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Le Kalevala: Épopée des Finnois
Le 25 février 1835, quand Elias Lönnrot fait paraître Le Kalevala ou les Vieilles Chansons caréliennes du peuple finnois d'antan, il hisse le peuple finnois à hauteur de l'humanité tout entière : la somme poétique qu'il a récoltée auprès des bardes en Carélie du Nord et de l'Est, cette moisson de chants n'a guère d'équivalent dans l'héritage universel.
Dans ce poème psalmodié se mêlent les voix du tragique, du lyrique et du magique. Le Kalevala contribue à enrichir notre patrimoine par l'incroyable profusion de ses récits, la beauté de ses chants, la richesse de ses tableaux et les gerbes de mots où se découvrent l'origine et le génie humains.
Issu de poèmes et chants oraux authentiques, Le Kalevala fut d'abord présenté comme une reconstruction, celle d'une hypothétique épopée engloutie. On sait aujourd'hui que c'est en fait le grenier, désormais ordonné, de milliers de vers, poèmes, chants et ballades qui furent collectés au XIXe siècle dans les villages des terres finnoises.
Qu'a-t-on sauvé de l'oubli? Des bribes ou l'essentiel? Cet oubli était-il inéluctable, ou bien est-il venu avec l'écriture et l'irruption du monde moderne parmi ceux et celles qui en faisaient le chant de leurs semaines?
Ils ont disparu, les chants sont figés et fixés. Les hommes chantaient jadis, en communion avec l'univers. Leurs chants sont ici, magnifiques vecteurs poétiques du savoir et du plaisir.
Dans ce poème psalmodié se mêlent les voix du tragique, du lyrique et du magique. Le Kalevala contribue à enrichir notre patrimoine par l'incroyable profusion de ses récits, la beauté de ses chants, la richesse de ses tableaux et les gerbes de mots où se découvrent l'origine et le génie humains.
Issu de poèmes et chants oraux authentiques, Le Kalevala fut d'abord présenté comme une reconstruction, celle d'une hypothétique épopée engloutie. On sait aujourd'hui que c'est en fait le grenier, désormais ordonné, de milliers de vers, poèmes, chants et ballades qui furent collectés au XIXe siècle dans les villages des terres finnoises.
Qu'a-t-on sauvé de l'oubli? Des bribes ou l'essentiel? Cet oubli était-il inéluctable, ou bien est-il venu avec l'écriture et l'irruption du monde moderne parmi ceux et celles qui en faisaient le chant de leurs semaines?
Ils ont disparu, les chants sont figés et fixés. Les hommes chantaient jadis, en communion avec l'univers. Leurs chants sont ici, magnifiques vecteurs poétiques du savoir et du plaisir.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
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About the author
Elias Lönnrot
93 books70 followersElias Lönnrot was a Finnish philologist and collector of traditional Finnish oral poetry. He is best known for composing the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic compiled from national folklore.
Lönnrot was born in Sammatti, in the province of Uusimaa in Finland. He studied medicine at the Academy of Turku. To his misfortune the year he joined was the year of the Great Fire of Turku, burning down half the town – and the University. Lönnrot (and many of the rest of the University) moved to Helsinki, where he graduated in 1832.
He got a job as district doctor of Kajaani in Northern Finland during a time of famine in the district. The famine had prompted the previous doctor to resign, making it possible for a very young doctor to get such a position. Several consecutive years of crop failure resulted in enormous losses of population and livestock; Lönnrot wrote letters to the State departments, asking for food, not medicines. He was the sole doctor for the 4,000 or so people of his district, at a time where doctors were rare and very expensive, and where people did not buy medicines from equally rare and expensive pharmacies, but rather trusted to their village healers and locally available remedies.
His true passion lay in his native Finnish language. He began writing about the early Finnish language in 1827 and began collecting folk tales from the rural people about that time.
Lönnrot went on extended leaves of absence from his doctor's office; he toured the countryside of Finland, Sapmi (Lapland), and nearby portions of Russian Karelia to support his collecting efforts. This led to a series of books: Kantele, 1829–1831 (the kantele is a Finnish traditional instrument); Kalevala, 1835–1836 (possibly Land of Heroes; better known as the "old" Kalevala); Kanteletar, 1840 (the Kantele Maiden); Sananlaskuja, 1842 (Proverbs); an expanded second edition of Kalevala, 1849 (the "new" Kalevala); and Finsk-Svenskt lexikon, 1866–1880 (Finnish-Swedish Dictionary).
