Decorah-area readers will have an at-home opportunity to discuss Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck this fall when Vesterheim presents its October Bokprat program online. The free discussion is scheduled for 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026.
The program will be held entirely by Zoom, so participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. The format also allows readers from the surrounding area—and people unable to attend an in-person museum program—to join the conversation.
Registration is required
Anyone planning to participate must register in advance through Vesterheim’s event page. During registration, attendees can add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
Vesterheim advises readers not to treat registration as the final step before the event. Zoom access information may change, and details saved during registration may not be the newest way to enter the discussion.
Participants should return to the museum’s event page shortly before the 7 p.m. start time to confirm the latest connection details. That check is particularly important for anyone joining from home who needs the current link or other access 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 drama examines the relationship between an idealistic son and his corrupt merchant father.
As Werle tries to rescue the people around him, his father’s duplicity comes to light. The attempt ultimately harms the people Werle hopes to help and pushes the family toward a deeper unraveling. Those conflicts give the Bokprat group a way to examine deception, betrayal and disillusionment in modern life.
The play combines serious and comic elements through comedy and satire. Vesterheim describes it as realistic, while literary scholars have also linked it with symbolism. The work is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre.
Discussion topics may include the family conflict and the way humor, satire and tragedy work together. The gathering will focus on discussing the drama; it is not a performance.
Part of Vesterheim’s Scandinavian literature series
The October program is part of Bokprat, Vesterheim’s recurring online book group centered 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 program offers another way to take part in Vesterheim programming without attending at the museum.