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 online from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. The free program is a conversation about the play, not a staged performance.
Because the event will take place entirely online, participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. The format also allows readers throughout the surrounding area—and people unable to attend an in-person museum program—to join the discussion from home.
How Decorah-area readers can join
Anyone planning to attend must register in advance through Vesterheim’s event page. During registration, participants can add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
Registration alone should not be treated as the final step for accessing 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 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. That effort ultimately harms the people Werle hopes to help and sends the family toward a deeper unraveling. The resulting conflicts give Bokprat 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.
The discussion may examine the family conflict and the ways humor, satire and tragedy work together. It will remain focused on conversation about the drama rather than 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 online program offers another way to take part in Vesterheim programming without attending at the museum.