Lönnrot was recognised for his part in preserving Finland's oral traditions by appointment to the Chair of Finnish Literature at the University of Helsinki. He died on March 19, 1884 in Sammatti, in the province of Uusimaa.
Lönnrot was born in Sammatti, in the province of Uusimaa in Finland. He studied medicine at the Academy of Turku. To his misfortune the year he joined was the year of the Great Fire of Turku, burning down half the town – and the University. Lönnrot (and many of the rest of the University) moved to Helsinki, where he graduated in 1832.
He got a job as district doctor of Kajaani in Northern Finland during a time of famine in the district. The famine had prompted the previous doctor to resign, making it possible for a very young doctor to get such a position. Several consecutive years of crop failure resulted in enormous losses of population and livestock; Lönnrot wrote letters to the State departments, asking for food, not medicines. He was the sole doctor for the 4,000 or so people of his district, at a time where doctors were rare and very expensive, and where people did not buy medicines from equally rare and expensive pharmacies, but rather trusted to their village healers and locally available remedies.
His true passion lay in his native Finnish language. He began writing about the early Finnish language in 1827 and began collecting folk tales from the rural people about that time.
Lönnrot went on extended leaves of absence from his doctor's office; he toured the countryside of Finland, Sapmi (Lapland), and nearby portions of Russian Karelia to support his collecting efforts. This led to a series of books: Kantele, 1829–1831 (the kantele is a Finnish traditional instrument); Kalevala, 1835–1836 (possibly Land of Heroes; better known as the "old" Kalevala); Kanteletar, 1840 (the Kantele Maiden); Sananlaskuja, 1842 (Proverbs); an expanded second edition of Kalevala, 1849 (the "new" Kalevala); and Finsk-Svenskt lexikon, 1866–1880 (Finnish-Swedish Dictionary).
Lönnrot was recognised for his part in preserving Finland's oral traditions by appointment to the Chair of Finnish Literature at the University of Helsinki. He died on March 19, 1884 in Sammatti, in the province of Uusimaa.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 7, 2011
Read this for the Mythgard Institute Tolkien and Epic class. I wanted to read the translation Tolkien originally read. it's a good one though a bit stilted. I am now comparing to the more modern translation for the class.
July 14, 2022
Like the first Alien movie, the Kalevala is the story of a bunch of silly men who never listen to women. Then they have the audacity to blame.... a woman for their actions.
I'm on team Lady of Pohjola. She helps Väinamoinen throughout the whole epic and what does he do? Be a pest and a terrible guest. Then she gives her daughter in marriage to Ilmarinen only to have her die. The Lady of Pohjola throws an epic party for her daughter's wedding. Invites almost everyone. And what do these ingrates do? Steal the Sampo?! Cause utter chaos and whine to Daddy Ukko to help them.
The Kalavala should be called, "Reasons Why Men Are Dumb."
I'm on team Lady of Pohjola. She helps Väinamoinen throughout the whole epic and what does he do? Be a pest and a terrible guest. Then she gives her daughter in marriage to Ilmarinen only to have her die. The Lady of Pohjola throws an epic party for her daughter's wedding. Invites almost everyone. And what do these ingrates do? Steal the Sampo?! Cause utter chaos and whine to Daddy Ukko to help them.
The Kalavala should be called, "Reasons Why Men Are Dumb."
November 8, 2022
Well it does have echoes of other sagas of oral origin I’ve read - like Homer. It takes getting used to, and I’m sure the somewhat archaic old translation add an extra layer (with pluses and minuses).
But it has lot of great bits, and the inspiration the names clearly gave Tolkien is a nice side to look out for.
I’ll admit the fact this set in Finland and maybe parts of Estonia, is a bonus for me, give my family heritage from neighbouring Latvia (indeed just a few kilometres from the Estonian border)
But it has lot of great bits, and the inspiration the names clearly gave Tolkien is a nice side to look out for.
I’ll admit the fact this set in Finland and maybe parts of Estonia, is a bonus for me, give my family heritage from neighbouring Latvia (indeed just a few kilometres from the Estonian border)
April 2, 2022
Not as exciting as the first volume but still very interesting.
July 29, 2015
Seconda parte dell’epica finnica.
