Journal #1: Blood Wedding

When reading the first acts of both The Wild Duck and Blood Wedding, there were many similarities between the two. One of the main similarities that I found was that they both included the word "knife". Ibsen and Lorka uses the knife in both Blood Wedding and The Wild Duck as a symbol for authority, as well as foreshadow future events that may occur in the story. Although in The Wild Duck, Ibsen does not use the knife to foreshadow anything, the knife is used to show authority. For example, in both passages, the knife is mentioned in an almost demanding way. In act one of The Wild Duck, Ibsen writes, "In from the dining room come laughter and the hum of many voices in conversation; a knife clinks upon a glass; silence; a toast is made" (119). In this context, the knife is used to catch the attention of the party members, and to silence them in order for a speech. This gives the one holding the knife power because he/she is silencing everyone, making them pay attention to him/her. And in Blood Wedding Lorka writes,

Mother
Son, your breakfast!

Bridegroom
Never mind. I'll eat some grapes. Give me the knife.

The bridegroom says this in a demanding tone. He rejects his mother's request and demands for the knife in return. This creates a demanding tone which furthermore implies that he is in control, and he feels in control over his mother. He does not have to listen to her word. So, the knife represents his authority over her.