161
See also: The quest of Odysseus 66–71 ■ The legend of King Arthur 172–77 ■
The epic of Gilgamesh 190–97 ■ The Ramayana 204–09Elias Lönnrot
Born in 1802, in Sammatti,
Finland—at that time part
of Sweden—Lönnrot studied
medicine and worked as the
district medical officer in
Kajaani. A founding member
of the Finnish Literature
Society, he was passionate
about his native tongue and
developed an interest in the
relationship between philology
and folklore. He visited remote
areas of Finland, Lapland, and
Russian Karelia, listening to
traditional songs and tales
passed down orally through
generations. He eventually
compiled them into the epic
which became the Kalevala.
There was controversy
about how much editing
Lönnrot undertook in order
to fit these myths of varying
origins and ages together.
Still, he was celebrated for
his final version, published
in 1849, and appointed to the
Chair of Finnish Literature
at the University of Helsinki.
The Kalevala comprises 50
poems in trochaic tetrameter,
known as the “Kalevala
meter.” The emphasis on
intonation is apt: almost every
feat undertaken by characters
in the epic is accomplished
through incantation.acquire the legendary Sampo, a
mysterious talisman which gave its
owner endless prosperity.
The Kalevala recounts the
adventures of Väinämöinen, the
first man; the blacksmith Ilmarinen;
and the warrior Lemminkäinen. It
begins with the story of creation,
when the goddess Ilmatar lay down
in the sea, heavily pregnant butbemoaning that she could not yet
give birth. There, a bird laid seven
eggs on her knees, and when she
moved, the eggs fell and broke, and
the pieces formed the world. For ❯❯NORTHERN EUROPE
Ilmatar on her bed of waves, as
painted by romantic artist Robert
Wilhelm Ekman (1860). A virginal
spirit, she gave birth in the sea.A boat made from
a weaving shuttle
carries heroes to
Pohjola.These three magical
objects are central
to the Kalevala.The Sampo
grinds flour,
produces salt, and
forges money.The Kantele
enchants listeners
and puts them into
a deep sleep.US_160-163_Sampo.indd 161 05/12/17 3:00 pm