Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

The passage for analysis, extracted from “The Wild Duck,” takes place in the middle of Act Two, where Hjalmar has returned from Werle’s residence. The action preceding the scene involves Hedvig’s discovery that Hjalmar has failed to bring home a gift for her. The passage begins with his reaction to Hedvig’s disappointment; his speech and actions throughout the passage are very indicative of his nature and his position in the family. When he quite comfortably describes himself as “the bread-winner of (the) family,” it seems as though he is enforcing that he is the foundation of the family, holding the household together, carrying many responsibilities. It becomes clear later in the play that this is certainly not the case, although both Gina and Hedvig are quick to reassure him that they do depend on him. However, the validity of such reassurances may vary depending on the interpretation of the character behind it. Hjalmar’s motivations can be difficult to isolate. In this passage it seems likely that he would be trying to cover for his mistakes, and the manner in which he does so tends to lie on the brusque side, in order for him to establish his position of being correct. It is likely that in order for this chara