Wild Duck #1

In contrast to Oedipus, Hjalmar Ekdal is very trusting of old acquaintances. This is odd, and perhaps he will be found to be misguided in his trust the way Oedipus' rash decisions led him no where fast. For example, Ibsen writes:

GREGERS. You're not very anxious to have me in the house, Mrs. Ekdal.
GINA. Goodness, what makes you think that?
HJALMAR. Yes, Gina, this is really recpuliar of you. (To GREGERS.) But tell me, do you expect to stay here in town for a while?
GREGERS (putting on his overcoat). Yes, now I expect to stay on.
(154)

Hjamlar is eager to rent out the room in their studio to someone with a good reputation and reasonable wealth. He has known Gregers for a long time, and though he hasn't seen him in nearly 16 years, he is ready to believe nothing has changed and that Gregers is simply trying to be helpful by renting from a poor friend. Gina seems wary of Gregers, probably because she suspects Gregers of knowing of her relationship with Mr. Werle, his father. Later on, Hedvig says:

HEDVIG. I'll tell you something, Mother - it seemed to me he meant something else by that.
GINA. What else could he mean?
HEDVIG. I don't know - but it was just as if he meant something else from what he said, all the time.
(155)

Here, Hedvig is astute and recognizes that Gregers speaks with hidden meanings. Gina, in an attempt to cover it up makes Hedvig think it's all nonsense. He's up to something and Hjalmar's trust in him, I believe, will lead to the Ekdals' downfall.