Kalevala
Also known as: The Kalevala, New Kalevala, Kalevala: The Epic of the Finnish People, Kalevala (1849)
A national epic compiled from Finnish-Karelian oral songs, the Kalevala follows the sage Väinämöinen, the smith Ilmarinen, the adventurer Lemminkäinen, and others through creation, quests, the forging and theft of the Sampo, tragedy, and a mythic passing of the age.
Description
Drawn from centuries of Karelian-Finnic runo singing, the Kalevala weaves mythic cosmogony with heroic cycles and domestic tales. Väinämöinen, a singer-mage born from the waters, contends and cooperates with the smith Ilmarinen and the rash Lemminkäinen against Louhi, mistress of the North. Central is the Sampo, a mysterious, world-sustaining device forged by Ilmarinen and contested in raids that reshape cosmic fortune. The poem ranges from ritual origins (iron, fire, bear) to personal tragedy in the Kullervo cycle, and culminates in Marjatta’s sacred child and Väinämöinen’s departure, signaling a transformation of the old order. Lönnrot’s 1849 redaction arranges diverse runos into an epic arc while preserving kalevalaic meter and formulaic diction.
Historiography
Lönnrot’s field expeditions (1828–1845) in Karelia and Finland gathered runo texts that he edited into the Old Kalevala (1835) and the expanded New Kalevala (1849). The 50-runo structure is editorial, unifying variant songs into narrative sequences. Major translations (Kirby 1907; Bosley 1989; Friberg 1988) shaped international reception. Scholars debate the Sampo’s nature (cosmic mill vs. prosperity totem) and the degree of Christian overlay, especially in the Marjatta episode.
Date Notes
Compiled by Lönnrot from Karelian-Finnic runo songs; first edition 1835, extensively revised and expanded to 50 runos in 1849.
Symbols
Major Characters
- Väinämöinen
- Ilmarinen
- Lemminkäinen
- Louhi
- Kullervo
- Aino
Myths
- Creation from the Cosmic Egg
- Väinämöinen’s Songs and Quests
- Forging of the Sampo
- The Theft of the Sampo
- Lemminkäinen’s Death and Resurrection
- Ilmarinen’s Wooing of the Maiden of Pohjola
- Kullervo’s Tragedy
Facts
- The New Kalevala (1849) contains 50 runos and approximately 22,795 lines of kalevalaic meter.
- Elias Lönnrot based the epic on oral poems chiefly collected in Karelia and eastern Finland.
- The Sampo’s exact nature is debated; it is often interpreted as a cosmic mill or prosperity talisman.
- Kullervo’s tragic cycle influenced J. R. R. Tolkien’s Túrin Turambar legend.
- Väinämöinen’s power derives from incantation (runo singing) rather than brute force.
- Louhi, mistress of Pohjola, is a central antagonist who commands magic and withholds cosmic goods.
- Ilmarinen is a culture-hero smith who forges the Sampo and a golden, artificial bride.
- Lemminkäinen’s death and resurrection parallel motifs of dismemberment and reassembly.
- The final runo introduces Marjatta’s miraculous child, after which Väinämöinen departs by boat.
- The poem preserves numerous origin charms (iron, beer, fire) embedded within the narrative.
- Major authoritative English translations include William F. Kirby (1907) and Keith Bosley (1989).