The Wild Duck

The Wild Duck Summary | Act 1 Summary

In Werle's upper class home, two servants tidy the living room as a dinner party draws to a noisy close in the dining room. Toasts are proposed and laughter is heard in the background as the servants gossip about how Werle has feelings for his housekeeper, Mrs. Sorby and how Werle is throwing the party for his son who is taking a vacation from his job at the family factory up north, "The Works." Old Ekdal, who asks to be let into the office so he can collect some work, interrupts them. The servants comment on how Old Ekdal used to be a lieutenant in the army, went into business with Werle and then made a bad deal that got Werle into trouble and ended up in jail. Before they can speak any further, Mrs. Sorby leads her guests through to another room, telling the servants to follow with coffee. Two of the guests linger - Werle's son Gregers and Hjalmar, Old Ekdal's son and a friend of the Werle family.

Their discussion reveals that they're old friends from school, that Hjalmar still feels badly about the bad deal and that he feels he's suffered worse than anybody has. It's also revealed that Werle set Hjalmar up in business in a photography studio, which Gregers says is surprising because it sounds like his father, who he always thought all along had no feelings or sensitivity, is trying to atone for something. When Gregers congratulates Hjalmar on his marriage, he gets a second surprise - that Hjalmar has married the Werle's former housekeeper, Gina. After Hjalmar tells how he and Gina got together, Gregers asks whether the photography studio came before or after the marriage and Hjalmar tells him after.

Mrs. Sorby leads the other guests, including Werle, back into the room. They have a lively conversation about how they were thirteen at table and about wine. Hjalmar stays silent. In the middle of the conversation, Old Ekdal goes through on his way home and Hjalmar doesn't acknowledge him. Gregers whispers angrily that he should have at least said hello, but Hjalmar says that under the circumstances he couldn't bring himself to. He then says goodnight and leaves and then Mrs. Sorby leads the guests back into the other room. This leaves Gregers alone with Werle, his father.

Gregers confronts Werle with the question of why he has let the Ekdal family sink so low and refers to the way that Werle and Old Ekdal were friends. Werle tells him that Old Ekdal was completely responsible for the bad business deal that practically destroyed him, describes the Ekdal family with the image of a wounded duck sinking to the bottom of a lake to die and says he had to help them somehow. Gregers then accuses Werle of at one time being involved with Gina. Werle reacts angrily to Gregers' suggestion, but Gregers tells him he was told the truth by his mother, who knew about everything that went on between Werle and Gina. Werle says that nothing Gregers' mother said can be believed because she was sickly and hysterical. He explains his reason for asking Gregers to come home, proposing that Gregers go into a business partnership with him. He says that he'll go up north to supervise The Works while Gregers stays in town and oversees the business as a whole. He explains that his strength is starting to fade and his eyes are working less well. He also confesses his plans to marry Mrs. Sorby, but is worried how Gregers will react given his affection for his mother. When Gregers reacts calmly, Werle says he knew he could count on his son's support.

Gregers realizes the real reason why his father called him home, so they could present a picture of "the happy family" to Mrs. Sorby. He angrily tells his father that there was never a happy family in their home, accuses him of tormenting his mother and of degrading Hjalmar by arranging for him to marry someone he himself had used and cast off. He collects his hat and prepares to leave, saying that he's discovered his purpose in life at last but doesn't explain what he means. As he goes, he comments on the way Mrs. Sorby and her guests are playing Blind Man's Buff.