Ibsen Journal 5

Gregers is a believer and follower of idealism while Rellings believes idealism is obsurd.

 Gregers feels that truth is the most important thing. He thinks it is his duty to make sure people know that truth because it is his “moralistic fever” (202). He convinces Hedvig to “[give] up the dearest thing [she] own[s]” (198), the wild duck, and have her grandfather shoot it for her to prove her love for her father to bring him back home for good and to realize his love for her. We can see that the wild duck is Hedwig’s most prized possession because the motif continually appears, especially when she tells people not to harm it. When Gregers thinks Hedvig “shot the wild duck herself” (213) he was excited that his plan of truth would work out even better than planned. His plan didn’t work out and even when everyone realizes the terrible tragedy of Hedvig killing himself, he is not sad or upset; he looks at the brighter side of things such as how she told the truth and, therefore, “did not die in vain” (216).

Rellings does not agree with idealist views because people need to accept and handle their own problem. Rellings leaves Hjalmar alone in his misery instead of trying to help; he thinks people should deal with the problems they face head on and allows them to take it on by themselves. He “mock[s]” (201) Gregers when Gregers discusses his beliefs of idealism and always telling the truth. After Hedvig is found dead, Rellings gets upset with Gregers for convincing her to do it and not caring that she is dead; he yells about how Gregers was always “badgering us poor people with [his] ‘summons to the deal,’” (216) discussing with Gregers his idealistic views and their negative repercussions.

Ibsen juxtaposes Rellings and Gregers to show that every solution will affect people differently, but one must accept emotions. Everything that is meant to happen will and everyone will have to deal with it one way or another. Accepting it and looking on the bright side is hard to completely do because one cannot block out every feeling of pain like Gregers portrays in Ibsen. I believe that being an idealist by telling the truth makes a person happier, but one cannot always be happy and it’s important to accept what happens, even if accepting it means being in pain for a while. Good things do not happen by themselves, they take work. Being an idealist like Gregers is not emotionally possible or physically desirable; emotions speak louder than words and it’s important to accept them to obtain true happiness.