Elias Lönnrot, Kalevala

Jyrki Korpua (University of Oulu)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1835 - 1836

Places

Finland (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Epic

Resources

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The

Kalevala

(1835/1849) is considered to be Finland’s national epic. It has been translated into more than 60 languages, and it has had a considerable influence on post-19th century Western literature and culture. Many English and American fantasy writers such as J. R. R. Tolkien and L. Sprague de Camp drew on it as a major source of inspiration. The

Kalevala

is one of the major works of literature to reactivate old Nordic pagan myths for contemporary audiences.

The Kalevala is the central milestone of Finnish literature and a late 19th century addition to a grand list of “national epics”. Finnish physician and folklorist Elias Lönnrot (1802‒1884) compiled, edited, and remodeled the Kalevala from folk poetry that he collected in his notebooks during his fieldtrips among poetry

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3208 words

Citation: Korpua, Jyrki. "Kalevala". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 June 2016 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=23237, accessed 19 April 2024.]

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