Ibsen Journal #4

Realism in Drama
Ibsen displays the motif of blindness and irony through Hedvig and Gregers hope that idealism will cause people to be ignorant and blind to what is really happening. Hedvig is obviously an idealist in the play because she is so happy and positive about everything when there is no reason to be. In the play Hedvig is going blind and is being repeated throughout the play. "It's got to be something good, and then Daddy'll be happy and things will be pleasant again." (193). This is an example of Hedvig being idealistic and telling herself things that she wants to hear happen. When Hedvig is reading the letter for herself Hjalmar gets uneasy about the light she is reading it under, "The eyes, the eyes -- and now that letter." (194). This shows Hedvig's blindness to what is really going to happen later. Gregers is also shown as an idealistic, "I want to establish a true marriage." (186). This is Gregers' intention but ends up doing the exact opposite by telling Hjalmar the truth about Gina and causes this big argument between the two and then Hjalmar proceeds to run out of the house. These characters are so blind to what's really happening and fail to see realism in any part throughout the play.

"The Sea Bird" by Welhaven
Ibsen uses allusion to reference the poem "The Sea Bird" by Welhaven to show when pushed too far it will end in death. There are many instances where the wild duck is referenced in the play for example, "A really fantastic, clever dog, the kind that goes to the bottom after wild ducks when they dive under and bite fast into the weeds down in the mire." (155). Gregers says he wants to be the dog that rescues the wild duck from the bottom of the water just like in the poem the bird dives to the bottom to get away from the hunters. In the poem, the duck essentially kills itself in order to get away from the hunters but only because it was provoked. "But what if you know, of your own free will, sacrifice the duck for his sake." (197). Here Gregers is provoking Hedvig (aka the wild duck) to sacrifice the duck in the garret for her father, but little does he know that since he provoked her she will kill herself just like the bird in the poem.