Decorah-area readers can join a free discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck from home this fall when Vesterheim hosts its October Bokprat program online. The conversation is scheduled for 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026.
The event will take place entirely by Zoom, so participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. The online format also allows readers across the surrounding area—and people who cannot attend an in-person museum program—to participate from home.
Registration is required
Anyone planning to attend must register in advance through Vesterheim’s event page. After registering, participants can add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
Vesterheim advises readers not to rely on registration as the final step before joining. The museum says Zoom access information may be updated, and details saved during registration may not be the newest way to enter the discussion. Participants should return to the event page shortly before the 7 p.m. start and use it as their final check for the connection information.
What readers will discuss
First published in 1884, The Wild Duck follows the Ekdal family after its fragile peace is disrupted by Gregers Werle, an idealist determined to expose hidden truths. The play examines the relationship between an idealistic son and his corrupt merchant father.
As Werle tries to rescue those around him, his father’s duplicity comes to light. The effort ultimately harms the people Werle hopes to help and pushes the family toward a deeper unraveling. Those tensions give the Bokprat group an opportunity to examine deception, betrayal and disillusionment in modern life.
The drama combines serious and comic elements through comedy and satire. Vesterheim describes the work as realistic, while literary scholars have also linked it with symbolism. The play is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre.
Participants may also explore the family conflict and the way humor, satire and tragedy work together. The October gathering is a discussion of the drama, not a performance.
Part of Vesterheim’s Scandinavian literature series
The program is part of Bokprat, Vesterheim’s recurring online book group focused on Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. The museum announced the October selection in August 2026.
Decorah-area readers interested in Scandinavian literature can register through Vesterheim’s event page, then return there shortly before Wednesday, Oct. 28, for the latest Zoom information. The free at-home program offers another way to take part in Vesterheim programming without attending at the museum.