Everything I touch turns ridiculous and vile!

Hedda is so selfish. She pretty much helped a man commit suicide and all she can think about is herself. Its sorta sick that she in controlling another human being felt that the thing that was absolutely necessary and emminent was death. She purposely created stressful and tragic situations for Lovborg so that he would feel helpless such as losing his most prised posession(she could've given him the manuscript at the exact moment she saw him despite the accusations), the woman he loved,and essentially his future. It's one thing to create the conditions but it's another to start the fire.Ohh, maybe that's what the stove and fire are symbolic of- action. She when setting Lovborg up with the gun goes to the fireplace and burns the manuscript-adding to the fire of his dispair,setting his actions into motion. Then when she hears about Lovborg's death she is sitting by the stove.She comments on how impressed she is at such a wonderful act which suggests that she is impressed and that this information feuled her fire and that she feels more willing to ACT now.<---- I feel so smart.
I think suicide was something that Hedda had/was contemplating long before Lovborg and Thea ever walked through her door. It is obvious she felt no control over her life and felt trapped in this loveless marriage and this dangerous love Triangle.
I think that the guns not only symbolize her power but her preoccupation with death. She is constantly "playing" with these guns. Maybe she was planning her suicide the whole time.