The Kalevala: An Epic Poem after Oral Tradition by Elias Lönnrot (Oxford World's Classics)
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The Kalevala is the great Finnish epic, which like the Iliad and the Odyssey, grew out of a rich oral tradition with prehistoric roots. During the first millennium of our era, speakers of Uralic languages (those outside the Indo-European group) who had settled in the Baltic region of Karelia, that straddles the border of eastern Finland and north-west Russia, developed an oral poetry that was to last into the nineteenth century. This poetry provided the basis of the Kalevala. It was assembled in the 1840s by the Finnish scholar Elias Lönnrot, who took `dictation' from the performance of a folk singer, in much the same way as our great collections from the past, from Homeric poems to medieval songs and epics, have probably been set down. Published in 1849, it played a central role in the march towards Finnish independence and inspired some of Sibelius's greatest works. This new and exciting translation by poet Keith Bosley, prize-winning translator of the anthology Finnish Folk Poetry: Epic, is the first truly to combine liveliness with accuracy in a way which reflects the richness of the original. About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. Review: Kalevala's lasting power - The Kalevala is a great body of mythology and folklore that is vital to understanding Finland, and Finnish national identity. In fact, it might not be going too far to say that the Kalevala cycle *is* Finland, in so much as a culture's founding stories can be said to "make" the culture. Aside from the Kalevala's importance in historical and cultural terms, however, this is a great collection of stories that will enchant and delight anyone who likes to meet interesting, larger-than-life characters and see them put in interesting situations. This Oxford World's Classics edition of The Kalevala benefits from a foreword by Albert B. Lord of Harvard University and an introduction by translator Keith Bosley. Both the foreword and the introduction do a very fine job of setting The Kalevala in its historical context, and particularly of explaining the Herculean labor that Finnish folklorist Elias Lönnrot performed in traveling throughout the Russo-Finnish border region of Karelia and recording the oral poetry he found among the Karelians. Yet one goes to The Kalevala not for forewords or introductions, but rather for the poetry itself, and the epic story it tells. The main characters of The Kalevala have that mythic, heroic quality, and it is interesting to wonder about the characters as we meet them in this poetic cycles. Were they originally gods of a polytheistic, pre-Christian religious cycle, and are the poem's references to one god, an Almighty Creator, a way by which the Karelians held on to the old stories under the pressure of adopting a new religion? Were the main characters of these stories originally eminent Karelians of ancient times, whose stories metamorphosed over time into tales of mythic heroes? Or do the stories come from some other source or cause, one that is too far removed in time from us for us to have a chance of discovering it? Whatever the case may be, the characters are vivid, and so are their stories. The elderly Väinämöinen is a great singer who can work magic through the power of his songs; but he is unlucky in love, and he laments that he should have married young (advice that might have been taken seriously by the rural residents of old Karelia, where early marriage might lead to the birth of more children who could help on the farm). The smith Ilmarinen is hard-working and preternaturally skilled at his craft; as the Norse thunder-god Thór was a hammer-wielder with whom working-class Vikings could identify, so Ilmarinen is a hero for the working-day. He is the man who forged the Sampo, a mystical device that is never described very clearly, but brings prosperity to its owner. You grind the Sampo, and it makes you wealthy. I suppose that is all we really need to know. The Sampo is a plot device, a catalyst - the MacGuffin of The Kalevala. Very different from Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen is the Kalevala cycle's third main character, the mischievous Lemminkäinen. On some levels, Lemminkäinen is a trickster-figure like Loki from Norse mythology; selfish and forever in search of gratification, "wanton Lemminkäinen" has a habit of seducing all the young women of a village, and then skipping out just a few steps ahead of a whole village-full of angry fathers and husbands and boyfriends and brothers. Yet his story takes a number of interesting and unexpected directions that the Vikings of pre-Christian times would never have expected to see from Loki. Rune 14, "Elk, Horse, Swan," shows Lemminkäinen journeying