Residents of Decorah and readers interested in Scandinavian literature can join Vesterheim’s October Bokprat from home when the museum presents a free online discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026.
The Zoom discussion is scheduled for 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time. Advance registration is required, and Vesterheim’s event page will serve as the sign-up point for people planning to attend.
How to join the Decorah-area program
Because the event is online, participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. After registering, attendees can add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live. Registration provides prospective participants with the information needed to join the Zoom session.
The program is free, but registration must be completed before the discussion. People interested in taking part should use Vesterheim’s event page to sign up for the 7 p.m. Central start.
A monthly discussion of 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 and continue the series’ remote format.
The Wild Duck centers on the Ekdal family, whose fragile peace is disrupted by Gregers Werle, an idealist determined to expose concealed truths. The play follows an idealistic son who reveals the duplicity of his corrupt merchant father. His attempt to rescue the people around him ultimately destroys those he hopes to help.
As the family’s situation unravels, the drama explores deception, betrayal and the disillusionment of modern life. It also incorporates comedy and satire, giving the work a mixture of serious and comic elements.
What the play explores
Vesterheim describes the play as realistic, while literary scholars have also connected it with symbolism. The work is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre.
The Oct. 28 discussion offers local participants a way to engage with Scandinavian literature remotely and from home. Registration remains the required next step for anyone who wants to receive access information for the Zoom meeting.