Act Four is full of so many deaths. There's Aunt Rina, Lovborg, and Hedda. It's also, ironically, the beginning of many new relationships such as Thea's and Tesman's partnership in remaking the manuscript. And also Judge Brack's uselessness in Tesman's affairs.
I think act four is funny because everyone ignores Hedda. She has lost all the attention she desired to receive. For example, she tries playing the piano but Tesman (even Tesman!) ordered her to stop playing the piano. "But Hedda dearest-don't go playing dance music tonight! Think of Auntie Rina! And Eilert, too!" (303). Also, Hedda is useless and unwanted. Hedda asks Tesman and Thea, "Is there nothing the two of you can use me for here?" (303). And Tesman answers, "No, nothing in the world" (303) which pretty much means he's telling her that there is absolutely nothing Hedda can do that would help Tesman and Thea. Hedda no longer plays a prominent role in this play any longer. She is now the least important and most useless person in that room. She can't handle that fact and shortly kills herself afterwards.
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Comparing Heddas power from act 1 to act 4, she does lose the majority of her power, in act 1 she wanted to get all these nice things from Tesman. But in act 4 feels useless against him. Its sad that she had to kill herself, but I only that happen is because Ibsen needed to prove his point.
I agree that Hedda's complete loss of attention and control of the situation is a big part of what prompted her to kill herself. I also thought it was interesting that you pointed out a lot of new relationships were being formed, all which ended up excluding Hedda. It is ironic that Hedda spends the entire play trying to gain control over everyone and at the end no one cares about her or anything she has to imput. Bummer.
Honestly, I feel really bad for her.
Hedda has so much power in the beginning and had no one getting in her way until what happened with Lovborg and stupid Brack...she had no choice but to kill herself because she lost the only thing that I guess in a sense, kept her alive.
RIP HEDDA!lol
I personally believe that Hedda lost pretty much all of her power before the play started, with hopes of regaining it through Tesman. She comes from upper class and marries into a class sub par of that so this in a since represent a loss of power. Then with Hedda not being able to grasp the role of women signifies another failure and loss of power.
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