La prima mi aveva deluso parecchio, in questo secondo volume invece abbiamo più azione e non ci sono momenti francamente noiosi come tutta la parte finale dell’altro libro, con i consigli sulla birra e sul comportamento della moglie.
Il libro si apre con Lemminkainen che si risente per non essere stato invitato al banchetto a Phojola, e così prende, raggiunge quella lontana terra, si presenta con arroganza al signore di Phojola scatenando una rissa che porta avanti sfidandolo a duello e decapitandolo.
Ovviamente la vedova reagisce indicendo una guerra contro di lui, che furbamente scappa a casa e imitando le gesta di suo padre prima di lui si nasconde su un lontano isolotto, dove con grande gioia scopre che vivono solo donne visto che gli uomini sono in guerra. E tutti sono contenti, finché gli uomini non tornano a casa e Lemminkainen fugge di nuovo per evitare il linciaggio.
Trova la casa distrutta e rasa al suolo, ma sua madre si è in qualche modo salvata quindi dopo aver provato un’improbabile guerra contro chi giustamente lo aveva attaccato lascia perdere e se ne resta a riposo.
Ritroviamo poi i due protagonisti del primo libro, il grande bardo Vainamonen, signore assoluto di quelle terre (dove il canto è magia) e il fabbro divino Ilmarinen, forgiatore dei cieli e del Sampo, e marito della vergine di Phojola.
La moglie di Ilmarinen però la vediamo poco: arriva un nuovo servo incapace e con una storiaccia alle spalle, e lei pensa bene di mandarlo a pascolare le mandrie preparandogli per pranzo un panino ripieno di pietre. Lui si vendica facendola divorare da lupi e orsi, ovviamente.
C’è da dire che oltre a essere una morte stupidissima, l’intera scena è resa a mio avviso molto, molto meglio nelle canzoni degli Amorphis. Così come accade per la creazione da parte di Ilmarinen di una nuova moglie d’oro e d’argento (per la quale viene deriso da Vainamonen).
In seguito a questa morte, e al rifiuto da parte della signora di Phojola di dargli un’altra figlia in sposa, i tre eroi si riuniscono per riprendersi il Sampo a suo tempo forgiato da Ilmarinen, portarlo a casa e così far prosperare la propria terra. Abbiamo la guerra non guerra in cui l’intera Phojola è messa a dormire da Vainamonen grazie al suo kantele magico, abbiamo le stregonerie di Phojola (una volta svegliati dai canti di Lemminkainen) che causano la distruzione del Sampo, abbiamo il rapimento della luna e del sole, la loro nuova creazione, la liberazione con l’ultima guerra contro Phojola.
Non ci sono in realtà grandi guerre, solitamente le sfide sono di magia cantata o immaginazione (un po’ come la sfida di magie nel film La spada nella roccia) o al massimo un duello.
Meglio del primo libro, per quanto mi riguarda, ma non mi sono scoperto un grande appassionato di questa epica finnica.
La prima mi aveva deluso parecchio, in questo secondo volume invece abbiamo più azione e non ci sono momenti francamente noiosi come tutta la parte finale dell’altro libro, con i consigli sulla birra e sul comportamento della moglie.
Il libro si apre con Lemminkainen che si risente per non essere stato invitato al banchetto a Phojola, e così prende, raggiunge quella lontana terra, si presenta con arroganza al signore di Phojola scatenando una rissa che porta avanti sfidandolo a duello e decapitandolo.
Ovviamente la vedova reagisce indicendo una guerra contro di lui, che furbamente scappa a casa e imitando le gesta di suo padre prima di lui si nasconde su un lontano isolotto, dove con grande gioia scopre che vivono solo donne visto che gli uomini sono in guerra. E tutti sono contenti, finché gli uomini non tornano a casa e Lemminkainen fugge di nuovo per evitare il linciaggio.
Trova la casa distrutta e rasa al suolo, ma sua madre si è in qualche modo salvata quindi dopo aver provato un’improbabile guerra contro chi giustamente lo aveva attaccato lascia perdere e se ne resta a riposo.
Ritroviamo poi i due protagonisti del primo libro, il grande bardo Vainamonen, signore assoluto di quelle terre (dove il canto è magia) e il fabbro divino Ilmarinen, forgiatore dei cieli e del Sampo, e marito della vergine di Phojola.
