 Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
Table of Contents Conflict Protagonist: Hialmar Ekdal is the protagonist of the play. He is a lazy and idle impostor who lives on illusions and expects his wife, Gina, to pamper him. He dreams of redeeming his father's name through a great photographic invention, but his heart is not really in his photographic work. In fact, Gina and Hedvig, his daughter, do most of the work in the studio, while Hialmar spends time in the attic with the wild duck. When Gregers tells him the truth about Gina's past, he is not able to forgive her. He also questions whether Hedvig is really his daughter and comes to the conclusion that she is not; as a result, he rejects Hedvig's deep love for him. When she kills herself to prove how much she loves her father, Hialmar is repentant for his actions, but it is too late. The tragedy has already occurred. Antagonist: Hialmar's antagonist is really himself. He is an idle dreamer and egoist who believes he will someday make a great photographic invention. He is demanding of his wife and daughter, expecting them to pamper him and do all the work. As an idealist, he is very disturbed when Gregers, wanting to right the wrongs in the world and to state the truth, tells him about his wife's past as Werle's mistress; Hialmar is crushed. He begins to doubt whether Hedvig is his child, even though he has raised her for fourteen years. Surprised at Hialmar's reactions, Gregers tries to convince Hedvig to destroy the wild duck, with which she identifies. After the duck is gone, she takes her own life, hoping to prove her love to her father. Hialmar is responsible for her death, but Gregers is a contributing antagonist.
Climax: The climax is reached at the end of Act III. Gregers takes Hialmar for a walk and reveals the truth about his marriage and his father's interest in Hialmar's household. Hialmar is destroyed by the news and turns his anger on his wife, Gina, and daughter, Hedvig. Outcome: The play ends in tragedy, for Hialmar destroys himself. He is unable to forgive Gina for having been Werle's mistress and repulses Hedvig's affectionate advances because he thinks she is Werle's daughter. Hedvig, who adores her father, cannot bear his rejection. She, therefore, shoots herself in order to prove her love for her him. Hialmar is repentant for his actions, but it is too late; the tragic damage is done. Table of Contents | |
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