into the underworld in search of the swan of Tuonela (a story later adapted into a musical tone poem by Jan Sibelius); he is killed by a blind herdsman whom he had wronged (in a manner somewhat analogous to the way the compassionate god Baldr from Norse mythology is killed, albeit unintentionally, by the blind god Höðr) and torn to pieces. Rune 15, "Resurrection," shows Lemminkäinen's long-suffering mother journeying to the underworld, reconstructing her son's mangled body, and bringing him back to life - a story that invites parallels with the story of Isis and Osiris from Egyptian mythology. One of my favorite tales from the poem is Rune 17, "Inside the Giant," wherein Väinämöinen, seeking songs that he can use to wield magical power, goes inside the mouth of the giant Antero Vipunen, makes his way down to the giant's belly, and gives the giant no end of gastrointestinal discomfort until Antero Vipunen "opened his word-chest/and flung wide his box of tales" (p. 213), providing Väinämöinen with powerful spells that Väinämöinen will henceforth be able to sing when they are needed. In this story, one senses echoes of the various descents-into-the-abyss that one reads of in different mythological traditions - e.g., Odysseus and Aeneas making their respective descents to the Greco-Roman underworld, in order that they may bring back from the land of the dead the information that they need in order to fulfill their respective quests - as well as the story of Jonah's swallowing by the great fish in the Old Testament. Aside from the mythographic qualities and storytelling power of "Inside the Giant," I just find "Antero Vipunen" to be an incredibly awesome name. Another of the most important characters in the Kalevala is Kullervo. The child of one of two families involved in a feud, Kullervo is sent away from his family, made a serf of Ilmarinen, and treated cruelly by Ilmarinen's wife. Kullervo curses Ilmarinen's wife - "[Y]ou too will weep yet --/you'll weep your milch cows" (p. 462) - and transforms her herd of cows, which he had been sent to herd, into bears, instructing them, "Rip the mistress's/thigh, bite half her calf/when she comes to look/and crouches to milk!" (p. 463). Once his magic has brought about the death of Ilmarinen's wife, Kullervo returns home and finds his family, but then leaves them, determined to revenge himself on the family of Untamo, the family that has wronged him. He meets a girl on the road and has his way with her, but with tragic consequences (think Oedipus). And he does get his revenge; but as with those Shakespearean characters who dedicate themselves to revenge, Kullervo destroys himself even as he works the destruction of his enemies. These runes make for profoundly disheartening reading. A highlight of the Kalevala, for me, was the series of runes starting with Rune 39, "Sailing to Northland." In these runes, the three main characters - Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen, and Lemminkäinen - join forces and sail north in search of the Sampo, the mystical prosperity-bringing device forged by Ilmarinen but then taken away to the North by the witch Louhi. (I can't help wondering if such elements of the myth point back to old economic rivalries between the Finnish Karelians on the one hand and the Sami people of Sapmi, or Lapps of Lapland, on the other.) The three make their way successfully to Northland and retrieve the Sampo, but Louhi transforms herself into a bird-monster and pursues them: "[N]ow the North's dame is coming/the wondrous bird glides along --/as for shoulders, like a hawk/a wyvern as for body!" (p. 567). A great battle ensues, and the editors of this edition wisely made Finnish artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela's 1896 painting "Defending the Sampo" the book's front cover illustration (check out Kallela's other Kalevala paintings if you're an admirer of the stories). I won't tell you what happens to the Sampo - no spoiler alert needed here - but I will say that we'd all better plan to keep working for a living; none of us is likely to find the Sampo and grind his or her way to easy money. In modern Finland, the Kalevala is a living force, a benchmark of Finnish national identity and cultural pride. You never know when you'll turn a corner in Helsinki and find a statue of Väinämöinen singing, or Ilmarinen wielding his hammer. One of the best restaurants in the city, close to the waterfront, is named Aino, for the young maiden who threw herself into the sea in order to avoid marrying the elderly Väinämöinen, and in the process became the first mermaid. But you don't have to travel to Finland to appreciate the mythic power and beauty of The Kalevala. It is a great collection of stories, pure and simple, and this translation conveys well the power and beauty of the stories. Review: Epic Indeed - A