Ibsen Journal 3

9. What usually happens to wild ducks who dive for the “bottom”? Why is this important?

            Ducks dive to the murky bottom to hide from a hunter. They “bite right into the weeds” (153) the latch on to avoid being shot. These unclear depths of the water are not safe from all types of death though; often times the ducks ignore their need for air and “never come up again” (153), killing themselves. If the ducks are lucky, a “clever dog” (153) is able to quickly dive down to the bottom and retrieve the duck. Hedvig dives to the murky bottom and grabs to the weeds until she can satisfy her desire to live happily with her father’s love. Hedvig likes to have “something nice to tell [her] father when he comes home at night” (139) because it makes him happy. Hedvig always greets her father when he comes home, gives him compliments such as “you look so well [in your evening clothes]” (139), and offers to “bring” (145) her father goods such as his flute, drinks, or food in order to try and gain her father’s love. Her efforts are in vain because he pushes her away such as asking her not to use the affectionate name of “daddy” (145) when speaking to him. Hedvig is doomed to stay under the water too long and kill herself if she doesn’t let go of her goal for love or have someone save her from the murky depths.