The national Finnish literature of the 19th century was written in Swedish by J.L. Runeberg and Z.
Topelius and in Finnish by A. Kivi. The Finnish Kalevala, compiled by Elias Lonnrot, was
important for all these early writers. During the last decades of the century the realism turned into
New Romanticism, with strong national emphasis, also known from the music of Sibelius. The
new century shows early Swedish modernism (Edith Sodergran) and Finnish tradition of large
epics, represented later also by F. E. Sillanpaa, the only Finnish winner of the Nobel prize for
literature, and Vaino Linna, the chronicler of the Finnish soldier.
A selection of texts translated into English will be available and students are expected to read and
comment on these texts in their written papers and also orally in class. The literary history is
mainly presented by the instructor; there are, however, books and articles in English to be read
and used as background information for analysis.
Days and Time: Tuesday and Thursday, 1:00-2:15.