Decorah-area readers can take part in Vesterheim’s October Bokprat discussion from home this fall, with no trip to the museum or in-person gathering required. The free online program will examine Henrik Ibsen’s “The Wild Duck” on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time.
Advance registration through Vesterheim’s event page is required. Participants must register even though there is no charge to attend. The event page provides the information needed to join the Zoom meeting, including access details for the 7 p.m. Central start.
How Decorah readers can join
Readers interested in the discussion should complete the registration process before the event date. After registering, attendees can add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live, according to the event information.
Vesterheim’s event page contains the registration and joining information. Participants are encouraged to review the page before the discussion begins so they have the latest Zoom details. The museum announced the program in August 2026.
What “The Wild Duck” explores
First published in 1884, Ibsen’s play follows the Ekdal family after its fragile peace is disrupted by Gregers Werle, an idealist determined to expose concealed truths. The story also centers on 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 circumstances come apart, the drama examines deception, betrayal and the disillusionment of modern life.
The play combines serious and comic elements through comedy and satire. Vesterheim describes it as realistic, while literary scholars have also linked it with symbolism. The work is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre.
Part of Vesterheim’s Bokprat series
The October program is part of Vesterheim’s recurring Bokprat series, an online book-group program focused on Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. Its remote format gives local readers an opportunity to participate in a discussion of Scandinavian literature without attending at the museum.
Readers planning to join should register through Vesterheim’s event page and check that page for the latest Zoom information before Wednesday, Oct. 28.