Journal #3- Wild Duck

Throughout the play it is clear that Gregers is largely to blame in the unfolding of certain events, especially the revealing of the truth behind Mr. Werle and Gina. Prior to Greger's intervention, Hjalmar was living a life of true bliss, believing he was wise beyond his years and the head of a beautiful family. However, the breakdown of this happy illusion is due in most part to Gregers who initially plants the seed of doubt in Hjalmar's head, forcing him to come to the harsh realization that Gina had an affair with Mr. Werle. By forcing Hjalmar to find this out on his own by questioning Gina only further worsens the situation, causing Hjalmar to wonder what else in his life may too be a lie. In truth Hedvig is the only character who is relevant to the play and also demands no blame for the events that unfold throughout the play. While her mother and Mr. Werle are clearly at fault, being the perpetrators of event that so effortlessly dissolved a family, they are not the only ones to blame. Greger's cannot contain himself, seemingly overrun by either guilt or a vengeful attitude towards his father and spills the beans to Hjalmar, disrupting what up to that point had been a wonderful, but totally imaginative life. Then there is Hjalmar who may at first seem as the clear victim in the play, but a closer look reveals that Hjalmar set himself up for this. Hjalmar's carefree life is a total disaster in the making from the start of the play. By choosing to ignore viewing his family's finances (including a monthly check from Mr. Werle), he hides the truth, burying it further and further from the surface. His everyday life sets him up for tragedy by continuing to reassure him that his life is wonderful, that nothing is out of the ordinary. This serves to devastate Hjalmar later on during the play when the truth is finally known to him. However, Hedvig does not and should not shoulder any of the blame for the events that unfolded. After all, how is it her fault that her mother chose to lie to her about her entire life? Although, it seems like Hjalmar is the primary victim of  the affair, Hedvig is much more upset and grief stricken, going so far as to take her own life. I really feel that Mr. Werle should shoulder more of the blame here. His unfaithful behavior not only destroyed his wife, but also resulted in the death of his own daughter, Hedvig. All throughout the play, Werle is not mentioned that much and very little blame is directed towards him in regards to the tragic misfortune of the Ekdals. Seeing as he personally provided the drama by sleeping with Gina, as well as funding his lie with a discreet monthly donation, I think that he deserves much more of the blame than what was given to him in the play.