Decorah-area readers will be able to explore Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck from home this fall when Vesterheim hosts a free online Bokprat discussion of the 1884 play. The Zoom program is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time.
Vesterheim’s October program is part of its recurring Bokprat series, an online book-group discussion program focused on Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. The event continues the series’ remote format and gives local readers an opportunity to participate without traveling to the museum or attending in person.
Registration is required for the Zoom discussion
Although the event is free, advance registration through Vesterheim’s event page is required. The registration process will provide participants with the information needed to join the Zoom meeting, making it important for interested readers to sign up before the Oct. 28 event date.
Vesterheim’s event page serves as the registration point and lists the process for joining the 7 p.m. Central start. After registering, attendees can add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
Participants should check the museum’s event page for access details before the discussion. Registration is necessary to receive the Zoom information for the meeting.
What readers will discuss in “The Wild Duck”
Ibsen’s play follows the Ekdal family, whose fragile peace is disrupted by Gregers Werle. Werle is an idealist who wants to expose concealed truths. The story also follows an idealistic son who reveals the duplicity of his corrupt merchant father.
Werle’s attempt to rescue the people around him ultimately destroys the people he hopes to help. As the family’s circumstances unravel, the play examines deception, betrayal and the disillusionment of 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.
Part of Vesterheim’s Scandinavian literature programming
Vesterheim announced the October program in August 2026. The discussion brings attention to Ibsen’s play while continuing the museum’s online approach to Scandinavian literature programming.
For Decorah readers interested in Scandinavian authors and life, the remote format offers a way to join the conversation from home. Readers planning to attend should complete the required registration and review the event page for joining information before the program begins.