tale for any one, any time - I have always felt proud of my Finnish roots - I appreciated the morals and values my mother taught us, and admired how her siblings remained close throughout their lives, They were all very proud to be Finns. Only recently I decided to learn more about Finland and it's history. I had read reviews about the different translations/authors of The Kalevala and wasn't sure which one to get. I first purchased the Eino Friberg version and soon after purchased the Magoun book. Little did I know that it would become interested in all things Kalevala. I went about reading with pen in hand, multiple books and laptop in front of me. It helped me to read a bit at a time, looking up characters and places and taking notes. I am no scholar, but I am definitely a hands on, multi-sensory learner.I didn't want to just read it. I waned to understand the importance, symbolism and humor in the runos before moving to the next. I was happy to get the book translated by Keith Bosley and the audio CD narrated by Keith Bosley ( Naxos Poetry) I have not had the chance to read this version of The Kalevala. After I do, I will look forward to sitting in my rocking chair, popping in the CD and having someone read the book to me. It has been fun getting to know the Finn in me :)
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P**L
Kalevala's lasting power
The Kalevala is a great body of mythology and folklore that is vital to understanding Finland, and Finnish national identity. In fact, it might not be going too far to say that the Kalevala cycle *is* Finland, in so much as a culture's founding stories can be said to "make" the culture. Aside from the Kalevala's importance in historical and cultural terms, however, this is a great collection of stories that will enchant and delight anyone who likes to meet interesting, larger-than-life characters and see them put in interesting situations. This Oxford World's Classics edition of The Kalevala benefits from a foreword by Albert B. Lord of Harvard University and an introduction by translator Keith Bosley. Both the foreword and the introduction do a very fine job of setting The Kalevala in its historical context, and particularly of explaining the Herculean labor that Finnish folklorist Elias Lönnrot performed in traveling throughout the Russo-Finnish border region of Karelia and recording the oral poetry he found among the Karelians. Yet one goes to The Kalevala not for forewords or introductions, but rather for the poetry itself, and the epic story it tells. The main characters of The Kalevala have that mythic, heroic quality, and it is interesting to wonder about the characters as we meet them in this poetic cycles. Were they originally gods of a polytheistic, pre-Christian religious cycle, and are the poem's references to one god, an Almighty Creator, a way by which the Karelians held on to the old stories under the pressure of adopting a new religion? Were the main characters of these stories originally eminent Karelians of ancient times, whose stories metamorphosed over time into tales of mythic heroes? Or do the stories come from some other source or cause, one that is too far removed in time from us for us to have a chance of discovering it? Whatever the case may be, the characters are vivid, and so are their stories. The elderly Väinämöinen is a great singer who can work magic through the power of his songs; but he is unlucky in love, and he laments that he should have married young (advice that might have been taken seriously by the rural residents of old Karelia, where early marriage might lead to the birth of more children who could help on the farm). The smith Ilmarinen is hard-working and preternaturally skilled at his craft; as the Norse thunder-god Thór was a hammer-wielder with whom working-class Vikings could identify, so Ilmarinen is a hero for the working-day. He is the man who forged the Sampo, a mystical device that is never described very clearly, but brings prosperity to its owner. You grind the Sampo, and it makes you wealthy. I suppose that is all we really need to know. The Sampo is a plot device, a catalyst - the MacGuffin of The Kalevala. Very different from Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen is the Kalevala cycle's third main character, the mischievous Lemminkäinen. On some levels, Lemminkäinen is a trickster-figure like Loki from Norse mythology; selfish and forever in search of gratification, "wanton Lemminkäinen" has a habit of seducing all the young women of a village, and then skipping out just a few steps ahead of a whole village-full of angry fathers and husbands and boyfriends and brothers. Yet his story takes a number of interesting and unexpected directions that the Vikings of pre-Christian times would never have expected to see from Loki. Rune 14, "Elk, Horse, Swan," shows