Vesterheim is inviting readers in Decorah and surrounding communities to join a free online discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck from home on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. The Bokprat program is scheduled for 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time and will focus on discussing the play rather than presenting a staged performance.
Because the event will be held entirely online, participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim in Decorah. The format also opens the discussion to people throughout the surrounding area, 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. The registration process 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. Zoom access details may change, and the registration information may not contain the newest way to enter the meeting. The source material does not provide a separate Zoom link, so attendees should check the event page again before the 7 p.m. start time for the current meeting link and any other access information.
A family story 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 determined to expose hidden truths. The drama 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. That effort ultimately harms the people Werle hopes to help and pushes the family toward a deeper unraveling. Those developments give the Bokprat group a foundation for discussing 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, giving participants an opportunity to consider how humor, satire and tragedy work together.
Part of Vesterheim’s Bokprat series
The October event 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 advance registration is required. Readers who want to take part should use Vesterheim’s event page to sign up and revisit it shortly before Oct. 28 to verify the latest Zoom information. The online format allows participants to join Vesterheim programming without attending at the museum.