Hedda Gabler is an 1890 play by Henrik Ibsen. As a woman in the Victorian era, Hedda, the play's central...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Hedda Gabler is an 1890 play by Henrik Ibsen. As a woman in the Victorian era, Hedda, the play's central character, is unable to freely determine her own future. Instead, she seeks to influence another person's fate, as is evident when she says to another character, ______
Which quotation from a translation of Hedda Gabler most effectively illustrates the claim?
'Then what in heaven's name would you have me do with myself?'
'I want for once in my life to have power to mould a human destiny.'
'Then I, poor creature, have no sort of power over you?'
'Faithful to your principles, now and for ever! Ah, that is how a man should be!'
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Hedda Gabler is an 1890 play by Henrik Ibsen.' |
|
| 'As a woman in the Victorian era, Hedda, the play's central character, is unable to freely determine her own future.' |
|
| 'Instead, she seeks to influence another person's fate,' |
|
| 'as is evident when she says to another character, ______' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Hedda Gabler, constrained by Victorian society from controlling her own destiny, compensates by seeking to influence other people's lives.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the historical context, identifies Hedda's fundamental limitation (inability to control her own future), presents her coping mechanism (influencing others), and signals that evidence of this behavior will follow through a direct quotation.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct quotation should directly show Hedda expressing a desire to have power over or control another person's life
- Since the claim is that she 'seeks to influence another person's fate,' we need evidence of her wanting to shape, mold, or determine what happens to someone else
- The quote should demonstrate active intention to control another's destiny, not just frustration about her own limitations
'Then what in heaven's name would you have me do with myself?'
✗ Incorrect
- This expresses Hedda's frustration about her own situation and options
- While it shows her constraint, it does not demonstrate her seeking to influence someone else's fate
- Students might choose this because it shows Hedda's limitation, but the question asks for evidence of her response to that limitation
'I want for once in my life to have power to mould a human destiny.'
✓ Correct
- 'I want for once in my life to have power to mould a human destiny' directly states her desire to shape another person's life
- This perfectly matches the claim that she 'seeks to influence another person's fate'
- The word 'mould' shows active control, and 'human destiny' refers to another person's fate
'Then I, poor creature, have no sort of power over you?'
✗ Incorrect
- This questions whether she has power over someone, but does not show her actively seeking to influence their fate
- It is more about doubting her current influence rather than expressing desire to control someone's destiny
'Faithful to your principles, now and for ever! Ah, that is how a man should be!'
✗ Incorrect
- This comment about being faithful to principles does not relate to influencing another person's fate
- It is more of an observation about character traits than evidence of seeking control over someone's destiny