Saw this earlier. I've never read the Kalevala, but if this bloke ever completes this translation, I would. Translating a poem (especially one from an old style of a completely different language), then getting it to scan and rhyme must be the Devil's own job. Hats off!
The chap who wrote down the Kalevala*, Elias Lönnrot, was born 9 April 1802. He was a bit of a Renaissance Man too. Medic, linguist, folklorist, botanist.
* I say wrote it down, rather than 'wrote it', because the stories were traditional ones he collected from folk around the Finland and Russian Karelia.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_Lönnrot
Post Script:
Alan pointed out that an episode of BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time covered Kalevala. A very interesting episode. Shout out too to David in Suffolk who also mentioned this episode in an e-Mail. Here’s the link to BBC Sounds:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001xm8t?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile
I was listening to an “ In our Time” episode about the Kalevala and its writer/collector the other day. It was most interesting and worth a listen. I bought a copy in my uni days but have only read bits over the years . I still have it. The chap in your link has done an amazing job, more power to his keyboard.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Someone else pointed that episode out to me yesterday. I’ll listen later.
DeleteThe book is a daunting beast. A woman at Finnish School is reading it in translation and she’s on page 1600 and still hasn’t finished. I have read this though.
https://www.amazon.com/Canine-Kalevala-Mauri-Kunnas/dp/9511124420
How cool is that? We read parts of the Kalevala within the context of early 19th century Romanticism in the Nordic countries as part of my Masterpieces of Scandinavian Literature course at university. I especially remember Professor Ingwersen's discussion of the magical dual between Joukahainen and Vainamoinen (sp?). Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteKind Regards,
Stokes
Now that sounds specialist. Did you do that course in US/UK Stokes or are/were you based in one of the Nordics?
DeleteThat dual between Joukahainen and Väinämöinen is mentioned in the In Our Time programme, they describe it jokingly as a ‘rap battle’ 😆
Chris/Nundanket.
Sounds cool and will try and listen to the 'In Uur Time' episode. Rather like the Welsh 'Mabinogian', translating it so it retains that wonderful lyricness of the language is a challenge, plus trying to make it 'easy' to read too. I've read old novels etc over the years and unless I can find the rythm of the author, I struggle to finish them to be honest.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree Steve. Never read the Mabinogion. Read Beowulf in translation (Seamus Heaney’s prose version, which to me does have a ‘poetic feel’ ). I struggle with anything in English pre-1700. 19th C seems worse than 18th ironically because it’s so flipping verbose.
DeleteChis