The national folk epic of Finland is here presented in an English translation that is both scholarly and eminently readable. To avoid the imprecision and metrical monotony of earlier verse translations, Francis Magoun has used prose, printed line for line as in the original so that repetitions, parallelisms, and variations are readily apparent. The lyrical passages and poetic images, the wry humor, the tall-tale extravagance, and the homely realism of the Kalevala come through with extraordinary effectiveness.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
Thanks to a...clear, accurate version by Francis Magoun, Kalevala is accessible to interested readers everywhere... The kaleidoscopic Kalevala opens with the creation of the world and the birth of the ancient hero, Vaeinaemoeinen, a being of supernatural origins. The work then turns to the relations between two communities: Kalevala ('Land of the Kaleva'-the poetic name for Finland), led by Vaeinaemoeinen, and Pohjola ('Land of the North'), ruled by Louhi, and old woman who can change into an avenging dragon... This...version, expertly...translated by Francis Magoun and recently issued by Harvard University Press, is probably the best translation readily available in English today. -- Donald V. Mehus and Thomas J. Martin * Western Viking * Into the shifting of tone from lyrically tragic poems to those about warfare, from wedding lays to sheer horseplay, Magoun has infused the unmistakable speech rhythm and diction of our own language... The Kalevala is a monumental work. -- John Godfrey * Christian Science Monitor * The original sense [of the Kalevala] breaks through in a refreshing new way... The philologist and folklorist will welcome the new precision of thought and expression. For English students of Kalevala...this is an indispensable book... Dr. Magoun's re-appraisal of this museum piece from Finland brushes off some of the dust and helps us to see anew something of its originality and distinction. -- W. R. Mead * Folklore * This authoritative new translation of the Kalevala, together with the materials the volume contains relating the poetic style of the Finnish songs to the style of other orally composed poetry, is especially significant to students of European folklore... Both Professor Magoun and the Harvard University Press have placed many generations of folklorists in their debt. -- Robert Kellogg * Journal of American Folklore * What distinguishes this work from other Kalevala translations is the fact that Professor Magoun presents a prose translation of the national folk epic of Finland, a translation which is accurate and scholarly in every detail... The translator makes his translation agree line for line with the original; the result is that this translation makes readily apparent the parallelisms, the poetic images, and the wry humor as well as the homely realism of the Finnish original. * The Scandinavian-American Bulletin *
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Für Beruf und Forschung
Produkt-Hinweis
Broschur/Paperback
Klebebindung
Illustrationen
Maße
Höhe: 231 mm
Breite: 151 mm
Dicke: 29 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-674-50010-5 (9780674500105)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Translator's Foreword The Kalevala Poem 1. Lonnrot's prologue; the creation of the world and the birth of Vainamoinen 2. Vainamoinen's sowing of the primeval wilderness; a sower's charm 3. Vainamoinen's defeat of Joukahainen in a contest of wisdom; the pledging of Aino; maxims 4. Vainamoinen's ill-fated wooing of Aino; Aino's drowning 5. Vainamoinen's unsuccessful fishing for Aino; his mother's advice to woo the maiden of North Farm 6. Joukahainen fells Vainamoinen's horse 7. Vainamoinen and Louhi of North Farm; his promise of a Sampo 8. Vainamoinen and the maiden of North Farm; his wounded knee 9. The origin of iron; blood-stanching charms; the healing of Vainamoinen 's knee 10. Ilmarinen forges the Sampo 11. The marriage of Lemminkainen and Kyllikki of the Island 12. Lemminkainen bewitches North Farm; protective charms 13. Lemminkainen woos the maiden of North Farm; he fails to catch the Demon's elk, assigned as a qualifying task 14. Huntsmen's charms; a ransom charm; Lemminkainen captures the Demon's elk and bridles the Demon's gelding; while going to shoot the swan of Death's Domain he is shot dead by Soppy Hat 15. At home blood on his brush reveals Lemminkainen 's death; his mother finds and reassembles the pieces of his body and restores him to life; vein, bee, and cowbane charms 16. Vainamoinen's boat-building and his visit to Death's Domain 17. Vainamoinen exacts charms from tortured Antero Vipunen; banishment charms and charms against disease and misadventure 18. Vainamoinen and Ilmarinen sue for the maiden of North Farm 19. The maiden of North Farm accepts Ilmarinen; IImarinen's three qualifying tasks; a snake charm, a huntsman's charm 20. The slaughtering of the big Karelian steer; preparations for the wedding feast at North Farm; the origin of beer 21. The wedding feast at North Farm; wedding lays 22. Wedding lay: Tormenting and consoling a bride 23. Wedding lays: The government of a bride; The lay of an abused daughter-in-law 24. Wedding lays: The government of a groom; Lay of a bride's going away; Ilmarinen and the maiden of North Farm set out for home 25. At home Ilmarinen and his bride are ceremoniously received 26. Lemminkainen intrudes upon the wedding at North Farm; snake charms; the origin of snakes 27. The duel at North Farm 28. Lemminkainen's hasty return from North Farm 29. Lemminkainen's self-exile on an island 30. Lemminkainen's and Snowfoot's wild goose chase and the big freeze; charms against Jack Frost and wizards 31. The feud between Untamo and Kalervo; Kullervo's unfortunate upbringing; an antifertility charm 32. Kullervo as a herdsman; cattle, milk, and bear charms 33. The death of Ilmarinen's lady 34. Kullervo's homecoming 3. The unhappy meeting of Kullervo and his sister 36. Kullervo's revenge on Untamo; his suicide 37. Ilmarinen's gold and silver bride 38. Ilmarinen's new bride from North Farm; a report on the Sampo 39. The expedition of Vainamoinen, Ilmarinen, and Lemminkainen to North Farm to steal the Sampo 40. Vainamoinen's pikebone harp; rapids charms 41. Vainamoinen plays the pikebone harp 42. The theft of the Sampo from North Farm 43. The sea and air battle for the Sampo; the lucky preservation in the Kaleva District of some fragments of the Sampo; a soldier's protective charm 44. Vainamoinen 's new birchwood harp 45. Magically induced diseases in the Kaleva District; the origin of pestilences; charms against pain 46. The slaying of the bear at North Farm and the great feast in the Kaleva District; a bear-hunter's charm; the origin of bears 47. The mistress of North Farm steals the sun and the moon; the disappearance of Ukko's fire 48. The difficult recovery of Ukko's fire; a fisherman's charm; a charm against burns 49. Ilmarinen's silver sun and golden moon; Vainamoinen's duel at North Farm; the mistress of North Farm releases the true sun and moon; divining charms 50. The virgin Marjatta's immaculate conception; her son is designated King of Karelia; Vainamoinen 's discomfiture and flight; Lonnrot's epilogue Appendices I. Materials For The Study of The Kalevala A. "Elias Lonnrot," by Aarne A. Anttila B. "The Kalevala," by Vaino W. Salminen and Viljo Tarkiainen C. Concordances: Old and New Kalevala D. Lonnrot 's Prefaces to the Kalevala E. Henrik Gabriel Porthan on Ceremonial Peasant Singing II. Translator's Appendix A. On the Translation of Certain Words B. Glossary of Proper Names C. Reference List of Finnish Names D. List of Charms, in Order of Occurrence F. Corrigenda
