In Henrik Ibsen's famous but controversial play The Wild Duck, most of the significant events are mental and psychological. Specifically, it is Hjalmar Ekdal's subconscious thoughts that build the work. As the play's protagonist, Hjalmar Ekdal seems to be living a lie. He does not learn of his wife's affair and his daughter's illegitimacy until the end of the show. Although Ibsen subtly hints throughout the play that he may know the truth, Hjalmar never reveals it for fear that it may be true. Hjalmar is also subconsciously trying to take revenge on the old man Werle through his daughter Hedvig. Even though he sometimes seems to truly love her, he never treats her as if she truly loves him. Hjalmar is a very complex character and by understanding him, the audience can understand the show. Through Hjalmar's awakening and his eventual acceptance of his subconscious thoughts and feelings, Henrik Ibsen's The Wild Duck develops and offers the audience a sense of excitement, suspense, and climax. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Through clever use of dramatic irony, Ibsen informs the audience of knowledge that Hjalmar himself is unaware of. First, the audience knows about the affair that Gina, Hjalmar's wife, had while she was housekeeper at the Werle house. Presumably Hjalmar is unaware of this. However, in Act II, Hjalmar shows that he may be aware of the matter. In Act II Gregers, old Werle's son, enters the Ekdal house. As he settles in, Gregers asks seemingly innocent questions about the Ekdals. These questions include Hedvig's age and the length of Hjalmar and Gina's marriage. In this brief interrogation it is clear that Gregers suspects Hedvig of being his half-sister. Before the conversation gets any longer, however, Hjalmar quickly changes the subject: “Yes, that's it. Fifteen years in all except a few months. (Changes subject) The years of work must have seemed long to you, Gregor (II). Hjalmar does this perhaps to save his wife, Gina, from unnecessary embarrassment in talking about his premarital affairs. Furthermore, Hjalmar does not want to talk about Hedvig's early childhood, because this could raise the risk of talking about who her "real" father is. Although it is Hjalmar with whom Hedvig spends her life, it is likely that the older Werle is Hedvig's biological father. Hjalmar wants nothing to do with old Werle. Throughout his life, his main goal was to try to maintain the illusion that he did not need Old Man Werle and was actually independent of him. Hjalmar has never been able to accept the fact that Hedvig truly loves him. Hjalmar believes that Hedvig, just like the wild duck, is a waste, passed down from old Werle. To justify himself, Hjalmar constantly tests Hedvig to prove her love for him. Throughout the play, Hjalmar treats Hedvig not like a daughter but more like a tool, telling her to do things for him and get things for him. Unfortunately, Hedvig does not see this and is determined to earn Hjalmar's love. Hjalmar's revenge against the old Werle consists in the mistreatment of his "real" daughter, Hedvig. In Hjalmar's subconscious, he doesn't want Hedvig around and ultimately wants to end her life. In Act IV, Hjalmar states: “As for that damned wild duck, I would have great pleasure in wringing its neck!” (IV). Hjalmar compares the wild duck to Hedvig and in this statement it is clear that he wants to kill them both. It is also stated that he would have “great pleasure” in doing so. After Hjalmar says this, Hedvig responds by saying, 1958.