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The Kalevala

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The Kalevala is one of the greatest (and yet largely unknown) epic poems of all times. Although relatively young when compared to the works of Homer and so forth, this Finnish epic draws deep into Finland's Shamanic heritage and is indeed based off these old myths and legends. It concerns the adventures of Vainamoinen the wise Shaman, his companion Ilmarinen the smith and the bold, young Lemminkainen. Those who have studied Shamanism will already see a Shamanic aspect in the association between Vainamoien and Ilmarinen, for in many cultures smiths and Shamans are linked together. There are many more Shamanic archetypes and beliefs found throughout this book, such as a bear sacrifice which is startlingly similar to that observed amongst the Ainu and Lapps of recent times. This book, perhaps the only real direct source of Finnish mythology and religion, explores an oft neglected culture. After all, any school child can tell you of the myths of the Greeks, Romans or Germanic peoples, yet the mythology and heroes of Finland have remained largely unknown. A real pity as this epic is filled with deciet, trechery and heroism which easily could stand beside the works of Homer, Virgil or Valmiki. This translation, perhaps the best available, both for the price and in terms of being generally accessable, is certainly worth owning. Whether you are interested in mythology, history, anthropology, Finland or just like a good story, there is bound to be something in this book which appeals to you.

Elias Lonnrot's noble achievement, "The Kalevala," sings myriad Finnish tales to a reader's heart and mind.

The formidable epic poem weaves music, magic, and lusty suprahuman heroes traditional to Finland, and derives from Lonnrot's artistic assembly of oral poetry.

In reading this classic, one careers through a unique culture and mythology on horse-drawn sledges and hand-crafted vessels, meeting such fantastical figures as the ever-wiseman -- and ever-bachelor -- Vainamoinen and the brawny mistress of Northland, Louhi.

Comprising fifty cantos, "The Kalevala" requires unfettered time, discerning ear, and adventurous spirit to complete. Tongue-tickling alliteration and intraline rhymes help speed the journey. And anyone who has read and enjoyed Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Song of Hiawatha" will appreciate Lonnrot's compilation, as Longfellow modeled his work in part on "The Kalevala."

Perhaps the farfetched feats and unlikely events intrinsic to this mythological mosaic seem irrelevant to modern materialism and daily grind, but heeding the beck of such diversion will supply one not only with practical wisdom but also with the virtue of its purpose: pleasure, poetry, and historical preservation.

This sister to the Norse Sagas is the masterwork of Finnish mythology.

In it we follow the three main heroes - the elderly Vainamoinen, wise in everything except love; his brother Ilmarinen, the presumably middle-aged master smith; and Lemminkainen, the reckless young lothario who causes his wife and mother endless headaches but who we like enough anyway that we worry about him when he gets into trouble.

In some ways, it's a product of it's time. This was written in a time when women had no say in who they married; they had no recourse if their husbands were abusive; and they were virtually their mother-in-law's slaves until their younger brother-in-laws or sons got married and they weren't the low women on the totem pole anymore. Althoug Aino's story offers a message about this system, it's pretty much accepted. This is what life was really like at the time these stories were sung.

In other ways, though, it's surprisingly modern. Although the results usually aren't so serious, we've almost all been taken down a peg by an elder like Joukahainen at some point in our lives when we've needed it. I would imagine that many widowers - and widows, for that matter - can relate to Ilmarinen's sense of loss when he loses his wife.

And then there's Kullervo. He wins the all-time teen angst award hands down. It's fascinating how his cycle deals with a question psychologists have grappled with for centuries - are kids taught to be good, or are they just born good or bad? He's a danger to society, yes - but he may also never have had a chance. No matter what you feel about what he does, the scene where he wanders pitifully among his family asking if anyone would cry if he died until he gets what he needs to hear from his mother, can move you to tears. Just read the headlines about the latest school shooting. There really are kids almost this messed up out there.

Back in 1998, I went to a village near Oxford, UK to visit friends and watch the World Cup on the BBC. I drank a lot of beer and also bought THE KALEVALA in one of the big, old bookstores in town. I finally got around to reading it recently. I'd been put off for seven years, thinking it would be a daunting task that I nevertheless "ought to" undertake. No, not at all, this is a most readable translation with modern fillips, yet perhaps more faithful to the original than the super-romantic, Victorian longwindedness that I admit I expected.

As part of the world's treasure hoard of mythology, this ancient Finnish epic holds its own with any. It resembles others in that it explains the birth of the world, the creation of the ur-hero Vainamoinen, and the solution of many problems---finding fire, how to sow fields, how to raise crops, what are ecologically sound practices, the origin of beer, and how a bride should behave. The human characters are intimately tied to the natural world all around them: just as in mythology everywhere, animals, birds and trees speak, magical transformations occur on many a page, and the heroes escape defeat by magic more often than by violence. The number of themes that can be analyzed psychologically or probed for cultural `inner meanings" is great. For example, the third chapter presents youth's eternal confrontation with the older generation. Joukahainen, a youth, challenges old Vainamoinen, to a singing match. He loses and has to pay up in the form of his sister. The sister drowns herself rather than marry an old man., but she becomes a fish. Vainamoinen tries to catch the fish. His mother's spirit tells him to look for another---perhaps a very early version of the phrase "there are many fish in the sea" ! The young man decides to avenge his sister and shoot Vainamoinen with an arrow, but kills Vainamoinen's horse instead. The old hero falls into the sea and is swept away, but is saved by an eagle for whom he'd done a favor once. And so it goes.

