Hedda Gabler Lesson Plan

What did the "vine leaves" which Hedda expected Løvborg to return with symbolize?

The "vine leaves" motif is important, because it signifies something Hedda loses faith in. It is also a self-consciously affected symbol, evoking as it does images of the Greek god Dionysus and various forms of bacchanalian revelry. Some critics have suspected that desires of transcendence or apotheosis are reflected in Hedda’s references to vine leaves, but it is also undoubtedly the case that vine leaves are connected ironically to Løvborg’s own history of debasement via alcohol. Ultimately, there is no single correct answer.

Consider the following passage from Hedda Gabler. What does...