Decorah-area readers can join Vesterheim from home Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, for a free online discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s 1884 drama The Wild Duck. The Bokprat program will run from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time and will focus on conversation about the play rather than a staged performance.
Because the program is entirely online, participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. The format also makes it possible for readers across the surrounding area, including those unable to attend an in-person museum program, to participate from home.
Registration is required before the discussion
Anyone planning to attend must register in advance through Vesterheim’s event page. During registration, attendees can add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
Registration may not be the final step required to enter the meeting. Vesterheim advises participants to return to the event page shortly before the discussion because Zoom access information may change. Details saved during registration may not be the newest way to join.
Readers planning to attend should check the event page again before the 7 p.m. start time to confirm the current meeting link and any other access information.
A drama about family conflict and hidden truths
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 play examines the relationship between an idealistic son and his corrupt merchant father.
As Werle attempts to rescue the people around him, his father’s duplicity comes to light. The effort ultimately harms the people Werle hopes to help and pushes the family toward a deeper unraveling. Those events give the Bokprat discussion a foundation for considering deception, betrayal and disillusionment in modern life.
The drama combines serious and comic elements through comedy and satire. Vesterheim describes it as realistic, while literary scholars have also connected it with symbolism. The play is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre, and the conversation may examine how humor, satire and tragedy work together.
Part of Vesterheim’s Bokprat series
The October program is part of Bokprat, Vesterheim’s recurring online book group focused on Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. The museum announced the October selection in August 2026.
Readers interested in joining can register through Vesterheim’s event page and return there shortly before Oct. 28 to verify the latest Zoom information. The free online program provides a way to take part in Vesterheim programming without attending at the museum.