Lemminkäinen journeying into the underworld in search of the swan of Tuonela (a story later adapted into a musical tone poem by Jan Sibelius); he is killed by a blind herdsman whom he had wronged (in a manner somewhat analogous to the way the compassionate god Baldr from Norse mythology is killed, albeit unintentionally, by the blind god Höðr) and torn to pieces. Rune 15, "Resurrection," shows Lemminkäinen's long-suffering mother journeying to the underworld, reconstructing her son's mangled body, and bringing him back to life - a story that invites parallels with the story of Isis and Osiris from Egyptian mythology. One of my favorite tales from the poem is Rune 17, "Inside the Giant," wherein Väinämöinen, seeking songs that he can use to wield magical power, goes inside the mouth of the giant Antero Vipunen, makes his way down to the giant's belly, and gives the giant no end of gastrointestinal discomfort until Antero Vipunen "opened his word-chest/and flung wide his box of tales" (p. 213), providing Väinämöinen with powerful spells that Väinämöinen will henceforth be able to sing when they are needed. In this story, one senses echoes of the various descents-into-the-abyss that one reads of in different mythological traditions - e.g., Odysseus and Aeneas making their respective descents to the Greco-Roman underworld, in order that they may bring back from the land of the dead the information that they need in order to fulfill their respective quests - as well as the story of Jonah's swallowing by the great fish in the Old Testament. Aside from the mythographic qualities and storytelling power of "Inside the Giant," I just find "Antero Vipunen" to be an incredibly awesome name. Another of the most important characters in the Kalevala is Kullervo. The child of one of two families involved in a feud, Kullervo is sent away from his family, made a serf of Ilmarinen, and treated cruelly by Ilmarinen's wife. Kullervo curses Ilmarinen's wife - "[Y]ou too will weep yet --/you'll weep your milch cows" (p. 462) - and transforms her herd of cows, which he had been sent to herd, into bears, instructing them, "Rip the mistress's/thigh, bite half her calf/when she comes to look/and crouches to milk!" (p. 463). Once his magic has brought about the death of Ilmarinen's wife, Kullervo returns home and finds his family, but then leaves them, determined to revenge himself on the family of Untamo, the family that has wronged him. He meets a girl on the road and has his way with her, but with tragic consequences (think Oedipus). And he does get his revenge; but as with those Shakespearean characters who dedicate themselves to revenge, Kullervo destroys himself even as he works the destruction of his enemies. These runes make for profoundly disheartening reading. A highlight of the Kalevala, for me, was the series of runes starting with Rune 39, "Sailing to Northland." In these runes, the three main characters - Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen, and Lemminkäinen - join forces and sail north in search of the Sampo, the mystical prosperity-bringing device forged by Ilmarinen but then taken away to the North by the witch Louhi. (I can't help wondering if such elements of the myth point back to old economic rivalries between the Finnish Karelians on the one hand and the Sami people of Sapmi, or Lapps of Lapland, on the other.) The three make their way successfully to Northland and retrieve the Sampo, but Louhi transforms herself into a bird-monster and pursues them: "[N]ow the North's dame is coming/the wondrous bird glides along --/as for shoulders, like a hawk/a wyvern as for body!" (p. 567). A great battle ensues, and the editors of this edition wisely made Finnish artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela's 1896 painting "Defending the Sampo" the book's front cover illustration (check out Kallela's other Kalevala paintings if you're an admirer of the stories). I won't tell you what happens to the Sampo - no spoiler alert needed here - but I will say that we'd all better plan to keep working for a living; none of us is likely to find the Sampo and grind his or her way to easy money. In modern Finland, the Kalevala is a living force, a benchmark of Finnish national identity and cultural pride. You never know when you'll turn a corner in Helsinki and find a statue of Väinämöinen singing, or Ilmarinen wielding his hammer. One of the best restaurants in the city, close to the waterfront, is named Aino, for the young maiden who threw herself into the sea in order to avoid marrying the elderly Väinämöinen, and in the process became the first mermaid. But you don't have to travel to Finland to appreciate the mythic power and beauty of The Kalevala. It is a great collection of stories, pure and simple, and this translation conveys well the power and beauty of the stories.
