Wild Duck Journal 1

What are the questions that underlie at least two of the works that you have read?

One of the interesting comparisons from Oedipus and Wild Duck is the importance of sight in both novels. The question here is, what is the meaning of sight for these characters and why is it such a central theme?

In Oedipus, the book ends with Oedipus blinding himself so he does not have to look upon his mother (and wife!), children, or father in hell when he dies. He does not want to see them because of all of the bad things he feels he has done to them. One could also argue that he was "blind" to the truth throughout his whole life. When his wife was warning him not to pursue anymore about his family of origin, he did not want to see what was staring him in the face. The clues that tell where he actually came from were right in front of him from the point when Tiresias tells him that it was him. But Oedipus was blind to the truth, and this led to the tragic outcome of this play.

In Wild Duck, the use of the motif of sight is used frequently. The elder Werle, is facing near blindness. Hedvig, Hjalmar's daughter is facing the loss of her sight. Gregers, on the other hand, "sees a purpose to live for," while Werle believes him to see through his mother's "clouded vision."

This repetition of the motif of blindness, appearing so frequently in both books must carry some significance. The motif of sight in both books seems to represent purity and goodness. Oedipus blinds himself because he feels that he is no longer worthy to look upon those he loves. The elder Werle has done some bad things in his life, his loss of sight represents his loss of goodness. Hedvig's loss of sight may be more of foreshadowing for what is to come in the play. This coming blindness may represent Hedvig's coming loss of goodness in the play. Greger's clear vision may represent his good intentions for those around him throughout the book.