Wild Duck: Journal #1

Notes from a brainstorm session on "outrageous links" between any two of the plays:

There is a definite link of blindness in both of these plays. In Oedipus there is blindness in literal and metaphorical aspects and in Wild Duck so far there is blindness in the literal sense.

In Oedipus there is a blind prophet: Teriesas, and this character starts the blindness motif. Blindness can be seen as a good thing according to him because he can see through the eyes of Apollo one of their gods.That would be a good thing of course. Then the next literal blind thing is Oedipus at the end when he gouges his eyes out. This is seen as a bad thing because he only gouges his eyes out because he feels he deserves it and its the least he could do to give himself a consequence for the wrong he has done. The third thing that is "blind" is the mystery of Oedipus's parents and who they are. This eventually ends up being solved but it "passes on" its blindness to Oedipus.

In Wild Duck there is some blindness in the girl Hedvig and in the old Ekdal. The blindness has not come yet but it is coming slowly. This blindness shows a weakness for both these people. They cannot do as much and they admit it. Ekdal says that he cannot work as hard because his eyes are failing him and the young girl, Hedvig, does not know yet that her eyesight is fading because her parents have not yet told her, but she too is not allowed to do as much. Such as reading and other things that would hurt her eyes.

In both the plays the blindness attacks characters. This is a sign that it is inevitable, and that at least one character is going to have this weakness. I think it also shows wisdom though. All four of the people that have the blindness have some sense of wisdom that they either got from old age or from certain experiences throughout the drama. Oedipus has the experience from his life that has made him wise. Teriesas is given wisdom because of his blindness and Edkal is wise from old age. Finally, Hedvig does not have much wisdom yet, but before she goes completely blind I think she will find or do something that will give her wisdom in some area.