The Wild Duck Journal 5

The Wild Duck Journal 5

The Wild Duck is a tragedy because Hjalmar was innocently living in a lie and he was happy. Gregers came and told Hjalmar that his life was a lie and created an emotional scar that would never heal for Hjalmar. A tragedy has a main character that is just an average person, in this play  it was Hjalmar. Hjalmar was just an average guy caught up in something bigger. He couldn’t change his fate once the story started. Gregers was the intrusion into his life that made things worse for Hjalmar. Hjalmar’s family is now forever broken because of Gregers. Hedvig was the most innocent character of the play. She only wanted the best for her family and so to try and make things right, she took Gregers’ advice and killed herself. This is tragic because Hedvig was the cause of a lot of the problems but she wasn’t responsible for any of them. She took it upon herself to make things right and that’s why she died. Gregers was a curse in disguise for Hjalmar’s family.

The wild duck Journal 4

Gina is a character at fault. She should have told Hjalmar the events in her past, especially the fact that Hedvig was Werle's son. Gina isn’t the only character at fault though. Gregers is at fault because he decided to try and resolve the problem but instead he enlarged it. If he had let Hjalmar live in peace, the whole problem could have been averted. I think Gregers should carry most of the blame. Hjalmar is also to blame for turning against his family from the advice of a friend. He was not able to reconcile his differences with Gina and felt sorry for himself instead of being proactive and fixing the situation himself. The only character without blame is Hedvig. She is just an innocent child caught up in the web of hate and distrust Gregers, Gina and Hjalmar spun. She only wanted the best for her mother and father but her father left her.

The Wild Duck journal 3

The Wild Duck journal 3

1. “But don’t ruin your eyes! Hear me? I won’t take the blame; you can take the blame yourself-you hear me?” (161).

            Significance: Hjalmar is Hedvig’s dad so he should be protective over her. He instead is giving the responsibility of making a portrait onto her. Her bad eyes make painting dangerous for her. Hjalmar know this but still lets her paint. He tells her it will be her fault if her eyes get damaged. Hjalmar’s actions show how the relationship between Hedvig and himself is only one sided. Hjalmar keeps taking advantage of Hedvig’s love and exploits it to have her do things for him. He also doges responsibility by giving it to others.

2. “Daddy’s promised to tutor me, but he hasn’t found time for that yet” (162).

            Significance: Hjalmar took Hedvig out of school because he wants to preserve her vision. He was trying to do the best for her but because he is too “busy” he can’t educate his own daughter. Hjalmar fakes being busy as a cover up for not wanting to take on responsibility. He is not a hard worker. While he goes out to dinner, his family is waiting on him and working for him. This quote is significant because it shows Hjalmar’s level of dedication towards his family.

3. “Uh-huh, I own it. But Daddy and Grandpa can borrow it as much as they want” (163).

            Significance: Hedvig’s level of dedication to her family is made clear when she tells Gregers that her dad and her grandpa can borrow one of her most loved possessions “as much as they want”. I think the wild duck refers to Hedvig in this quote. We later find out that Hedvig is not Hjalmar’s. The word “borrow” means someone is using something that doesn’t belong to them. Hedvig is letting Hjalmar borrow her.

4. “And been in the depths of the sea - so long” (167).

            Significance: Gregers is getting ready to tell Hjalmar about the lies involved in Hjalmar’s life. The pause before “so long” shows how Gregers is thinking about telling Hjalmar the truth. He is reveling about how long Hjalmar has been living in lies. He looks at Hedvig because he knows she doesn’t belong to Hjalmar.

5. “Yes, Gregers, you mustn’t ask for details like that yet. It takes time you know” (168).

            Significance: Hjalmar is in denial. His inability to answer Gregers’ question shows that Hjalmar doesn’t have a very good idea of what his invention really is. He may not have an invention at all. Hjalmar thinks that he will eventually invent something great but it doesn’t sound like he is trying very hard.

The Wild Duck Journal 2

            Hjalmar perceives Gregers in a bad way. “Well, he doesn’t look any better” (141). Usually good friends don’t talk about bad things behind the other friend’s back. When Gina asks if Gregers is still ugly, instead of defend his friend, Hjalmar agrees and says Gregers’ physical appearance hasn’t improved. Hjalmar also thinks he is assertive and powerful. “One mustn’t be a doormat for every passing foot. At least, that’s not my way” (142). His confidence is a false façade that he gets from being ignorant about his economic dependence on Werle. He embraces this false façade with his ignorance. Gregers and Gina know about Hjalmar’s false conceptions about himself. Gina wants to ignore it because she doesn’t want to hurt Hjalmar but Gregers wants to tell Hjalmar the truth because he is also trying to help Hjalmar.

Hjalmar thinks his family exists only to please him. After he comes home from the dinner party, Hedvig asks if Hjalmar brought anything home from the dinner party for her. Even though his family does so much for Hjalmar, he forgets and decides to have Hedvig “read the menu aloud, I’ll describe for you just how each dish tasted” (144). Hedvig is extremely disappointed and nearly cries. Hjalmar then says “ What incredible things a family breadwinner is asked to remember; and if he forgets even the tiniest detail-immediately he’s met with sour faces” (144). This quote shows Hjalmar’s false perception that his family is only there to please him.

Hjalmar thinks he is a hard worker but how can he be a hard worker if he is only receiving money from Werle, going to dinner parties and having his family keep track of the business and the money. “I’ll be deep in work tomorrow’ there will be no lack of that” (154). Hjalmar is a hypocrite because he was criticizing his wife’s ability to advertise their business but Hjalmar has done nothing to help the business. His self-perception of being a hard worker is distorted and he clings to that vision. Hjalmar also thinks he is strong. He says, “He has broad shoulders- powerful shoulders” (156). This may or may not be true. Hjalmar could be physically strong but he is also talking bout being strong socially. He is not socially strong. He is dependent on Werle for a living.

The Wild Duck Journal 1

One character that faces a lot of boundaries is Gregers. He is stuck in an awkward position when faced with Hjalmar talking about his father, Old Ekdal, and the events that got him arrested. Gregers cuts off Hjalmar when Hjalmar starts elaborating about his dad. “The shame and the scandal, Gregers-

(shaken). Yes, yes. Of course” (123).

By having Gregers cuts off Hjalmar, Ibsen shows that Gregers feels uncomfortable with the subject and doesn’t want Hjalmar to talk about it any more. Another mental boundary for Gregers is when he is talking to Hjalmar about his wife. Gregers thinks his dad had an affair with her and Hjalmar doesn’t know anything about it. “Was it then my father got you to-” (125). Gregers is afraid to say anything about his thoughts of his dad’s affair with Hjalmar. Gregers doesn’t want to hurt his friend so he keeps it to himself. We don’t even know if Gregers is correct about his dad having an affair. Later on in the book Gregers is hesitant to accuse his dad of being an accomplice and being guilty for Old Ekdal’s logging crimes. “Was he really the only guilty one” (131).

            Hjalmar also has some mental boundaries. When he sees his dad at Gregers’ dinner party, he turns around and pretends not to know him. When the fat guest asks if he knew who the old man was Hjalmar says, “I didn’t notice” (128). Ibsen portrays how Hjalmar is ashamed of his father by having Hjalmar avert his eyes to not see his father. Right after Hjalmar sees his father, he leaves the party. He tells Gregers “I’m going! When a man’s felt a terrible blow from fate-you understand” (129). Hjalmar’s terrible blow from fate was seeing his dad. Hjalmar describes seeing his dad “terrible” because he feels sorry and ashamed to be with him. He feels ashamed because his dad has hit rock bottom.