Decorah-area readers can explore Henrik Ibsen’s “The Wild Duck” from home this fall when Vesterheim hosts a free Zoom discussion of the 1884 play on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. The online program is scheduled for 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time.
Although there is no charge to attend, registration through Vesterheim’s event page is required. The page provides the information participants need to join the Zoom meeting, including access details for the 7 p.m. Central start.
How to register for Vesterheim’s Bokprat
Readers who plan to take part 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 check the page before the discussion begins for the latest Zoom details. Because the program is remote, readers do not need to travel to the museum or attend an in-person gathering.
What the October discussion will examine
First published in 1884, “The Wild Duck” follows the Ekdal family after its fragile peace is disrupted by Gregers Werle, an idealist determined to expose concealed truths. The play also focuses on an idealistic son who reveals the duplicity of his corrupt merchant father.
Werle’s attempt to rescue the people around him ultimately destroys those he hopes to help. As the family’s circumstances unravel, the drama examines deception, betrayal and the disillusionment of modern life.
The work blends serious and comic elements through comedy and satire. Vesterheim describes the play as realistic, while literary scholars have also connected it with symbolism. The drama is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre.
Part of Vesterheim’s recurring online series
The October event is part of Vesterheim’s Bokprat series, a recurring online book-group program focused on Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. Its remote format allows local readers to participate in a discussion of Scandinavian literature without attending at the museum.
Vesterheim announced the program in August 2026. Readers interested in joining should register through the museum’s event page and review that page again before Wednesday, Oct. 28, for current Zoom access information.