The Kalevala

Q. The what

A. The Kalevala, the Finnish national epic

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Q. So, what's the story

A. Kalevala, the homeland of the characters in the poem, is a poetic name for Finland, which means 'land of heroes'. The leader of the 'sons of Kaleva', as they are called, is the old and wise V�in�m�inen, a shamanic type with supernatural origins who is a master of the kantele, the Finnish harp. Other characters include: Ilmarinen, a metalworker who made the 'lids of heaven' when the world was created; Lemmink�inen, an easy-going adventurer-warrior and something of a ladies' man; Louhi, the female ruler of Pohjola, a powerful country in the north; and the tragic hero Kullervo, who is forced to into slavery.

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Among the main events of the poem are the creation of the world and the adventurous journeys of V�in�m�inen, Ilmarinen and Lemmink�inen to Pohjola to woo Louhi's beautiful daughter. During this journey the magical sampo, a mill that produces salt, meal and gold, is forged for the people of Kalevala, who keep it as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

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Q. Tales of derring-do, then

A. Aren't they all. Such tales are often associated with an awakening of national pride or a national consciousness movement, and this was very much the case with the Kalevala. When the poem appeared in print for the first time Finland had only been an Autonomous Grand Duchy under the influence of the Russian Empire for a quarter of a century. Between 1323 and 1809, Finland had been incorporated into the Kingdom of Sweden. Thus the Kalevala marked an important boost for the Finnish language and�culture.

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Q. When was it composed

A. The first edition of the Kalevala appeared in 1835, compiled and edited by the folklorist Elias L�nnrot from the epic folk poems he had collected in Finland and neighbouring Karelia, now part of Russia. These had been sung for centuries and kept alive against huge odds. The Reformation in Finland came closest to killing these off, as the Lutheran authorities disapproved of singing and dancing - especially of such 'pagan' material as the old heroic tales.

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However, it seems that only 3 per cent of the published poem - mostly linking sections - was composed by L�nnrot himself, the rest being compiled from genuine surviving folk material.

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Q. Do we have any national epics here in the UK

A. Ireland and Gaelic-speaking Scotland share the Ossianic Ballads, a cycle of poems dating from the 11th to 18th centuries, though many of the stories and themes can be traced back to 3rd-century pre-Christian Ireland. These concern the activities of the Irish hero Finn MacCumhaill (McCool to you Anglos) and his war band, the Fianna �ireann. They are named for Ois�n, the chief bard in the poems, which are also known as the Fenian Cycle.

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If there is an English epic it would have to be Beowulf. Preserved in a single manuscript dating from around 1000, it deals with events which took place the early 6th century and is believed to have been composed between 700 and 750. Although originally untitled, it was later named after the Danish hero Beowulf, whose exploits provide its connecting theme. There is no evidence of a historical Beowulf, but some characters, sites and events in the poem can be historically verified.

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Q. What about elsewhere

A. The earliest surviving of the lot is the Epic of Gilgamesh - some surviving fragments of which were written down in the first half of the second millennium BC - but most nations have something which tells of the daring exploits of a national hero.

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Here are a few examples:

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Ancient Greece: the Iliad and the Odyssey

Babylon: Enuma elish

France: Le Chanson de Roland

Iceland, Norway: Edda

India: the Mahabharata and the Ramayana

Kosovo: the Kosovo series

Latvia: Lacplesis

Germany, Austria: Nibelungenlied

Maya: Popol Vuh

Portugal: Os Lus�ades

Rome: the Aeneid

Serbia: Marko Kraljevic

Spain: El Cid

Tibet: Gesar

USA: Hiawatha

West Africa: Sundiata

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For a more detailed study of the Kalevala go to http://www.finlit.fi/kalevala/indexeng.html

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See also the answerbank articles on the Epic of Gilgamesh, Homer and the Decameron

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For more on Arts & Literature click here

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By Simon Smith