Aino Kallas
Encyclopedia
Aino Krohn Kallas was a prominent Finnish
- Estonia
n author. Her novella
s are considered to be among the finest pieces of Finnish literature. Kallas is also known for her love affair with the legendary poet Eino Leino
.
Kallas was the daughter of Julius Krohn
, a nationally known Finnish scientist and fennoman
, and the sister of Kaarle Krohn
. Her father was also one of the first people to publish poetry written in Finnish language
. In 1900, Kallas married Oskar Kallas
(b. 1868), an Estonia
n scholar, doctor of folklore
and later diplomat
. The couple lived in Saint Petersburg
and had five children. In 1904, they moved to Tartu
, Estonia
. Kallas became interested in the history and culture of her new homeland and she joined Noor-Eesti, a sociocultural society which campaigned for the independence of Estonia. Although she continued writing in Finnish, she often wrote about Estonian subjects. She lived in London
from 1922 to 1934, while her husband was Estonia's ambassador to the United Kingdom
.
She published her diaries for the period 1897-1931 in the 1950s.
A recurring theme in Kallas's novellas is what she termed "the slaying Eros", a love that often leads to death, especially prominent in her trilogy of Sudenmorsian (The Wolf's Bride), Reigin Pappi (The Pastor of Reigi), and Barbara von Tisenhusen. The language of her most famous story, Sudenmorsian, a werewolf
story set in 17th century Hiiumaa
is rich with archaic, Romantic, colorful prose, something of a Kallas trademark. A collection of her short stories was published in English under the title "The White Ship", with a foreword by John Galsworthy
in 1924.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
- Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n author. Her novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
s are considered to be among the finest pieces of Finnish literature. Kallas is also known for her love affair with the legendary poet Eino Leino
Eino Leino
Eino Leino was a Finnish poet and journalist and is considered one of the pioneers of Finnish poetry. His poems combine modern and Finnish folk elements. The style of much of his work is like the Kalevala and folk songs. Nature, love, and despair are frequent themes in Leino's work...
.
Kallas was the daughter of Julius Krohn
Julius Krohn
Julius Leopold Fredrik Krohn was a Finnish folk poetry researcher, a professor of Finnish literature, a poet, a hymn writer, a translator and a journalist. He was born in Viipuri. Krohn worked as a lecturer on Finnish language in Helsinki University from the year 1875 and as a supernumerary ...
, a nationally known Finnish scientist and fennoman
Fennoman
The Fennomans were the most important political movement in the 19th century Grand Principality of Finland. They succeeded the fennophile interests of the 18th and early 19th century.-History:...
, and the sister of Kaarle Krohn
Kaarle Krohn
Kaarle Krohn was a Finnish folklorist, professor and developer of the geographic-historic method of folklore research. He was born in Helsinki. He was the son of journalist and poet Julius Krohn, and his sister was Aino Kallas, a Finnish author. Krohn is best known outside of Finland for his...
. Her father was also one of the first people to publish poetry written in Finnish language
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
. In 1900, Kallas married Oskar Kallas
Oskar Kallas
Oskar Kallas was an Estonian diplomat, linguist and folklorist. He was the husband of the Finnish writer Aino Kallas.-Education:...
(b. 1868), an Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n scholar, doctor of folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
and later diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. The couple lived in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and had five children. In 1904, they moved to Tartu
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. Kallas became interested in the history and culture of her new homeland and she joined Noor-Eesti, a sociocultural society which campaigned for the independence of Estonia. Although she continued writing in Finnish, she often wrote about Estonian subjects. She lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
from 1922 to 1934, while her husband was Estonia's ambassador to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
She published her diaries for the period 1897-1931 in the 1950s.
A recurring theme in Kallas's novellas is what she termed "the slaying Eros", a love that often leads to death, especially prominent in her trilogy of Sudenmorsian (The Wolf's Bride), Reigin Pappi (The Pastor of Reigi), and Barbara von Tisenhusen. The language of her most famous story, Sudenmorsian, a werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
story set in 17th century Hiiumaa
Hiiumaa
Hiiumaa is the second largest island belonging to Estonia. It is located in the Baltic Sea, north of the island of Saaremaa, a part of the West Estonian archipelago. Its largest town is Kärdla.-Name:...
is rich with archaic, Romantic, colorful prose, something of a Kallas trademark. A collection of her short stories was published in English under the title "The White Ship", with a foreword by John Galsworthy
John Galsworthy
John Galsworthy OM was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include The Forsyte Saga and its sequels, A Modern Comedy and End of the Chapter...
in 1924.
External links
- Aino Kallas (in English, with translated excerpts)