Few people alive who can recite the Kalevala

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SUMMARY

The Kalevala, compiled by Elias Lönnrot in the 19th century from Finnish folk sources, is recognized as the Finnish national epic and a cornerstone of Finnish-language literature. This epic poem consists of 22,795 verses divided into 50 chapters, significantly influencing Finnish nationalism and contributing to the country's independence from Russia in 1917. The term "Kalevala" translates to "land of Kaleva," symbolizing the cultural identity of the Finnish people during a time of foreign domination.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Finnish folklore and its cultural significance
  • Familiarity with the historical context of Finland's independence
  • Knowledge of epic poetry structure and themes
  • Basic comprehension of the Finnish language for original texts
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the historical impact of the Kalevala on Finnish nationalism
  • Explore the themes and motifs in epic poetry, particularly in the Kalevala
  • Study the life and contributions of Elias Lönnrot
  • Examine translations of the Kalevala and their interpretations
USEFUL FOR

Literature enthusiasts, historians, cultural scholars, and anyone interested in Finnish heritage and national identity will benefit from this discussion.

Astronuc
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I watched a program several years ago about one of the few people alive who can recite the Kalevala. It is truly an epic work.
The Kalevala is an epic poem which Elias Lönnrot in the 19th century said that he had compiled from Finnish folk sources. It is commonly called the Finnish national epic and is one of the most significant works of Finnish-language literature. The Kalevala is credited with inspiring the nationalism that ultimately led to Finnish independence from Russia in 1917. The name means "land of Kaleva". The text of the Kalevala consists of 22,795 verses, divided into 50 poems or chapters (finnish runot, singular runo, from Germanic rune).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalevala

http://runeberg.org/kalevala/ - in Finnish

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/ - in English
 
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...high school nightmares of reading the thing resurrected :rolleyes: . Who says past "sins" don't come back to haunt you ... anyways, the story is certainly epic in nature, and in a land where national spirit was lacking at the time (before independence always being tossed around by someone) was likely one of the defining elements in bringing the people under one 'banner', to demonstrate there is a separate 'people' here after all after being a more or less autonomous part of Russia for a long time. Could argue it being 'the appropriate' way of building a 'national' identity.