J**.
Epic Indeed - A tale for any one, any time
I have always felt proud of my Finnish roots - I appreciated the morals and values my mother taught us, and admired how her siblings remained close throughout their lives, They were all very proud to be Finns. Only recently I decided to learn more about Finland and it's history. I had read reviews about the different translations/authors of The Kalevala and wasn't sure which one to get. I first purchased the Eino Friberg version and soon after purchased the Magoun book. Little did I know that it would become interested in all things Kalevala. I went about reading with pen in hand, multiple books and laptop in front of me. It helped me to read a bit at a time, looking up characters and places and taking notes. I am no scholar, but I am definitely a hands on, multi-sensory learner.I didn't want to just read it. I waned to understand the importance, symbolism and humor in the runos before moving to the next. I was happy to get the book translated by Keith Bosley and the audio CD narrated by Keith Bosley ( Naxos Poetry) I have not had the chance to read this version of The Kalevala. After I do, I will look forward to sitting in my rocking chair, popping in the CD and having someone read the book to me. It has been fun getting to know the Finn in me :)
C**N
The National Epic of the Finnish People
We owe much to the efforts of the scholar Elias Lonnrot for preserving this great epic. The work was collected mostly in the mid 19th century, a time when much of the rural regions of Europe still remembered the ancient folk-beliefs, mythic lore, and superstitions of their ethnicities. Had Lonnrot not undertaken this project, these orally-transmitted tales may have been lost forever in the approaching modern age. Why is it important to read such lore? The very soul of a people is found within. What were their moral beliefs? How did they see the world? To simplify, the great deeds of the heros, the vile behavior of villains, define just what a culture believed to be good and bad. The hero serves as an ideal model of personal conduct, for the most part. Even when the hero fails to live up to his own standards, he teaches us a lesson about honorable behavior. The heros of The Kalevala are warrior-wizards. Vainamoinen is the primary character, an old shaman and bard of supernatural power. He is in quest of a wife, and deeper wisdom. Ilmarinen, a wizard and blacksmith, who uses his craft to forge many items of magical properties. He forged the Sampo, a mysterious mill which generates grain, salt, and gold. The Sampo is a central artifact in this narrative. There is my favorite, Lemminkainen, who, although he is a proficient wizard and warrior, gets himself into endless trouble with his hard-drinking, brawling, prolific womanizing, and outrageously brash behavior. Then there is Kullervo, who more than anything yearns to vent his vengeance on those who murdered his family...or anyone who insults him, personally. Their tales are all intertwined as they make a stand against Louhi, the evil sorceress of the North.
