The Wild Duck Journal #3

Stylistic Techniques

Of course one of the most prominent literary techniques in the story is the metaphor of the Wild Duck. When I think of the wild duck I think that it represents two people in the play. First I think that it represents old Edkel. He used to be on top but then was shot down by the hunter who is like Werle. Werle betrayed Edkal so it is like he shot him down to the bottom which is like the wild duck being shot down by him as well. I also think that the wild duck represents Hedvig. She is a happy girl and unaware that she is going to lose her sight and that she might not even be Hjalmar's daughter. She is like the duck and then she is also like it when she gets shot down by all the bad things that are going on in her life.

I also think that Ibsen uses a good amount of imagery in his play. This isn't in the dialogue but in the visual actions that are in the parenthesis. This helps the reader to better understand what is going on in the story and to know exactly what the character is feeling at that time. It says things like Hedvig is "close to tears" or that Gina "regards him with chill defiance". This imagery is really important in the story even though it may not be in the actual dialogue. When on stage we see this visually, but in the story it helps a reader to get the play a lot better.