Residents of Decorah and surrounding communities can join Vesterheim from home Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, for a free online discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck. The Bokprat program will run from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time and will examine the play rather than present 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 take part, including those who cannot attend an in-person museum program.
Registration is required
Anyone planning to participate must register in advance through Vesterheim’s event page. Registration allows attendees to add the program to Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365 or Outlook Live.
Vesterheim advises participants to return to the event page shortly before the discussion because the Zoom access details may change. Registration information may not contain the newest way to enter the meeting, and the source material does not provide a separate Zoom link.
Attendees should check the event page again before the 7 p.m. start time to confirm the current meeting link and any other access information.
What “The Wild Duck” explores
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 drama 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. That effort ultimately harms the people Werle hopes to help and pushes the family toward a deeper unraveling. Those events give the Bokprat discussion a basis for considering deception, betrayal and disillusionment in modern life.
The play combines serious and comic elements through comedy and satire. Vesterheim describes it as realistic, while literary scholars have also connected it with symbolism. It is regarded as the first modern masterpiece in the tragicomedy genre, creating an opportunity to discuss 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.
The discussion is free, but advance registration is required. Readers interested in participating should use Vesterheim’s event page to register and revisit it shortly before Oct. 28 to verify the latest Zoom information. The online format lets people join Vesterheim programming without attending at the museum.