E**P
A MUST-READ FOR FANTASY READERS AND METAL HEADS
This review is in two parts: THE TRANSLATION: When it comes to reading ancient literature there are often numerous versions and translations. Unless a story is REALLY good, I only want to read it once. So it only makes sense that one should want to read the best version/translation available. Thankfully, the Keith Bosley translation of The Kalevala is the most reader-friendly, very much like Seamus Heaney's translation of "Beowulf". The Kalevala does not rhyme, although there are a few instances of alliteration scattered throughout. Each line is usually a handful of words comprising an even larger sentence, but it's done in a tasteful way so that you won't feel like you're reading a James Joyce run-on sentence like in "Ulysses". THE EPIC: The Kalevala bounces around telling tales of several major characters, which is fortunate, considering the length of the work. Without giving anything away, the characters do things like get married, steal precious relics, sing magical songs, go to war and build many more precious relics. There are lots of good "Chapters" in The Kalevala and I was surprised that a few of my favorites had little or no action in them (according to a guy's definition of action, at least). One of which was the marriage sequence of Chapters 21-24. If you've ever heard the advice, "Don't get married", this is probably one of the sources where such advice comes from. It is also noteworthy how much influence The Kalevala has had on Fantasy and Metal. If I remember correctly, Tolkien's "Silmarillion" starts off with beings singing things into existence, much like the characters in The Kalevala do. The Finnish metal band "Ensiferum" has songs that are inspired straight from The Kalevala, such as "Old Man" which refers to Vainamoinen. There are many other bands in the folk metal genre, that, although they don't specifically cite The Kalevala as an inspiration they clearly have songs that are similar to The Kalevala's oral tradition. Some examples (in my opinion) would be Korpiklaani (Finnish), Metsatoell and Raud Ants (Estonian). Overall, I liked The Kalevala much more than I thought I would, given its length and I have to admit: I found it more interesting than Beowulf.
G**A
is the best. It's said that Longfellow so admired the cadence ...
Finland's famous epic poem. There are a few translations but this, to me, is the best. It's said that Longfellow so admired the cadence of the Kalevala he used something similar for his own "Hiawatha". These stories were oral stories first, sung by rune singers so that the Finnish people wouldn't forget their heritage. The Finns were under Swedish rule and had no written language when the Kalevala stories were passed around. One man gathered them over a number of years and translated them into what is now the Kalevala. It takes some getting used to, but the stories are beautiful, inspiring and heartbreaking. and well worth the effort.
O**.
The reason why we love Finnish folk metal bands
The Kalevala is the reason why most of the metalheads love Finnish folk metal bands. Beginning with the creation of the world and universe until the greatest hero's depature at the end, it is overflowing story filled with fantastic images. While I was reading, I could almost hear the sound of kantele playing or faint smell of forge when the great artificat is created. The translation I believe is quite good and satisfactory. I recommend it to anyone who's interested in Finnish culture and mythology.
K**H
I didn't have to push myself through this.
I enjoyed this epic story of Finnish mythology. It was a musical, delightful collection of heroic stories that didn't overwhelm me. I could keep track of the characters and what they respresented quite easily. I was delighted by this book! I hope all Finnish children are exposed to the exciting yet fun depiction of their mythological heritage. I know that scholars want to read everything and disect the stories for deeper meanings -- which is just fine -- but I can really see this as a set of stories being told to small children while the whole family sat around the fireplace.
T**8
Beautiful translation of this edited collation of ancient mythic poetry in Finnish
I tried reading the Kalevala in several translations and was not interested until I found this version along with the audiobook by the translator. I am so impressed by the beauty of the translation in English. My interest grew out of genealogical study of my Finnish ancestry in the UP of Michigan.
M**0
great epics that needs more than a few words
brought up with arthur and the Iliad i cam late to finnish mythology but of this great poem i say it stands alongside nay other literature a stirring story and beautiful song this is a fine modern translation and although the story drags a bit on cantos 27-29 for my liking over all a fantastic tale that puts its imitator tolkien in the shade
A**L
Excelente
Me encantó el libro, se ve que es de calidad. El contenido, excepcional. Me gustó que hasta la parte de atrás han puesto un apartado sobre la influencia del Kalevala en la obra de Sibelius.
S**N
A thoroughly enjoyable read
I enjoyed the lyrical prose style of writing, and didn't find it too hard to follow the story - one sometimes worries that the language in stories of more ancient provenance will affect the readability, but The Kalevala suffers from none of this. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in mythology and northern cultures.
W**A
Amazing book
The book is amazing and shows how fascinating Finnish culture and folklore is!
M**.
noita brought me to this
not going to lie. bought this after playing the pc game noita which has a lot of it's lore based on this story. the poem structure was a little weird at first but still a fun thing to scan through
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