Decorah-area readers will be able to discuss Henrik Ibsen’s 1884 drama The Wild Duck from home when Vesterheim hosts its next Bokprat gathering on Zoom from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. The free program is an online conversation rather than a staged performance.
Because the discussion will take place entirely online, participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. The format also opens the conversation to readers throughout the surrounding area and to people who cannot attend an in-person museum program.
Registration and Zoom access
Anyone planning to attend must register in advance through Vesterheim’s event page. The registration process allows participants to add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
Registration should not be considered the final step for joining the meeting. Vesterheim advises participants to return to the museum’s event page shortly before the program begins because the Zoom access information may change. Details saved during registration may not provide the newest way to enter the discussion.
Readers joining from home should check the event page again before the 7 p.m. start time to confirm the current meeting link and any other access information.
What the discussion will explore
First published in 1884, The Wild Duck follows the Ekdal family after its fragile peace is disrupted by Gregers Werle, an idealist who is determined to expose hidden truths. The play 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. That effort ultimately harms the people Werle hopes to help and sends the family toward a deeper unraveling. The resulting conflicts give participants an opportunity to discuss 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 connected it with symbolism. The play is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre.
Discussion may consider the family conflict and the ways humor, satire and tragedy work together. The event will focus on conversation about the drama, not a performance.
Part of Vesterheim’s Scandinavian literature series
The October gathering is part of Bokprat, Vesterheim’s recurring online book group devoted to 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 to that page shortly before Oct. 28 to verify the latest Zoom information. The free program offers another way to take part in Vesterheim programming without attending at the museum.