The Struggle for Freedom
Both of these characters want freedom from oppression, and freedom todo what they desire, when they desire it. This does not seem to be toomuch to ask, but in the 19th century when they lived, their lives were nottheir own, in effect, they lived at the whim of others, and they both hatedliving that way. Douglass wrote, "Colonel Lloyd could not brook anycontradiction from a slave. When he spoke, a slave must stand, listen, andtremble; and such was literally the case" (Douglass, 1995, p. 10). Hislife is bound to another, and so is Hedda's, for she is bound to herhusband, like all married women of Victorian times. Hedda is adisagreeable character, but she is nevertheless a strong and opinionatedwoman, whether the reader likes her or not. She is held captive by societyand in a marriage she abhors. Her friend, Mrs. Elvsted says, "They may saywhat they like, in heaven's name. I have done nothing but what I had todo" (Ibsen, 1905, p. 272), but Hedda does not have the courage to do thesame thing - pack up and leave her husband, despite what a shocked societywould say. Both of these characters have much in common, even though it
Hedda longs for it, butDouglass does something about it. In fact, when a friend asks her whyshe does not have some kind of mission for her life, she replies, "Amission-- that should interest me' BRACK. Douglass says,"This battle with Mr. Hedda, on the otherhand, was much too selfish to work for others; she was too busy feelingsorry for herself and her situation. She muses, "Oh, what a sense of freedom it gives one,this act of Eilert LA¶vborg's. It gives me a senseof freedom to know that a deed of deliberate courage is still possible inthis world,-- a deed of immutable beauty" (Ibsen, 1905, p. Heavenknows what sort of a mission that could be" (Ibsen, 1905, p. Sadly, noone can make her happy but herself, and this seems far beyond her. In conclusion, these two very different people have much in common intheir struggle to be free. Because of the constraints of society,Hedda is as much in bondage as Douglass, for she has no way of living onher own, and she could not stand up to the scandal of leaving her husband,especially so soon after they were married. She sadly notes, "I know of no reason why I should be-- happy. Douglass had a way to createfreedom for himself, but Hedda does not see any way out of her predicamentother than suicide. Douglass must remove himself from the South in order to be free, and thisis a dangerous and deadly maneuver. He writes, These words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called into existence an entirely new train of thought. She is surrounded by beautiful things,lives in a mansion, and is married to a man who obviously loves her, evenif she does not love him.
Common topics in this essay:
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douglass 1995,
ibsen 1905,
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douglass 1995 pp,
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Acceptance Essays
