Other editions of book The Wild Duck

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The first act opens with a dinner party hosted by Håkon Werle, a wealthy merchant and industrialist. The gathering is attended by his son, Gregers Werle, who has just returned to his father's home following a self-imposed exile. There, he learns the fate of a former classmate, Hjalmar Ekdal. Hjalmar married Gina, a young servant in the Werle household. The elder Werle had arranged the match by providing Hjalmar with a home and profession as a photographer. Gregers, whose mother died believing that Gina and her husband had carried on an affair, becomes enraged at the thought that his old friend is living a life built on a lie. The remaining four acts take place in Hjalmar Ekdal's apartments. The Ekdals initially appear to be living a life of cozy domesticity. Hjalmar's father makes a living doing odd copying jobs for Werle. Hjalmar runs a busy portrait studio out of the apartment. Gina helps him run the business in addition to keeping house. They both dote on their daughter Hedvig. Gregers travels directly to their home from the party. While getting acquainted with the family, Hjalmar confesses that Hedvig is both his greatest joy and greatest sorrow, because she is slowly losing her eyesight. The family eagerly reveals a loft in the apartment where they keep various animals like rabbits and pigeons. Most prized is the wild duck they rescued. The duck was wounded by none other than Werle, whose eyesight is also failing. His shot winged the duck, which dove to the bottom of the lake to drown itself by clinging to the seaweed. Werle's dog retrieved it though, and despite its wounds from the shot and the dog's teeth, the Ekdals had nursed the duck back to good health.

The Wild Duck ACT FIRST At WERLE'S house. In front a richly-upholstered study. (R.) A green baize door leading to WERLE'S office. At back, open folding doors, revealing an elegant dining-room, in which a brilliant Norwegian dinner-party is going on. Hired Waiters in profusion. A glass is tapped with a knife. Shouts of "Bravo!" Old Mr. WERLE is heard making a long speech, proposing--according to the custom of Norwegian society on such occasions--the health of his House-keeper, Mrs. SÖRBY. Presently several short-sighted, flabby, and thin-haired CHAMBERLAINS enter from the dining-room with HIALMAR EKDAL, who writhes shyly under their remarks. A CHAMBERLAIN. As we are the sole surviving specimens of Norwegian nobility, suppose we sustain our reputation as aristocratic sparklers by enlarging upon the enormous amount we have eaten, and chaffing Hialmar Ekdal, the friend of our host's son, for being a professional photographer? THE OTHER CHAMBERLAINS. Bravo! We will. [They do; delight of HIALMAR. OLD WERLE comes in, leaning on his Housekeeper's arm, followed by his son, GREGERS WERLE. OLD WERLE. [Dejectedly.] Thirteen at table! [To GREGERS, with a meaning glance at HIALMAR.] This is the result of inviting an old college friend who has turned photographer! Wasting vintage wines on him, indeed. [He passes on gloomily.

Anthony Clarvoe's adaptation of THE WILD DUCK remains remarkably faithful to Ibsen's masterpiece. "My heart started breaking at 9:45 last night, a little more than two hours into Great Lakes Theater Festival's THE WILD DUCK, breaking for a once-happy family sucked down into the depths. It may take a while to get there as Ibsen marches deliberately and unswervingly toward the precipice, but your heart too is in for an exhausting but enlightening workout … Written in 1884, this Norwegian masterpiece could hardly be more at home in the United States in 2000. It is a play about destructively false idealism that leads to self-righteous campaigns against human foibles. It could easily be about Kenneth Starr. Translator and adaptor Anthony Clarvoe [has] chosen to update the language and to set the play in the Cleveland of today … Except for the Americanization of names and a few almost invisible trims, Clarvoe's is a remarkably faithful update." -Tony Brown, Cleveland Plain Dealer