Investigating Failure in Establishing Intimate Relationships: A Psychoanalytical Study of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler

Abstract

Ibsen's play Hedda Gabler is full of psychological implications. It is a play in which Ibsen has dealt with the complexity of romantic relationships. The study relies on Freud's theory of the unconscious involving unconscious motives, repression, fear of intimacy, displacement, anxiety and neurosis. Many young characters in the play try to establish intimate relationships, but they fail in their effort. Most of the characters are suffering from the fear of intimacy. This leads to make an analysis of their unconscious motives and desires. The study finds that most of the characters in this play are controlled by their unconscious desire for having power over the people they want to be intimate with. This is why they fail to establish intimate relations with the important individuals in their life. The study offers an application of Freudian concepts to literature. It also helps in understanding causes for the failure of intimate relationships.