The Wild Duck Journal #2

Compare how writers in your study have explored the themes of judgement and punishment, disguise and deceit, or love and frendship, and with what effect.



In The Wild Duck, I think that there isn't exactly love and friendship, but the opposite of that. There is no love shown. It seems that Gregers does not like or respect his father Werle and it is shown when he moved out because he does not have a good relationship with him at all. The body language and the facial expressions like "with a cold smile" and "without looking at him" from Gregers also suggest that he does not have any love for his father. Also ot seems that Hjalamer does not have a lot of love for his daughter Hedvig. He makes her do his work for him even though it will hurt her eyesight. It is the same in Oedipus. In the play Jocasta gives away Oedipus when he is born. She alsotells the Shepherd to to kill Oedipus. This shows that she has no love for her own son. Instead of trying to change fate, she excepts it and selfishly trys to deal with it.

There is also disguise and deceit in The Wild Duck and Oedipus. In the Wild Duck, There is deceit because it was thought that Ekdal brought upon his own downfall, but it was Werle. It is the same with Oedipus, He does not know who his parents are and he thinks that Polybus is really his father but Jocasta is decieving him. She is actually his mother and Laius is his father. This shows deceit and disguise in the play.