Who REALLY has control?

Ibsen creates foils for each character but as we, the readers, look deeper, we see that the characters aren’t as they seem but instead are opposite from each other and from the ways that they are viewed by the reader. We see a perfect example of this in the comparison/contrast of Hedda and Thea.
Outwardly, Hedda seems to be in control. George caters to her every whim, or at least the ones he is able to. She is extremely demanding, pretentious, and controlling and seems to be very unhappy with the life she is living and what she is giving. Many times throughout the story, she finds something to complain about or something more that she wants.
“Hedda: Naturally, this means I can’t have a butler now.
Tesman: Oh no-I’m sorry, a butler – we can’t even talk about that, you know.
Hedda: And the riding horse that I was going to have-
Tesman: (appalled) Riding horse (247)!”
Thea, on the other hand, outwardly seems weak and helpless, the true vision of a typical 19th Century woman – a subservient, vulnerable and innocent woman, with the face of an angel, whose only purpose was to sit there and be beautiful.
“Her eyes are light blue, round, and somewhat prominent, with a startled, questioning look. Her hair is remarkably light, almost a white-gold, and unusually abundant and wavy (233).”
As we analyze the roles of these two women, it becomes apparent that the outward view of them by the reader is actually the total opposite of how they really are. Hedda is revealed to be weak, contrary to what she would like to be perceived as. She is also shown to be controlled, especially by her feelings for Lövberg and Brack. Her feelings for Lövberg interfere with her relationship with Thea, which makes her feel insecure, like she is losing control. She is also controlled by Brack. He recognizes the fact that she wants to avoid scandal about her involvement with Lövberg, and uses that against her. This control is what eventually leads him to be able to remove the pistols from Hedda’s hands, symbolizing the official resignation of power and her submittance to male domination. We see that her attempts to control George were really subconscious attempts to gain control of herself.
Thea, on the other hand, seems to have real control, especially over Lövberg. She helps him sort out his life and get back on track. This allows him to write his manuscript, seemingly a product of Thea’s, as it is written in her handwriting and from her point of view. She turns out to be a woman of conviction and of determination. “Yes, yes, Mr. Tesman, Ill do the best I can…….Dear God – if only we can do this! (298).” Thea proves that she is a lot more than what she seems and is more than capable of gaining control, especially of the men in the story. “Oh, if only I could inspire your husband in the same way (302).”
Overall, in Hedda Gabler, things are not as they seem; actually things are quite the opposite of what they seem, and the roles of Hedda and Thea and they comparison are perfect examples of this.