Henrik Ibsen's first published play, Hedda Gabler, did not make the exquisite splash Ibsen had hoped: when it premiered in Germany in 1891, it received overwhelmingly negative reviews. Nevertheless, through the passage of time, critics came to understand the work as a classic among realist theater. The play's protagonist, herself, is a controversial figure: Hedda Gabler is unreliable as a moral figure, ambiguously encompassing both the victim and the villain. Known as "the female Hamlet," Hedda struggles with circumstance and takes society head-on as an idealistic heroine. Henrik Ibsen was known for crossing societal boundaries with his plays. Hedda Gabler depicts a woman who has socially lowered herself solely for the purpose of marriage. Ibsen's use of phallic imagery throughout the play to signify Hedda's oppression is amazing. The play takes dark twists and turns, as Hedda Gabler pushes societal boundaries and expectations of women.