World Lit. Topic

The Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen

Knowledge

In this play all of the characters know different things. With their knowledge they make assumptions and they try to obtain more knowledge through there motives. Things that I would include would be:

• The audiences' knowledge
• Verbal irony
• Knowing boundaries and how they affect what one shares
• Misunderstandings of knowledge
• And seeking knowledge

I want to focus more on how the knowledge drives the motives but I still feel it is too broad. I know that I will have to narrow stuff down, but I feel like I can take this topic and create a good paper.

Blood Wedding Journal 3

Knives seem to be important because they are mentioned often. The Mother is very concerned when the Bridegroom asks for his knife. She believes he will be harmed if he has one and he believes he will be harmed is he does not have one to protect himself. Knowing that the Spanish Civil War is connected to this book, this is one of the connections if not the only one. It has the element of two people with opposing views believing they have the correct one. The Mother also says the reason for her husband and older son's death is because of a conflict between clans of the same town.

The horse does not want to drink this black water as if it does not want to take in the darkness. the horse is described as having, "wounded hooves" which suggests that it had a long travel and should drink for its survival but it can not. There seems to be an internal struggle.

Blood Wedding Journal 2

Possible symbols:
Knifes, vineyard (farmland), prison, children, horse, flowers, lace and Reaper

Mother appears to be a generic woman who is protective of those she loves and she struggles to give up what she loves. She is also very loyal to her family. She also wants many grandchildren which can strengthen the future of the family, the elderly will be cared for, and brings pride to the family.
Bridgroom is like a common story character that wants to please others as well as live his life and be on his own.
Mother-in-law appears to primarily take care of her gandchild which is common in the Spanish culture.
Why does Leonardo not have a generic name like the rest?

Blood Wedding Journal 1

Page 170 of The Wild Duck (Gregers is the Mayor of Whos and Hjalmer is the Grinch)

Gregers: My dear Grinch, I detect that you have the holiday spirit in you. You have climbed on top of the tree and placed the star.

Hjalmer: I suppose you mean the loss of Max's solitude-- and mine as well?

Gregers: Not quite lost. I wouldn't say your lost; but you're amongst... surrounded by colorful people, Grinch. You're got the joy of Christmas swirling in your veins and you keep fighting it.

Hjalmer: Me? With Christmas joy! You know what, Mr. Mayor, you really must stop pestering.


Page 28 of Antigone ( Antigone is the Cookie Stealer and the First Guard is the Child)

Antigone: No it wasn't. Not with the gravity of the earth always existing. The gravity that was discovered by the man, Issac Newton. That was why I left it. But these children cleared the mess up, so the gravity can cause no more trouble.

First Guard: Nanny, she was scrapping furiously like a deranged cat. Thinking back, we saw her, with the lights dimmed and the flashes of lightning, the other children say, "Has to be a rabid animal," they say. "Rabid!" I say, "that's a girl, she is!" And it was.

Both authors appear to have characters with formal speech, but Ibsen's is more modern and more realistic for our time. Anouilh has many similies that full and the line have a regal sound to it. Ibsen's writing seems more like a true conversation with pauses and the dropping of words.

The Wild Duck Journal 3

Within the first morning of Gregers living in the Ekdal house he had already made a mess of his room that Gina had to deal with. "I got the janitor's wife to come and scrub up after him, the pig; but it'll be fit to live in till afternoon" (157). This quote is interesting because it Gina's view of Gregers is seen. She often times has a negative view of him. It seems that Gina knew he would be trouble and he has already made a mess of something. She continues to hint at the idea that she does not like Gregers being in the house. Another thing that was curious was the fact that she had the janitor's wife deal with the mess. even though she is just the wife is she often require to do custodial work?The fact that someone else can do the work for Gina suggest that they have enough wealth to have some sort of service work.


As Hedvig is helping Hjalmar finish working on some photographs Gregers asks her about how the wild duck is and how the loft is in different lighting. "Yes it can change completely. In the morning it looks different from in the afternoon; and when it rains it's different from when it's clear"(162). This description given by Hedvig of the morning shows interesting things about her character and Ibsen's writing. Gregers points out the difference between the day and the night while says that even the different parts of the day change things. Ibsen uses many of the lines to have secret ideas hidden in them especially Gregers. Hedvig is young and is talking about time while Gregers might find a whole other meaning of the conversation. Hedvig takes great notice of the details like the difference in the light of the loft and when she works on the photographers. The idea of her attention to detail is curious because she does not see the hints of Gregers assumptions about her. This makes me curious if the detail of who is her father determines her feelings for Hjalmar and Werle.

The Wild Duck Journal 2

Gina
Act two begins with Hedvig reading and Gina is sewing while she "glanced over several times at Hedvig as if with anxiety" which suggested she is worried about Hedvig (137). Gina then tells Hedvig stop reading. Hedvig is eager to continue reading except Gina says, "Your father doesn't like it; he never reads in the evening" (137). Gina is very loyal to the rules that are placed down by Hjalmar and with very little reason Hedvig obeys. The worry of Gina continues to be seen as she starts noting the money spent that day. After listing many things, with the help Hedvig, Gina exclaims, "[i]t mounts up-- but it can't be helped" (138). This gives the impression that money has always been an issue and the attempts to fix it in the past have had little if no effect. this makes Gina worried and seem protective of the order of the house and those in it. As the conversation shifts they speak about how Hjalmar is at Werle's house for dinner and Gina correct Hedvig by saying the invitation was from Gregers. "We have nothing to do with Old Werle" (138). It appears that Gina has an ill view of Werle. From the previous Act there is suspension of an affair between Werle and Gina which left Gina seeing him as untrustworthy and full of strife.

The Wild Duck Journal 1

Some of the boundaries created are in the staging of the show. "[A] writing table, with papers and reports, in the middle of the room, and green-shaded lamps softly illuminating the room" creates a boundary because it is the focal point of the room (119).The many papers and reports suggests that someone works there diligently for long periods of time and possibly as that happens there may be boundaries that you must not disrupt that person as they work. Also "a small private door" suggest that only a few people are permitted into it and the fact that we can't see the room also gives the idea of the boundary (119). In the staging there is "laughter and the hum of many voices in conversation" setting a boundary between the two servants and the guests of the house since it apears that the guests are having a leisurely and enjoyable time while the servants have to work. Accompaning that idea is the fact that the two servants with names are not in the room. Another boundary is created with Jensen and Pettersen because one is a hired servant while the other is pernament. "[O]ld boy's up on his feet"continues that idea because Pettersen the manservant is the only serveant that personally knows Werle and his associates and has strong connections with them suggested with giving Werle a nickname (119).