Decorah-area readers will be able to join a free discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s 1884 play The Wild Duck from home this fall, when Vesterheim brings its Bokprat literary series to Zoom on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026.
The online conversation is scheduled from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time. There is no charge to participate, but advance registration through Vesterheim’s event page is required. The registration page will provide the information participants need to join the meeting, including access details for the 7 p.m. start.
How to join the Vesterheim discussion
Because the program is remote, participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim or gather at the museum. The format allows readers in the Decorah area to take part from home.
Readers who plan to attend should register before the event date. After registering, they can add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live. Vesterheim advises registrants to return to the event page before the discussion begins for the latest Zoom information. The same page is intended for registration and meeting details.
The play’s central themes
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 concealed truths. The play also explores the relationship between an idealistic son and his corrupt merchant father, whose duplicity is revealed.
Werle’s effort to rescue the people around him ultimately destroys those he hopes to help, sending the family into a deeper unraveling. The resulting drama focuses on deception, betrayal and disillusionment in modern life.
The work combines serious and comic elements, including comedy and satire. Vesterheim describes it as realistic, while literary scholars have also linked it to symbolism. The play is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre, giving the Bokprat group several subjects to consider, including family conflict and the blend of humor, satire and tragedy.
Part of Vesterheim’s Bokprat series
The October event is part of Vesterheim’s recurring Bokprat series, an online book group focused on Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. Its remote format allows local readers to discuss Scandinavian literature without attending an in-person gathering at the museum.
Vesterheim announced the program in August 2026. Anyone interested in participating should register through the museum’s event page and check it again before Wednesday, Oct. 28, for current Zoom access information.