Journal #2: The Wild Duck

Ibsen used the motifs of decay, disease, and illness to express the revealing of the truth.  The motifs of disease and/or illness are most evident in the case of Hedvig's eyesight.  The fact that she is doomed to be blind gives evidence to her blood relationship to Werle, who is also going blind.  This situation is one that Gina tries to keep a secret, but Hjalmar eventually figures it out on his own.  "Don't come near me, Hedvig!  Keep away.  I can't bear seeing you.  Oh, the eyes!  Goodbye" (196).  Hjalmar made the connection between Hedvig and Werle's eyesight, revealing the truth.  Hedvig, because of this, feels that Hjalmar doesn't love her anymore and her eyes reflect the chaos that ensued after the truth was revealed.  "(with desperate eyes).  He's left us, mother!  He's left us!  He'll never come back again!" (196).  The chaos that happens after the revealing of a truth is also expressed earlier in Act 4 through the motif of decay.  Once Hjalmar learns that Gina slept with Werle before they were married he describes his situation with words that have the connotations of decay.  "A man's whole moral foundation can crumble under his feet; that's the dreadful thing" (186).  The revealing of the truths about Gina's past dealings with Werle and the true father of Hedvig result in the portrayal of the motifs of disease, illness, and decay.  Through displaying that the telling of the truth has these negative effects, Ibsen is trying to say that the truth should be kept a secret in certain situations.