Decorah-area readers can join Vesterheim’s next Bokprat discussion from home on Wednesday, Oct. 28, when the museum explores Henrik Ibsen’s 1884 drama The Wild Duck. The free online program is scheduled for 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time.
The gathering will take place entirely on Zoom, so participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. The format also allows readers from throughout the surrounding area—and people unable to attend an in-person museum program—to take part in the conversation.
Registration is required
Anyone who plans 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.
Registration alone should not be treated as the final step for joining the discussion. Vesterheim advises participants to return to the museum’s event page shortly before the program begins because Zoom access information may change. The details saved during registration may not provide the newest way to enter the meeting.
Those joining from home should check the event page again before the 7 p.m. start time to confirm the latest connection details, including the current meeting link or any other access information.
What “The Wild Duck” explores
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 attempts to rescue the people 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 conflicts give the Bokprat group an opportunity to discuss deception, betrayal and disillusionment in modern life.
The drama blends serious and comic elements through comedy and satire. Vesterheim describes the work as realistic, while literary scholars have also connected it with symbolism. The play is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre.
Discussion may address the family conflict and the way humor, satire and tragedy work together. The gathering is a conversation about the drama, not a performance.
Part of Vesterheim’s Scandinavian literature series
The October 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 and return there shortly before Oct. 28 to verify the latest Zoom information. The free program offers another way to participate in Vesterheim programming without attending at the museum.