Kalevala Mythology (Folklore Studies in Translation)

5 stars for the content, 2 stars for the printing quality.The new paperback sold by Amazon appears to be print on demand by photocopy. The images are grayed out( see photos) and the map is entirely unreadable. The text is also not crystal clear, although it is readable. Bizarrely, this book has no copyright page, so I can’t tell if it is print on demand or not.As far as content goes, this is an academic book on the folklore of Finland and the history of the Kalevala. It is not written at a popular level, although it is perfectly readable by non-academics comfortable reading academic-grade nonfiction ( and who have already read the Kalevala!)I recommend the book, although I strongly recommend finding a used first edition instead.

For anyone studying the Kalevala, this is a helpful guide. It traces how this national myth was composed and collected. This work outlines the people who were the sources of the "rune songs" of which the Kalevala is composed, and the objections to the order of composition.The Kalevala can be as illogical as many national myths, but as in any work studied in comparisons of myth and religion, it serves as a valuable resource in untangling themes.This is not a work of world religion. It is on the history and collection of the Finnish national myth.

This book is for a person that has some background or knowledge in folklore or mythological studies. The author often refers to other sources with minimal explanation. He bases his dissection of the epic poem upon comparative studies of myth and folktales. However, he does an extensive explanation of how the epic was "created" in the 19th century by Lonnrot out of runes sung by Karelian rune singers. An interesting read none the less.

Home roots.

Good read

is not the Kalevala a study of it

It's been 11 years since I read this book, so forgive me if I'm vague; someone's gotta write these reviews, though.Kalevala Mythology is a multifaceted work that looks both at Elias Lonnrot's compilation of mainly Karelian folk songs and stories, both in its final form and in the Old Kalevala, and at the shamanic tradition from which the stories first sprang forth.The chapters on the compilation and revision of the published Kalevala serve as a brief overview of Lonnrot's biography and reveal the political motives that helped drive the 19th Century interest in Finnish ethnography. Consideration is given to the singers who were Lonnrot's sources and of how the work evolved from Lonnrot's notes to the Old Kalevala to the final form of the epic. This leads to an analysis of the songs, looking at the three main characters and what they can be thought to represent along with inclusions such as the Kullervo story and Runo 50 concerning Marjatta and her son. This analysis then leads to an examination of the tribal Finnish culture that still existed after the introduction of Christianity to Finland, using parallels between Finnish and Sami and other Finnic cultures' shamanic traditions to add depth to the picture.All told this would be a boring book to most people. Chances are that if you've actually read Kalevala, though, you already have a vested interest in the origins of Finnish culture. I found that the book did much to help me understand Kalevala as a mirror of my ancestors' tradition, as a catalyst to the formation of the modern state of Finland, and as a source of the identity to Finns throughout the world today.

Great book for students of comparative mythology or Finnish culture.

This is a good book - well written. The Kalevala needs to be looked at in the wider context of north European myth, everything is connected. The Kalevala is a collection of folklore shaped into a national epic, so take that with a pinch of salt. What is rewarding are the many folk motifs which point a way back into prehistory, so this is a fascinating read!

I liked the seller efficiency. The book is rare and offered at reasonable price.

Juha Pentikainen bietet einen Umfassenden Blick zu allem, was mit dem Kalevala zu tun hat. Er behandelt Autor und Entstehungsgeschichte des Kalevala. Den Inhalt, Motive und Weltbild des Kalevala. Es geht um die Geschichte der Erforschung der Runenlieder, um Runensänger, Schamanismus etc.Was leider etwas zu kurz kommt, ist der moderne Wissensstand zur Vorchristlichen Religion der Finnen. Es werden fast nur der Forschungsstand zu Lönnrots Zeit wiedergegeben.Die psychologischen Deutungen zu den Liedern muss man nicht unbedingt teilen und einige Wanderwege, die der Autor für bestimmte Motive vorschlägt, erscheinen mir recht abenteuerlich.Kritisch muss ich aber anmerken, dass zumindest mein Exemplar des Buchen (entgegen den "Blick ins Buch") weder ein Editorial noch ein Inhaltsverzeichnis hat!