Why does Judge Brack never marry in Hedda Gabler?

Judge Brack explains his reasons for not marrying in his
extended Act Second conversation with Hedda. The question of why she married George
comes up, “My accepting George Tesman, you mean?” and the topic leads to Brack
reiterating to Hedda his own views on marriage. In a subtle
dialogue, Brack suggests that while he has a “certain respect for the marriage ties,”
his ambition is to be “free to come and go” at will and according to his own desires.

Two things emerge from this. The first is that it is clear that
within a marriage, neither partner can “come and go” at will and exclusively to his or
her own desires, so Brack would be disinterested in marriage. The second is that
Barack’s preference is a place “as a trusted friend” within the family circle of a
“pleasant” family to whom he may be “useful in every way.” He puts a priority on such a
friendship with the wife of the house first and with the husband
second.

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HEDDA.: It was more than my other adorers were
prepared to do for me, my dear Judge.

BRACK.: [Laughing.] Well, I
can't answer for all the rest; but as for myself, you know quite well that I have always
entertained a—a certain respect for the marriage tie—for marriage as an institution,
Mrs. Hedda.

HEDDA.: [Jestingly.] Oh, I assure you I have never
cherished any hopes with respect to you.

BRACK.; All I require is a
pleasant and intimate interior, where I can make myself useful in every way, and am free
to come and go as—as a trusted friend—

HEDDA.: Of the master of the
house, do you mean?

BRACK.: [Bowing.] Frankly—of the mistress first of
all; but of course of the master too, in the second place. Such a triangular
friendship—if I may call it so—is really a great convenience for all the parties, let me
tell you.

What Brack is
saying is that he prefers freedom to marriage but that his ambition is a nice quiet
liaison with the wife of a man who trusts Brack implicitly and allows him complete
freedom in his home--in Brack’s mind, this complete freedom means freedom with the lady
of the house as well.

This isn’t surprising when Brack’s
character traits are examined. He is manipulative,
controlling, and devious. He tries to manipulates George; he manipulates Hedda--who is
the master of the arts of deceit and manipulation herself--he manipulates George’s aunt;
he manipulates George’s debts; and he attempts to manipulate George’s career, probably
with the aim of making George even more in debt to him with the objective of increasing
the power he has George in the guise of “a trusted friend” who is “useful in every way.”
This sort of man would find the constraints of a Victorian era marriage incompatible
with his aims and objectives.