Hedda GablerCharacter Breakdown: Judge Brack

Everything somebody else says about me

“Judge Brack was good enough to see me right to my door”“Yes, I rather suspect I have several friends who’d like to trade places with me.”“Well, fortunately Judge Brack has gotten me quite easy terms. That’s what he wrote Hedda.”“Judge Brack is here and says he’d like to greet you and the Doctor, ma’am”.“You’re always welcome here”.“It’s really a treat to see you by daylight, Judge!”“Yes. A bit younger, I think”.“You might thank Judge Brack for all the trouble he’s gone to-““Yes, you’re a true friend.”“Yes, we can’t thank you enough”.“Think about Hedda, Judge! You, who know her so well – I simply couldn’t have her live like a grocer’s wife”.“Oh yes, please do. I don’t know where I’m at”.“Goodbye, Judge. And come again soon.”“Good to see you again, Judge!”“And now Judge, I’m going to shoot you!”“That’s what comes of sneaking in the back way.”“Oh dear – I didn’t hit you, did I?”“All right, you can come in, Judge.”“He didn’t expect you so soon”.“You forgot to arrange it”.“Well, we’ll just have to settle down here – and wait. Tesman won’t be back for a while”.“Doesn’t it seem like eternity since the last time we talked together? Oh, a few words last night and this morning – but they don’t count”.“Oh, Judge, you don’t know – I’ve been so dreadfully bored”.“No one that I could talk to about our kind of things”.“We don’t have to rush right off, do we? Hmm?”“Oh, I never really held out any hopes for you”.“No. Because there’s always someone on the platform who –““And can talk about all kinds of lively things – ““We don’t have to rush right, do we? Hm?”“You believe that story too?”“Oh, my dear Judge – you can’t imagine how horribly I’m going to bore myself here”.

Everything I say about myself

“You find me – changed?”“Nonsense-it was a pleasure-“ P/T“But my dear fellow, you’re coming to my stag party this evening. You promised down on the pier this evening”. T“When I take my afternoon walk, I’ll stop by and fetch you”.“We’ll have no more of that kind of fun today”. T“Because in that case I would have stopped by a little bit – earlier”. T“And there’s not the least little crack in the door we could have conferred through”. T“Also stupid of me.” F“Don’t worry, I can be patient”. F“There wasn’t a day that I didn’t wish you were home again”. T“Well, I can’t exactly answer for all the others. But as far as I’m concerned, you know that I’ve always cherished a – a certain respect for the marriage bond. Generally speaking, that is”. F“All I want is to have a warm circle of intimate friends, where I can be of use one way or another, with the freedom to come and go as – as a trusted friend” P/T, P/F“Frankly – I prefer the lady. But the man, too, of course, in his place. That kind of – let’s say, triangular arrangement – you can’t imagine how satisfying it can be all around”. T“Who looks at your legs, is that it?” T“Well, but suppose a third person came on board and joined the couple”. T“Who’s not in the least a specialist”. T“Unfortunately – I was headed quite a different way”. F“I’m afraid our rashness all too often does, Mrs. Hedda”. T“We’ll discuss it again in a year’s time – at the latest”. T“We have plenty of time for that. There’s no one due at my place till seven or half past”. P/T“Well, I’d say that victory and honor – hm – after all, they’re very sweet – “ F“I’m delighted”. F“I wouldn’t advise the fair lady to try”. F“I’ve not been out of my clothes yet, Mrs. Hedda”.“I had particular reasons for keeping track of my guests – or, I should say, certain of my guests, last night”. T

Hedda GablerCharacter Breakdown: Judge Brack

Everything somebody else says about me

“I saw it so clearly in Judge Brack a moment ago… the contempt in his smile when you didn’t dare join them for a drink”.“But how could the judge know that? And besides, I noticed him smile and glance at Tesman when you couldn’t bring yourself to go to their wretched little party.“To hear a little of your unadulterated liveliness, Judge”.“And Brack had so much to get ready”.“And Brack came along with us too, to get a little fresh air”.“And Brack also went home”.“Judge Brack’s outside, asking if he might stop in”.“It would seem you had quite a time of it last night, Judge”.“Oh, I’m sure you’re an exception, Judge”.“I see. The one cock of the walk – that’s what you want to be”.“You can be a very dangerous person, can’t you – in a tight corner”.“And I’m thoroughly grateful – that you have no hold over me”.“Yes, you can ask Judge Brack, he’ll tell you”.“Oh, I already know what you’re going to say. Because you’re a kind of specialist too, you know, just like – oh well!”“What else did you hide?”“So I’m in your power, Judge. You have your hold over me from now on”.“All the same, I’m in your power. Tied to your will and desire”.“From now on, Judge, you’ll have to be good enough to keep Hedda company”.“Oh, I’m sure Judge Brack will be good enough to stop by and see you”.“Yes, don’t you hope so, Judge? You, the one cock of the walk – “

Everything I say about myself

“We males, sad to say – we’re not always so true to principle as we ought to be”.“In the first place, it’s hardly a matter of no concern to me, if it’s brought out in the investigation that he’d come direct from my house”. P/T“But I felt that as a friend of the family I owed you and Tesman a full account of his nocturnal exploits”. F“Precisely. It would almost be like turning me out of my home”. T“Yes, that’s what I want to be. And that’s what I’ll fight for – with every means at my disposal”. T“If I had, then who knows just what I might do?” T“I have nothing against back ways. At certain times they can be rather piquant”. T“No, Hedda Gabler – as long as I keep quiet”. T“My dearest Hedda – believe me – I won’t abuse my position”. F“I’ll take the greatest pleasure in that”. T“We’ll have great times here together, just the two of us!”