History Literature / TheKalevala

''The Kalevala'' (or "Land of Heroes") is an epic poem and book based on folk poetry collected by Elias Lönnrot. It is considered the national epic of UsefulNotes/{{Finland}}. Undeniably the most influential work of literature there, it's credited with initiating a national awakening that eventually led to Finland's independence and preserving the Finnish language. ''Literature/TheTalesOfEnsignStal'' is probably the only piece of Finnish literature that even comes close to the status of the Kalevala. It also inspired others, such as Creator/JRRTolkien, Creator/MichaelMoorcock and Creator/DonRosa, so it's no coincidence that the stories of [[Literature/TheSilmarillion Túrin Turambar]] and [[Literature/TheElricSaga Elric of Melniboné]] have many similarities to Kullervo.

-->"Then he turned the outside inside
-->And he turned the inside outside..."

See also the Estonian national epic, ''{{Literature/Kalevipoeg}}''.

* ArrangedMarriage: Joukahainen promises that Väinämöinen can marry his sister Aino. His mother is just happy for having a powerful sorcerer as a son-in-law. Aino doesn't take it as well and is DrivenToSuicide. Later, Louhi strongly suggests her daughter to marry Väinämöinen, but doesn't object when she chooses Ilmarinen instead. She is forced to chose, though.

''The Kalevala'' (or "Land of Heroes") is an epic poem and book based on folk poetry collected by Elias Lönnrot. It is considered the national epic of UsefulNotes/{{Finland}}. Undeniably the most influential work of literature there, it's credited with initiating a national awakening that eventually led to Finland's independence and preserving the Finnish language. ''Literature/TheTalesOfEnsignStal'' is probably the only piece of Finnish literature that even comes close to the status of the Kalevala. It also inspired others, such as Creator/JRRTolkien, Creator/MichaelMoorcock and Creator/DonRosa, so it's no coincidence that the stories of Kullervo and [[Literature/TheSilmarillion Túrin Turambar]] have many similarities.

''The Kalevala'', as composed by Elias Lönnrot, is a product of the [[OlderThanRadio 19th century (published 1849)]]. Lönnrot's source materials go back much farther; how much farther is not exactly known -- the first description of Finnish mythology is that by bishop Mikael Agricola in 1551. It is thought that many of the folk traditions that Lönnrot cast into the ''Kalevala'' are OlderThanPrint, though Lönnrot modified them to weld them into a single coherent narrative.

The ''Kalevala'' is, first and foremost, the story of heroes and adventurers in [[TheTimeOfMyths mythic Finland]], and the greatest of them all is Väinämöinen, the shaman hero born 700 years old to the Maiden of Air and gifted with a [[MagicMusic magic singing voice]]. There are great journeys, heroic deeds, [[IncestIsRelative tragic mix-ups]], evil witches, magic poetry and [[RiddleForTheAges something called a Sampo]]. But some of the best aspects are the delight in nature metaphors and the allusions to everyday Finnish life. The flair for natural beauty can delight even someone who doesn't take to the plot.

* IncestIsRelative: Kullervo and his sister. Also ''märkäkorva lappalainen'' (wet-behind-the-ears Lapp) who has humped, not only his mother and sister, also [[BestialityIsDepraved all the mares in his household]].

%%* EvilMatriarch: Louhi, the Mistress of Pohjola.

%%* GrimUpNorth: Pohjola, the Northland.

* FilkSong: Finnish melodic-metal band ''Amorphis'' write most of their songs/albums based on different parts of the ''Kalevala''. Probably to a lesser extent, but Finnish folk-metal bands ''Turisas'', and ''Ensiferum'' are also heavily influenced by the Kalevala. ''Ensiferum'' even named a track after the whole work.
** A complete (metal) list will probably get longer than the Kalevala itself, but still Music/{{Korpiklaani}} deserves a mention, due to use of archaic Finnish and alliteration:
-->"Veti miekan, riisti rauan,\\
tempo, tuisko, terävällä!\\
Väisi, viilti, veisti, voitti!\\
Maistoi mustaa mahtia."

* BodyToJewel: Tears into pearls.

* BrotherSisterIncest: [[spoiler: Kullervo and a sister he didn't know he had.]]
* TheBlacksmith: Seppo Ilmarinen.
* TheCasanova: Lemminkäinen, especially during his stay at the Island (Saari).

