Since Hedda Gabler exploded on to European and American stages in the 1890s, the play and its title character have troubled and transfixed audiences, performers and critics the world over. In this Routledge Literary Sourcebook, Christopher Innes balances essential reprinted texts with clear, incisive commentary to: set the play within the contexts of Norwegian nationalism, the women's movement and the cultural movement of Naturalism; examine - and emphasize the links between - the performance and criticism of the play, from 1890 to the present; offer the ideal guide to key passages in the play, showing how a knowledge of the play's contexts, performance history and critical fortunes can give rise to exciting new readings of the text; prepare readers for further study of the play, with suggestions for reading on specific issues of interest. No reader should be without this guide as they enter the fascinating world of Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen and Naturalist theater.

Table of Contents:
Introduction I: Contexts: Contextual Overview: Norwegian Nationalism, The Women's Movement, Naturalism, Chronology, Contemporary Documents: Introduction, Statehood and Individual Freedom: From Ibsen, To My Friend the Revolutionary Orator (1869) From Ibsen, Letter to Georg Brandes (December 20, 1870) From Ibsen, Letter to Georg Brandes (February 17, 1871) Ibsen and Women's Rights: From Camilla Collett, Diary Entry; From Ibsen, Speech at the Festival of the Norwegian Women's Rights League (May 26, 1888) The Principles of Naturalism: From Emile Zola, Naturalism in the Theatre (1881) From August Strindberg, Preface to Miss julie (1888) Ibsen, On Objectivity (1882) Ibsen, On the Primacy of Character (n.d.) From Ibsen, Letter to Edmund Gosse (January 15, 1874) Ibsen and the Naturalist Theater: From Ibsen, Letter to August Lindberg (November 22, 1884) From Ibsen, Letter to Duke Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen (November 13, 1886) From Ibsen, Letter to Sofie Reimers (March 25, 1887) From Ibsen, Letter to Kristina Stern (January 14, 1891) Hedda Gabler: From Ibsen, Letter to Count Moritz Prozor (December 4, 1890) Ibsen, Preliminary Outline for Hedda Gabler (c.1889) Ibsen, Working Note for Hedda Gabler (c.1888-9) Ibsen, Scenario for Acts 2 and 3 (c.1890) From William Archer, Preface to Hedda Gabler (1906-12) 2 : Interpretations: Critical History: Ibsen and His Public: Gosse and Archer: Setting the Critical Agenda, Interpreting Hedda Gabler: Hedda Gabler: Production History: Early Performance and Criticism, Ethical Approaches: From E. F. S. Piggott, Testimony to the Select Committee on Censorship (1892) From Edmund Gosse, Ibsen's New Drama (1891) From George Bernard Shaw, The Lesson of Ibsen's Plays (1891) The First English Production 57 From Elizabeth Robins, On Playing Hedda (1928) 57 From William Archer, The Mausoleum of Ibsen (1893) 61 From Henry James, On the Occasion of Hedda Gabler (1891) 63 Hedda as Modern Woman From William Archer, Preface to Hedda Gabler (1906-12) From Alia Nazimova, Ibsen's Women (1907) Modern Criticism and Performance: Updating Hedda for the 1920s From Blanche Yurka, Acting Hedda Gabler (1970) From Eva le Gallienne, Ibsen's Hedda Gabler (1964) Ibsen as Craftsman: From H. L. Mencken, Introduction to Eleven Plays of Henrik Ibsen (1935) From Arthur Miller, Introduction to Collected Plays (1957) Hedda as Heroine: From Muriel Bradbrook, The Humanist (1966)From G. Wilson Knight, Imprisoned Souls (1962)Hedda Gabler and Theories of Tragedy From Eric Bentley, The Modern Theatre (1948)From Nigel Dennis, Dramatic Essays (1962)From George Steiner, The Death of Tragedy (1961)From Geoffrey Brereton, Principles of Tragedy (1968)Hedda Gabler and Poetic Drama: From John Northam, Ibsen's Dramatic Method: A Study of the Prose Dramas (1953) From Eric Bentley, The Life of the Drama (1964), Postmodern Interpretations: From Frederick and Lise Lone Marker, The Airless World of Hedda Gabler (1992) Feminist Readings: From Elenore Lester, Hedda- Frigid Woman or Life Bearer? (1971) From Irving Wardle, Glenda Jackson Meets Hedda Gabler (1975) Recent Approaches to Hedda Gabler: From Janet Suzman, Hedda Gabler: The Play in Performance (1980) From Richard J. Beckley, Interview with Janet Suzman (1982) From James McFarlane, Drama and the Mind: Hedda Gabler (1989) 3: Key Passages 4. Further Reading.