Aware of her beauty and her privileged situation, the daughter of a wealthy officer, Hedda Gabler, marries the cultural historian Jörgen Tesman. But her husband, dedicated entirely to science, and also her living conditions bore and irritate her. In her boredom, and with the careless idealism of those in high society, she evaluates and arranges without problems the styles of human life, exercising her power over the weak in her environment. For example, he dominates the marginalized, alcoholic recidivist, but also the talented writer Ejlert Lövborg, with whom he had previously had a very close relationship; and enslaves his “savior” Mrs. Elvsted, who abandoned his family, who has a modest intellect but a pure heart.

Hedda’s selfish idealism makes even death a moral commitment, which not only threatens those around her, but even demands human lives, including herself.