Wild Duck Journal 4

Although she does not directly take responsibility, the whole conflict of the play is caused by Gina. Gina did multiple things wrong. To start, she let Werle "have his way with her" (183). We know that she is referring to sexual intercourse because later in the play, Gina admits to, "not knowing" whether Hedvig is Hjalmars or not (195). The only reason that would be a question  for Gina is if she had intercourse with multiple men. Sleeping with Werle in the firs place was wrong, but then Gina adds to it by not telling  Hjalmar that she not only had an affair with Werle, but may also possibly be bearing his child. The entire conflict of the play could have been either greatly reduced or exterminated if Gina had not hidden the truth. If she would have told Hjalmer in the first place what may have happened and what the possibilities are, then the conflict could have been averted. Gina lying to Hjalmar in order to maintain their marriage is a selfish thing to do. Although she is trying to protect her family, she is still lying to her husband in order for her to continue to be happy. Affairs, lies, and selfish reasons make Gina to blame for the conflict of the play.

Wild Duck Journal 2

In the play The Wild Duck, the character Greggers seems to perceive himself as a wise, and older man. Although he is not terribly young, he is not very old either. We know this because his father is still alive and because his friend Hjalmer is a father of a 14 year old. However, Greggers makes himself seem older by saying, "Nothing like the growth of a child to show us how old we're getting" (148). Although he is older than the child, he is not in his later years so he should not be making statements like this. It seems to me that these statements should be made when a person is Ekdal or Werle's age. Greggers also perceives himself as wise. He talks to Ekdal as if he is an equal, not an elder as he actually is. He talks to Ekdal like he knows Ekdal well and like he knows what would be best for him. He asks Ekdal, "How can a man like you-such an outdoorsman-live in the middle of a stuffy city, cooped up in these four walls" (150). It seems as if Greggers is telling Ekdal what is best for him. Ekdal is the one that should be giving advice to Greggers, not the other way around.

Wild Duck Journal 3

"Even time doesn't exist in there-with the wild duck" (162). This quotation, spoken by Gregers is significant because it is saying that when a person is unaware of the truth, when they do not actually understand what is going on, their entire life is unreal. Time is real, time is constant. Without time nothing exists. This says if you do not know the truth then the life you are living is unreal and meaningless.

"Don't you ever want to go out and see the real world all for yourself" (163)? This quotation, spoken from Gregers to Hedvig is a way of Gregers expressing to Hedvig that she is sheltered, that she does not know everything there is to know. Gregers is encouraging Hedvig to go out and explore, to be a detective and form her own opinions. Gregers wants Hedvig to be influenced by herself, not solely by Hjalmar.

"Yes, because its my wild duck"
"Yes, of course it is" (163). This exchange between Hedvig and Gregers clues the audience into the fact that Gregers knows more than he is revealing to the Ekdal's. The fact that the wild duck is in fact Hedvig's shows that whatever the lie is that is taking place has to do with Hedvig.

"The wild duck rules supreme in there, doesn't she" (164)? This question posed by Gregers could honestly be seen as a rhetorical question because Gregers will not get the answer to the question he is actually posing. Gregers is actually asking if the lie that entangles the Ekdal family is in fact controlling the family.

"And your thinking so is part of the sickness" (170). The sickness that Gregers is referring to would be the lie that Hjalmar is living in. Hjalamar's own thoughts and ideas are quite unimportant due to the lie that he is living in, therefore, anything negative that happens to the Ekdal's is just adding to the sickness unnecessarily

Wild Duck Journal 1

There seems to be a social boundary between Ekdal and Werle and his social group. It is shown in the play that Ekdal used to be "well up in the world," because they used to all "drink many a schnapps and bottle of beer together" (120). However some business deal went awry that caused Ekdal to be "sent to jail" (121). It is this deal that now causes a social divide between Ekdal and Werle's social group. Now, instead of being partners as they once were, Ekdal works for Werle as "someone who does copying on the outside when it's needed" (120). Ibsen also informs us about the boundary by showing others reactions to the boundary. For example, when Ekdal comes to the door, Petterson immediately tries to get rid of him by insisting that "the office closed over an hour ago" (120). The author does not simply explain all of this to the audience however. Ibsen simply lets us listen into a few small conversations and makes us draw all the conclusions. by showing rather than telling, Ibsen captivates his audience and makes them pay attention with great detail to the boundary between Ekdal and Werle's social group. Ibsen may do this in order to make the audience pay attention to a key component of the play, or he simply may do it to leave a certain amount of mystery in the play.