Residents of Decorah and readers of Scandinavian literature can join Vesterheim’s October Bokprat from home when the museum hosts a free online discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck on Oct. 28, 2026.
The Zoom program will run from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time. Anyone planning to attend must register in advance through Vesterheim’s event page, which is also the sign-up point for the discussion.
A monthly conversation about Scandinavian writing
Bokprat is Vesterheim’s recurring online book-group discussion focused on Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. The October meeting will examine Ibsen’s 1884 play, allowing participants to take part remotely rather than travel to the Decorah museum.
After registering, participants can add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live. The online format makes the discussion accessible from home, while the required registration gives prospective attendees the necessary information to join the Zoom session.
The family drama at the center of the discussion
The Wild Duck follows an idealistic son who exposes the duplicity of his corrupt merchant father. His effort to rescue the people around him instead destroys the people he hopes to help.
The Ekdal family is at the center of the drama. Its fragile peace is disrupted by Gregers Werle, an idealist determined to reveal concealed truths. As the family’s situation unravels, the play examines deception, betrayal and the disillusionment of modern life while incorporating comedy and satire.
Vesterheim describes the work as realistic, although literary scholars have also connected it with symbolism. The play is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre.
The Oct. 28 Bokprat is free, but registration is required before joining the Zoom discussion. Prospective attendees should use Vesterheim’s event page to sign up for the 7 p.m. Central program.