Juliane Tesman is the aunt of Jorgen Tesman. She has taken care of her sister Rina, who is an invalid, for many years. Never married, Miss Tesman prefers instead to focus on helping those less fortunate than herself.
Juliane has also acted as mother, along with her sister Rina, to the young Jorgen ever since the death of his parents. Both Juliane and her sister are very proud of young Jorgen's progress in the academic world and his recent marriage to Hedda Gabler. Over the years she developed quite a close bond with Jorgen, and her only desire is to see him happy. She helped Jorgen quite a bit in acquiring the funds to buy his new home, and she anxiously waiting for that home to be filled with the children of the young couple.
When we meet Juliane, she has arrived in the Tesman's home the morning after they returned from their honeymoon.