The Mythology Book

160

T

he poems of the Kalevala,

land of heroes, were

compiled by folklorist Elias

Lönnrot in the mid-1800s. He wove

together the numerous myths and

legends of the Karelian and Finnish

peoples, most of which had never

before been written down. The

poems, formalized in printed form,

became the definitive Finnish epic

at a time when Finland’s culture

and language were under threat,

with the nation’s declaration of

independence from Russia still

decades away.

The poems explore themes of

creation, heroism, sorcery, violence,

and death, and concern, among other

things, the struggle of the heroes to

IN BRIEF

THEME

National epic

SOURCE

Kalevala (“Land of Heroes”),

compiled by Elias Lönnrot,

1835.

SETTING

Kalevala (now Finland and

the Karelian lands) and Pohjola,

a land to the north.

KEY FIGURES

Ilmatar Daughter of the Air,

creator goddess.

Väinämöinen The first man,

a wise old sorcerer and singer.

Ilmarinen A blacksmith.

Lemminkäinen A warrior

and explorer.

The maiden of Pohjola

A beautiful woman.

Louhi Ruler of Pohjola.

WONDERFUL THE

MAGIC SAMPO,

PLENTY DOES

IT BRING TO

NORTHLAND

THE KALEVALA

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161

See also: The quest of Odysseus 66–71 ■ The legend of King Arthur 172–77 ■

The epic of Gilgamesh 190–97 ■ The Ramayana 204–09

Elias 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 but

bemoaning 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.

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