* EvilMatriarch: Louhi, the Mistress of Pohjola.

* GrimUpNorth: Pohjola, the Northland.
* HandsomeLech: Lemminkäinen.

* WizardsLiveLonger: Väinämöinen was born ''30 years old'', and that's just the beginning.

* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Kullervo.

* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Kullervo does this ''alot''. First he hexes a bunch of wolves and bears to tear apart Ilmarinen's wife after she torments her too much, and at the end of his story, he slaughters all of Untamo's clan for the crimes committed against his own. Also Louhi after Lemminkäinen killed her husband in duel forcing Lemminkäinen to hide in a remote island.

* RoaringRampageOfrevenge: Kullervo does this ''alot''. First he hexes a bunch of wolves and bears to tear apart Ilmarinen's wife after she torments her too much, and at the end of his story, he slaughters all of Untamo's clan for the crimes committed against his own. Also Louhi after Lemminkäinen killed her husband in duel forcing Lemminkäinen to hide in a remote island.

%%* BodyToJewel: Tears into pearls.

%%* BrotherSisterIncest: [[spoiler: Kullervo and a sister he didn't know he had.]]
%%* TheBlacksmith: Seppo Ilmarinen.
%%* TheCasanova: Lemminkäinen, especially during his stay at the Island (Saari).

%%* EvilMatriarch: Louhi, the Mistress of Pohjola.

%%* GrimUpNorth: Pohjola, the Northland.
%%* HandsomeLech: Lemminkäinen.

%%* WizardsLiveLonger: Väinämöinen was born ''30 years old'', and that's just the beginning.

%%* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Kullervo.

** A complete (metal) list will probably get longer than the Kalevala itself, but still Music/{{Korppiklaani}} deserves a mention, due to use of archaic Finnish and alliteration:

%%* CreationMyth: The world, iron and beer get their own.

%%* UltimateBlacksmith: Ilmarinen.

%%* WizardBeard: Väinämöinen.

* BerserkButton: Slave boy Kullervo's knife breaks on a stone which Ilmarinen's wife has baked into his bread. The knife being the only possession he still had from his family, he snaps and summons packs of bears and wolves from the forest, which tear the jerkass mistress to pieces.
%%* BestialityIsDepraved: Wet-behind-the-ears Lapp.

%%* BornIntoSlavery: Kullervo.

%%* ButtMonkey: Kullervo.

%%* DeathOfTheOldGods: The last ''canto'' of the epic, ''Marjatan poika''

%%* EngagementChallenge: Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen and Lemminkäinen all have to complete near-{{impossible task}}s in order to marry the Maiden of Pohjola, Louhi's daughter. Eventually, it's Ilmarinen to whom she takes a liking.

%%* EvilUncle: Untamo, Kullervo's uncle.
%%* FeudingFamilies: Kalervo and Untamo.

** A complete (metal) list will probably get longer than the Kalevala itself, but still Korppiklaani deserves a mention, due to use of archaic Finnish and alliteration:

%%* IdiotHero: Lemminkäinen isn't very bright. %% Zero Context example. Please provide context.

%%* IronWoobie: Kullervo.

%%* TooDumbToLive: Joukahainen.

%%* WizardDuel: Between mighty Väinämöinen and young HotBlooded Joukahainen. It's a CurbStompBattle.

%%* ActionGirl: Louhi (the Mistress of Pohjola). Qualifies also as RoaringRampageOfRevenge, as Lemminkäinen killed her husband, Master of Pohjola, in duel.
%%* AdaptationDistillation: Lönnrot did a lot of work to combine the numerous myths into one single story, including dropping out different interpretations of the characters and changing when certain events took place.

%%* AntiHero: Kullervo, to the point of almost crossing over to SociopathicHero.

%%* BackFromTheDead: Lemminkäinen is resurrected by his old mother.
%%* BearsAreBadNews: Ilmarinen's wife is killed by bears.

%%* CosmicEgg: Where the world came from.

%%* OmnicidalManiac: Kullervo.

[[folder:Mythology & Folklore]]

%%* RoaringRampageOfrevenge: Kullervo. Also Louhi after Lemminkäinen killed her husband in duel.

%%* SurpriseIncest: Kullervo and his long-lost sister.

* SwallowedWhole: Väinämöinen gets swallowed by giant Antero Vipunen.
%%* TalkingAnimal