I cannot control it so what's the point in it being here? I want my own life, full of my own things, surrounded by men who can hold a conservation for more than a minute. Everything around me holds a certain beauty; beauty that is trapped in this godforsaken house- like me. My cage is well decorated, but a cage it remains.
6.) What are the given circumstances?
In the scene previously Hedda has declared her upmost bordem with her life. Her madness is beginning to show, a persona that is carried over into my scene. She has already been harassed by Brack and she has turned him away, just as she turns Eilert away in my scene. Her madness is started to be noticed by those around her. Although still defended and closed, she is letting her well put together facade go slightly- the cracks are starting to show. Immediatley before I enter, she is being faced with the prospect of sitting with a friend that she hasn't seen since he tried to force himself on you. An awkward and delicate given circumstance.
7.) What is my objective?
My specific objective in this scene varies. As is Hedda's nature, she is always changing her action and reaction towards different characters. In my scene her objective is to tease and sometimes to block. She is willing to let Eilert believe he has a hold over her and that she cares, yet when she sees it as going to far she will block his affections and coldly dismiss him. Hedda's overall objective is to manipulate and to play. All she wants is to be less bored and she finds the easiest way to do this, is to manipulate those around her. She is playing a constant game with people, toying with their emotions by always wearing a mask of oxymoronic emotions.
8.) What's my obstacle?
My obstacle in the scene is Tesman and Brack in the back room. I have to be constantly aware of their presence as my actions have to be appropriate in accordance to their presence. I am playing to play, yet I cannot play as boldly as I would like because I know I cannot with my husband and Brack in ears shot. My overall obstacle is the society I live. All I want is to have the life that the men in my life have: I want George's kindness, Brack's power and Eilert's freedom. However this is all excluded from my life because I am living in 1890 Norway. As a woman, as often stated in the play, Hedda's vocation is to have children. It is clear she doesn't want to be a mother, yet the society is blocking her from making this choice as an independent woman. The problem may be from Hedda's actions, but she is forced to take these measures because of the society she lives in.
9.) What am I going to do to get what I want?
I am going to play the system. I will sacrifice my own future to have a moment of complete control and power.
I don't care who I manipulate, I don't care who's livelihood I destroy, as long as it benefits me. I am going to pretend to be things I'm not and to care when I do not and hide my deepest darkest desires. I will play people's game as long as I know that at the end of it I will reign victorios. Whatever my future holds I must take any opportunity to control mine and all everyone else's fate.
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