Though THE KALEVALA runs to 666 pages, the number of characters is surprisingly small. The reader has no problems keeping track of the main actors. The repetitive style owes to the fact that this ancient epic was originally sung. Many stories are grouped in units of three---three things, three times, three answers, three days. I got into the swing of it at times, thinking "I read one day, I read two, and soon I read a third." Finnish epics don't have modern plots or character development. I think you read this because you are curious, because you enjoy the creativeness of the human imagination throughout time, because you are interested in mythology and beautiful, ancient things. You may enjoy, as I did, such things as the `complaint of a boat', a musical instrument made of fish bones, a bee flying over nine seas to bring back a rare ointment to save the hero [just like Hanuman in the Ramayana], hunting a Demon's elk, an expedition to steal a 'horn of plenty', and good sayings that lie like hidden gems amongst the pages: "Strange food goes down the wrong way." or "Seldom is a serf cherished, a daughter-in-law never." Another plus is that I was able to connect with Sibelius' music, I learned, for example, what the Swan of Tuonela is. In sum, while epics may not be everybody's cup of tea, this wonderful translation and lively cycle of stories can hold your interest on long winter nights. "A hundred tried to read it, but not one made it through." Definitely untrue in this case.

There's a lot less bloodletting in this epic than in many mythic-legendary works. But -- what a lot of frustration, inhospitality, and breakage! Boats jam, people lie, an heroic expedition to the North is a flop. You won't find any great romances here, but a number of maidens who would druther not leave home (especially undesirable if the prospective husband is a "nook-haunter" -- an old man). A suitor might perform all the tasks the girl's mother demands, and after doing the impossible, he doesn't get to marry her even so. Heroes arrive in a village to be sent on from one house to the next in an unfriendly manner. A quest for fire leads to calamitous accidental conflagrations. Quests don't end in dazzling triumphs; the great quest-object for this epic ends up plopping into the sea and being broken. This is indeed the epic of the "luckless lands of the North."

Especially powerful are the cantos about that scary young punk Kullervo. Where else in traditional literature is there such a portrait of a kid born to make everyone miserable before he takes his own life?

It's not all dour stuff, to be sure. There are a number of passages in which the words practically writhe off the page as the lines describe tingling, squirming magical growing. There's some humor.

The work is suffused with an earthy quality. It's not ambrosia and nectar we have here, but fish to eat, home-brewed beer to drink, and plain bread -- sometimes bulked up with bark -- to chew. People wear wool, navigate fogs, get up early to light fires and milk the cows.

It was one of a select few works that C. S. Lewis cited, in his essay "On Science Fiction," as works that provide additions to life. Other things that made the list were Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, parts of the Odyssey and of Malory's Morte d'Arthur, Peake's Titus Groan, etc.

Interesting list!

This translation seemed to me quite readable.

It seems that almost every country in the world has its own epic tale that's been told for many centuries. In Greece, there's The Iliad & The Odyssey. In India, there's The Ramayana. In England, there's King Arthur. And finally, in Finland, there's The Kalevala. A majority of Earth's population have either heard of or read King Arthur, The Iliad, and The Odyssey. The Ramayana and The Kalevala have not been achieving the same fame the others have had for many years. There should never be any neglect for these classic works. The Kalevala, in particular, may not be as grand as The Odyssey, but the imaginative fantasy that comes with it is equally enthralling. The entire book is a compilation of Finnish mythology and Karelian folklore. Elias Lonnrot is the official "author," though these works are not his own.

In the Kalevala, there are mythic gods and creatures (the kind that you would find in other national epics). The central character is Vainamoinen, an old man who becomes a driving force for many of the stories that are featured here. Personally, I'm not sure if he's supposed to be either a god or a godlike being, but maybe I should look deeper into that. Many other characters like Joukahainen, Lemminkainen, Ahti, and Kullervo have adventures of their own. All of them have diverse themes, and many of the characters have different motives. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that a few of these chapters are not for the squeamish.

If you're expecting some extravagant prose in the Kalevala, you'll be surprised that the poetic writing is very straightforward, and never overly complex. There are only a few Shakespearean sentences here and there. If there ever is complicated writing that's located in this book, then the incomplete sentences in almost every stanza should be counted. There are many phrases that feel as if they should end with a period, but many of them go on to the next stanza without an actual period to stand in between them. This makes it a bit complicated when being read through, but overall, it doesn't detract from the fine fantasy that these tales convey.

As in influential part of Finnish Independence, The Kalevala is certainly something to look forward to. It moves along as an actual epic, and it gives an insight on Finnish mythology and folklore. One might be put off by its uncomplicated writing (though it may be the translator's fault), but as a whole, it should be as endearing as The Odyssey. I'm hoping that it'll gain worldwide recognition sometime in the future.

Grade: A+

There is an elegant, powerful simplicity to this epic tale, no matter what language you read it in. The symbols transcend both language and time. There is nothing contrived here. Such a tale could not be counterfeited by a modern mind.At the center of the entire epic is Vainamoinen, the singer at the world's dawn. Here is the archetype for the wizard- the first and greatest among shamans. Before Merlin, before Taliesin, before Math, before Manannan, there was Vainamoinen, Eternal Seer.Something real and vital carries over even in translation. Reading this book on a cold winter's night you can taste the sea and smell the forest. You can identify with the characters even though they have godlike powers, because they also have trades that they live by (Vainamoinen is a boatbuilder, Ilmarinen a smith, Joukahainen builds his own crossbows, etc.) These Godlike beings lived simple lives close to the earth. And simple wisdom is powerful wisdom. Yet, there is also so much more of the old, deep legends and symbols buried in these lines. You can tell that they were preserved long after the long lines of singers had ceased to know their original meanings.The ancient Finns believed in the power of words, and the greater power of songs. There is still power here. Or as the epic says:

Words shall not be hid

nor spells be buried;

might shall not sink underground

though the mighty go.

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.

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.

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.