Residents of Decorah and nearby communities can take part from home when Vesterheim hosts a free online discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. The Bokprat conversation is scheduled for 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time.
The program is a discussion of Ibsen’s 1884 drama, not a staged performance. Because it will be held entirely online, participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. The format also allows people across the surrounding area to join, including those who cannot attend an in-person museum program.
Registration is required
Advance registration is required through Vesterheim’s event page. The registration system allows participants to sign up and add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
People who register 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.
What the group will explore
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 hidden truths. The story 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 wants to help and sends the family toward a deeper unraveling. Those developments give the Bokprat group a foundation for discussing deception, betrayal and disillusionment in modern life.
The drama brings together 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, creating an opportunity to consider how humor, satire and tragedy can work 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 remains necessary. Readers who want to participate should register through Vesterheim’s event page and revisit it shortly before Oct. 28 to verify the latest Zoom information. The online format lets Decorah residents and people in surrounding communities join Vesterheim programming without leaving home.