Vesterheim is inviting readers in Decorah and nearby communities to take part in a free online discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. The Bokprat program will run from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time and will focus on conversation about the play, not a staged performance.
Because the event is entirely online, participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. The format also allows people throughout the surrounding area to join, including those who cannot attend an in-person museum program.
Registration and Zoom details
Advance registration is required. Vesterheim’s event page allows participants to sign up and add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
Attendees should return to the event page shortly before the discussion begins. Zoom access details may change, and the registration information may not contain the newest instructions for entering the meeting. The event material does not provide a separate Zoom link, so participants should check the page again before the 7 p.m. start for the current meeting link and any other access information.
A family drama about truth and disillusionment
First published in 1884, The Wild Duck follows the Ekdal family after its fragile peace is disrupted by Gregers Werle, an idealist who wants to expose hidden truths. The play examines the relationship between an idealistic son and his corrupt merchant father.
As Werle tries to rescue the people around him, his father’s duplicity comes to light. The effort ultimately harms the people Werle hopes to help and drives the family toward a deeper unraveling. Those events give the Bokprat group a basis for discussing deception, betrayal and disillusionment in modern life.
The drama blends serious and comic elements through comedy and satire. Vesterheim describes it as realistic, while literary scholars have also linked it to symbolism. The play is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre, offering discussion points about how humor, satire and tragedy can operate together.
Part of Vesterheim’s Bokprat series
The October program is part of Vesterheim’s recurring online Bokprat book group, which focuses on Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. The museum announced the October selection in August 2026.
The discussion is free, but registration is required. Readers who want to participate should sign up through Vesterheim’s event page and revisit it shortly before Oct. 28 to verify the latest Zoom information. The online format lets residents of Decorah and the surrounding area join Vesterheim programming from home.