Other editions of book The Wild Duck

This 1884 masterpiece may have its genesis in the hostile reception Ibsen — widely regarded as the father of modern realist drama — had received from the Norwegian public and critics for Ghosts (1881), which gave theater-goers a larger dose of truth than most were willing to bear. His next three plays — The Wild Duck, An Enemy of the People (1882), and Rosmersholm (1886) — focused on the consequences of telling the truth, or forbearing to do so.In The Wild Duck, the idealistic son of a corrupt merchant exposes his father's duplicity, but in the process destroys the very people he wishes to save. Convinced that reality is always superior to illusion, Gregers Werle forces his friends, the Ekdals, to face the truth about their lives. Unfortunately, the truth, involving scandal, illegitimacy, imprisonment, and madness, only serves to wound the Ekdals further. In the play, the wild duck is a symbol of this injured family, and perhaps of the loss of Ibsen's youthful idealism.Moving and powerful, this thought-provoking tragedy shows clearly why Ibsen is regarded as one of the giants of modern theater.

Henrik Ibsen's 1884 drama, "The Wild Duck", is the story of Gregers Werle, an idealist who returns to his hometown after some absence. While there he begins to meddle in the affairs of the Ekdals, an odd family that have constructed a strange way of living by ignoring the skeletons in their respective closets. The Ekdals escape the reality of their existence by the construction of various delusional fantasies. Gregers, who believes that the pursuit of the ideal demands the exposition of absolute truth, summons the Ekdals to expose for themselves the truth that is hiding behind the facade of their lies. In so doing, a tragic unraveling of the very fabric of the Ekdals lives occurs in classic Ibsen fashion.

David Eldridge's new version of Ibsen's classic, published to tie-in with the production at the Donmar Warehouse, LondonShould the truth be pursued whatever the cost? The idealistic son of a wealthy businessman seeks to expose his father's duplicity and to free his childhood friend from the lies on which his happy home life is based.This new version by David Eldridge of Henrik's Ibsen's classic play of 1884 opened at the Donmar Warehouse in December 2005.'David Eldridge's version brings out Ibsen's permanent relevance without any textual coarsening' Guardian'Five Stars. Flawless' Guardian'A beautifully judged and absorbing piece of work' Independent'Five Stars. Powerful and gripping' The Times'Perhaps the greatest of Ibsen's plays ... A masterly production of a masterpiece' Telegraph

From Richard Nelson's Introduction: THE WILD DUCK is a play about family life twisted, bent, and knotted into perverse shapes. Everyone seems to have a lifetime s history with everyone else. Take just one character, Gregers Werle. There's his father with whom he has been estranged for many years, certainly since the death of his mother. There is Gina who as a maid helped look after the Werle house while Gregers mother was dying; his mother accused Gina of have having an affair with Gregers father. This we learn was untrue at the time, but prescient. Gina is now married to Hialmar Ekdal, Gregers old friend from college. They have a daughter, Hedvig, who is most likely not Hialmar's but Gregers father's and so is the half sister of Gregers. Hilmar s father was in business with Gregers father. There was a business scandal and Hialmar s father went to prison, Gregers father didn't. Gregers father continues to dole out bits of money to both his old partner and his old mistress. There s Relling a drunken doctor who had fought with Gregers years before while they were both at the distant saw mill. And there s Mrs Sorby, who like Gina, used to be Gregers father s housekeeper, but now is his mistress; she once was in love with Relling and may still be. And it goes on and on. This play is structured around learning these relationships and the various secrets attached to them, and thematically propelled by the question: is it better to know or not to know? 'Truth' is stood on its head, as we find ourselves rooting for lies and delusions. This is a very disorienting play. And, I believe, a very great one.

The Wild Duck (original Norwegian title: Vildanden) is play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is considered the first modern masterpiece in the genre of tragicomedy.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 older Werle had arranged the match by providing Hjalmar with a home and profession as a photographer. Gregers, whose mother died believing that Gina and Håkon 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 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 dived 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.Gregers decides to rent the spare room in the apartment. The next day, he begins to realize that there are more lies hanging over the Ekdals than Gina's affair with his father. While talking to Hedvig, she explains that Hjalmar keeps her from school because of her eyesight, but he has no time to tutor her, leaving the girl to escape into imaginary worlds through pictures she sees in books. During their conversation, Gregers hears shots in the attic, and the family explains that Old Ekdal entertains himself by hunting rabbits and birds in the loft, and Hjalmar often joins in the hunts. The activity helps Old Ekdal cling to his former life as a great hunter. Hjalmar also speaks of his 'great invention', which he never specifies. It is related to photography, and he is certain that it will enable him to pay off his debts to Werle and finally make himself and his family completely independent. In order to work on his invention, he often needs to lie down on the couch and think about it.During a lunch with Gregers and Hjalmar's friends Relling and Molvik, Håkon arrives to try to convince Gregers to return home. Gregers insists that he cannot return and that he will tell Hjalmar the truth. Håkon is certain that Hjalmar will not be grateful for Gregers' intervention. After he leaves, Gregers asks Hjalmar to accompany him on a walk, where he reveals the truth about Gina's affair with his father.Upon returning home, Hjalmar is aloof from his wife and daughter. He demands to handle all future photography business by himself with no help from Gina. He also demands to manage the family's finances, which Gina has traditionally done. Gina begs him to reconsider, suggesting that with all his time consumed he will not be able to work on his invention. Hedvig adds that he also will not have time to spend in the loft with the wild duck. Embittered by Gregers' news, Hjalmar bristles at the suggestion and confesses that he would like to wring the duck's neck. Indulging his mood, Hjalmar confronts Gina about her affair with Håkon. She confesses to it, but insists that she loves Hjalmar intensely.[Wikipedia]

David Eldridge's new version of Ibsen's classic, published to tie-in with the production at the Donmar Warehouse, LondonShould the truth be pursued whatever the cost? The idealistic son of a wealthy businessman seeks to expose his father's duplicity and to free his childhood friend from the lies on which his happy home life is based.This new version by David Eldridge of Henrik's Ibsen's classic play of 1884 opened at the Donmar Warehouse in December 2005.'David Eldridge's version brings out Ibsen's permanent relevance without any textual coarsening' Guardian'Five Stars. Flawless' Guardian'A beautifully judged and absorbing piece of work' Independent'Five Stars. Powerful and gripping' The Times'Perhaps the greatest of Ibsen's plays . . . A masterly production of a masterpiece' Telegraph

The only play in which Ibsen denies the validity of revolt, The Wild Duck suggest that under certain conditions, domestic falsehoods are entirely necessary to survival. In its open form, its harshly satirical tone, and its unresolved conclusion, the play contains the strongest criticism Ibsen ever directed against himself. Robert Brustein's new adaptation makes The Wild Duck beautifully playable for today's audiences.

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

Henrik Ibsen's 1884 drama, "The Wild Duck", is the story of Gregers Werle, an idealist who returns to his hometown after some absence. While there he begins to meddle in the affairs of the Ekdals, an odd family that have constructed a strange way of living by ignoring the skeletons in their respective closets. The Ekdals escape the reality of their existence by the construction of various delusional fantasies. Gregers, who believes that the pursuit of the ideal demands the exposition of absolute truth, summons the Ekdals to expose for themselves the truth that is hiding behind the facade of their lies. In so doing, a tragic unraveling of the very fabric of the Ekdals lives occurs in classic Ibsen fashion.