Residents of Decorah and readers interested in Scandinavian literature can join Vesterheim’s October Bokprat from home on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, for a free online discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck. The program will run from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time.
Vesterheim’s event page will serve as the registration point. Anyone planning to participate must register in advance to receive the information needed to join the Zoom session. There is no charge for the program.
How to take part
Because the discussion will be held online, participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. After registering, attendees can add the event to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
Registration is the required next step for people who want access information for the meeting. Prospective participants should use Vesterheim’s event page to sign up for the 7 p.m. Central start.
About the October discussion
The event is part of Bokprat, Vesterheim’s recurring online book-group discussion focused on Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. The October meeting will continue the series’ remote format while examining Ibsen’s 1884 play.
The Wild Duck centers on the Ekdal family, whose fragile peace is disrupted by Gregers Werle, an idealist determined to expose concealed truths. The story follows an idealistic son who reveals the duplicity of his corrupt merchant father.
Werle’s effort to rescue the people around him ultimately destroys those he hopes to help. As the family’s situation unravels, the play explores deception, betrayal and the disillusionment of modern life.
The drama also incorporates comedy and satire, combining serious and comic elements. 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.
A remote option for local readers
The Oct. 28 Bokprat gives Decorah-area participants a way to engage with Scandinavian literature without attending in person. The online format allows readers to take part from home, but registration must be completed before the discussion.
Vesterheim announced the program in August 2026. Readers interested in joining should check the museum’s event page for registration and Zoom access details.