Wild Duck Journal #2

Stylistic Techniques: The use of symbolism

One of the techniques that I found in Act 2 of Wild Duck is symbolism. I think that Hedvig's wild duck acts as a symbol for who Gregers will become in the future. Before the duck was caught by Werle, it was content with its life in the wild. However, now that it has been away from nature for so long, the Ekdals assume that it is content where it is because it doesn't remember its old life anyway. Hjalmer says: "I think she's been in there so long, too, that she's forgotten her old wild life, and thats what it all comes down to" (Act 2). Like the duck, Gregers has left his old town and life to move back to the city. He is unsure of his future because he doesn't quite fit in the same way that he used to in the city, and he isn't exactly sure what his new job will be. It seems that he is not looking to permanently stay in the city. Through the symbol of the duck, Ibsen suggests that Gregers, given time, will completely adjust back to life in the city. Perhaps things will go right back to the way they were (regarding his family troubles), which is not the favorable outcome. But since the duck has been able to adjust to life out of the wild and forget his old life, I believe the same will happen to Gregers. After deciding to rent the Ekdal's spare room, Gina tries to dissaude him by telling him that it is small and nothing fancy. Gregers replies by saying: "One gets used to that soon enough. I'm hoping things will go for me the same as with the wild duck" (Act 2). It seems Gregers is already aware of and willing to accept his inevitable fate of returning to a monotonous old life.