La moglie di Ilmarinen però la vediamo poco: arriva un nuovo servo incapace e con una storiaccia alle spalle, e lei pensa bene di mandarlo a pascolare le mandrie preparandogli per pranzo un panino ripieno di pietre. Lui si vendica facendola divorare da lupi e orsi, ovviamente.
C’è da dire che oltre a essere una morte stupidissima, l’intera scena è resa a mio avviso molto, molto meglio nelle canzoni degli Amorphis. Così come accade per la creazione da parte di Ilmarinen di una nuova moglie d’oro e d’argento (per la quale viene deriso da Vainamonen).
In seguito a questa morte, e al rifiuto da parte della signora di Phojola di dargli un’altra figlia in sposa, i tre eroi si riuniscono per riprendersi il Sampo a suo tempo forgiato da Ilmarinen, portarlo a casa e così far prosperare la propria terra. Abbiamo la guerra non guerra in cui l’intera Phojola è messa a dormire da Vainamonen grazie al suo kantele magico, abbiamo le stregonerie di Phojola (una volta svegliati dai canti di Lemminkainen) che causano la distruzione del Sampo, abbiamo il rapimento della luna e del sole, la loro nuova creazione, la liberazione con l’ultima guerra contro Phojola.
Non ci sono in realtà grandi guerre, solitamente le sfide sono di magia cantata o immaginazione (un po’ come la sfida di magie nel film La spada nella roccia) o al massimo un duello.
Meglio del primo libro, per quanto mi riguarda, ma non mi sono scoperto un grande appassionato di questa epica finnica.
January 16, 2011
Really enjoyed this book I read the first (Crawford) English translation and to be honest was unsure what to expect,I had heard about the work and it's importance in Finnish culture,the Section 'the origins of the Iron' had been used by battle metallers Turisas in this translation so again I had some though little awareness.
What I found was an eventive work ,the early creation myth itself was interesting with the yolk of a egg begeting the sun and the white the moon but it is the further tales mainly surrounding three mythical heroes of stature that drive the work.
the book is full of parables and origins and it's little suprise that Tolkien had some knowledge of it as the mythology does have parallels with some of his works.
Midway through my interest waned due to the repitition(A tool to keep it's folk lore status and continue the telling of the tale over the ages) but despite this I felt the book picked up and the final half is packed with quests and deeds of a warrior.
An enjoyable book therefore and one I will retain on my Kindle(I got it off the Project Gutenburg site)as I suspect further readings will be forthcoming and enable the story maybe to flow a little more as it can get confusing in parts but I suspect familiarity with the glossary helps
What I found was an eventive work ,the early creation myth itself was interesting with the yolk of a egg begeting the sun and the white the moon but it is the further tales mainly surrounding three mythical heroes of stature that drive the work.
the book is full of parables and origins and it's little suprise that Tolkien had some knowledge of it as the mythology does have parallels with some of his works.
Midway through my interest waned due to the repitition(A tool to keep it's folk lore status and continue the telling of the tale over the ages) but despite this I felt the book picked up and the final half is packed with quests and deeds of a warrior.
An enjoyable book therefore and one I will retain on my Kindle(I got it off the Project Gutenburg site)as I suspect further readings will be forthcoming and enable the story maybe to flow a little more as it can get confusing in parts but I suspect familiarity with the glossary helps
May 28, 2013
I didn't find it as interesting as Part I, maybe because I already knew the primary characters. Also, most of the events in this volume were about the Mistress of Pohja seeking revenge on Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen because Ilmarinen's wife was killed (who was the Mistress of Pohja's daughter). Almost every chapter (after the initial couple of chapters), each was about a different scenario.
The last chapter was an obvious re-working for the birth of Jesus story, complete with a virgin woman named Marjatta whom gave birth to a baby boy (after becoming pregnant from eating a cranberry) in a stable.
Either way, it was a pretty good read, but I do prefer volume 1.
The last chapter was an obvious re-working for the birth of Jesus story, complete with a virgin woman named Marjatta whom gave birth to a baby boy (after becoming pregnant from eating a cranberry) in a stable.
Either way, it was a pretty good read, but I do prefer volume 1.
August 14, 2008
It´s slow reading. But epic poetry is one of my favorite genres. Not amazing battles or fightings, but the creation of the world and the culture of the finnish people. (I´m reading the spanish version).
August 20, 2012
The stories are fascinating, translation clunky. Wound up reading the summaries at the beginning of each chapter and then skimming the text itself.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews