Journal #3: The Wild Duck

None of the characters are without blame for the tragedy of Hedvig dying except for Hedvig herself.  Old Werle was at fault for having the illegitimate child with Gina, who kept it a secret.  Gregers tried to reveal the secret and in doing so brought about Hedvig's death.  Hjalmar was probably the least to blame out of all the main characters, yet he was the only one to blame himself after the affair was over.  The secrets were hidden from him, and one could not blame him for leaving for a short amount of time after being told that his daughter wasn't his.  In the chaos he comes to the conclusion that Hedvig faked her love for him.  He realized he was wrong after Hedvig died and blames himself.  "And I drove her from me like an animal!  And she crept terrified into the loft and died out of love for me" (215).  Hjalmar believes his actions were the sole cause of her death, yet other people were responsible for making Hjalmar act that way.  The other characters blame Gregers for bringing out the truth and ruining the family.  Relling says "[o]h, life would be good in spite of all, if we only could have some peace from these damned shysters who come badgering us poor people with their 'summons to the ideal'" (216).  Gregers is blamed by most of the characters for Hedvig's death because he revealed the truth.  Through this blame, Ibsen is trying to say that the truth should not always be said in every situation..