Finnish Women Writers at the Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries

And Their Impact on Modern Finnish Literature

Taina Kotti, ENGA14 Spring 2013 (US)
ENGA14 Finnish Institutions Research Paper (Hopkins)
English Translation and Interpreting (ETI) Curriculum
School of Language, Translation and Literary Studies, University of Tampere

The paper discusses the impact of Finlands first Finnish-language women writers and their
impact on modern Finnish literature and Finnish women writers. The paper will discuss Finnish
literary history from the early 19th century up to todays women writers.
Finlands growing will for independence from Russia is the starting point of the literary
discussion in this paper. In the years preceding the turn of the centuries Finland was
undergoing many changes and there was a strong need for its own cultural heritage. Many
artists were inspired by the struggle against Russia. The Finnish golden age of arts, from 1880
to 1910, overlaps with the time period of this paper.
The papers focus will be on two woman writers, Minna Canth and L. Onerva, whose works
have been important to both Finnish-language literature and the attitude towards woman writers
in Finland. Finlands will for independence from Russia was growing towards the end of the
19th century and the Finnish intelligentsia was battling over Finlands official language.
However, Finlands women writers were striving to become as respectable writers as men. In
addition to pursuing the profession of a writer, both Canth and Onerva chose to write about
topics that at that time were seen as taboo in Finnish society. The modern women writer
commentary will focus on Anja Snellman and Sofi Oksanen, who can be seen as the followers
of the pioneering womens tradition.
What kind of works did Minna Canth and L. Onerva write to change the traditional views of
women? Are these changes still visible in modern literature written by Finnish women?
From the Mid-Nineteenth Century to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century:
A Brief Look at Finland's Cultural History
Finland had been a part of Sweden from the middle-ages to the year 1809. The Finnish War
fought between Sweden and Russia from 1808 to 1809 had resulted in Finland becoming an
autonomous part of Russia in 1809. For historical reasons the majority of Finland remained
Swedish-speaking and culturally close to its former motherland. Swedish remained as the
official language of Finland even after 1809. The academic and official dialogue was carried out
in Swedish; Russian culture and language were not forced on autonomous Finland until the first
period of Russification from 1899 to 1905.
In 1866 a unified schooling system had been founded in Finland. Before that, school was only
for the boys of wealthy families. The school law of 1866 promised education for all in their own
mother tongue. However, the implementing of the school system was slow; it took up to the turn
of the centuries to become efficient. This had a hindering effect on Finnish-language literature.
The slow implementing of the schooling system and its language education created a problem.
The Swedish-speaking intelligentsia was craving literature original to the nation, but there were
no writers able to write in Finnish. Because there was no existing literature in Finland, the
language was without norms; even the Swedish-speaking audience in Finland was not sure of
its capability to become a language of literature (Koskimies 7).
The Finnish alphabet and writing system had been formed already in the 16th century by Mikael
Agricola (c. 1510-1557), but was primarily used only in religious texts until the 19th century. In
the 19th century Finnish was spoken only in the rural areas and was largely considered to be a
coarse language of peasants (Rapola 75-80).

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Literature in the Nineteenth Century

The question of the language of a new national literature divided the Finnish intelligentsia. The
majority of the cultural elite had a strong Swedish-speaking background, and in the early 19th
century there was no writers bold enough to write in Finnish, which was largely criticized for
being too crude a language. Elias Lnnrot (1802-1882) had published Kalevala in 1849, but it
was not an original Finnish-language novel. The only Finnish-language works that existed in the
early 19th century were religious. Mikael Agricola coined the vocabulary specifically to the
needs of the church and it lacked the vocabulary for commonplace objects and concepts.
Despite the marginalized status of the Finnish language, the need for a national literature and
the Finnish-language education in schools improved the status of Finnish, which slowly began
its ascent to become a literary language and an accepted language in the cultural circles.
Consequently, towards the end of 19th century the intelligentsia in Finland began to question
the lack of original Finnish arts. The call was answered mostly by composers and painters, but
by some writers too. The Finnish golden age of arts lasted from 1880 to 1910. The artists of the
golden age include men like Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865-1931), Eino Leino (1878-1926) and
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957). Even today, the works of the artists of the Finnish arts golden-age
are essential to the discussion of Finnish nationality and independence (Laitinen 11-12).
Literary works from that time period are scarcer, both Finnish-language and Swedish-language.
In the early half of the 19th century writers Johan Ludwig Runeberg (1804-1877) and Zacharias
Topelius (1818-1898) had written historical novels in Swedish, but after them there was no one
to assume the role of a national writer in Finland. Elias Lnnrot collected Finnish oral folk
tradition into a work which became the national epic of Finland, Kalevala. Kalevala had been
published already in 1849, although many of its songs had been published even before that.
The artists of the golden age used the imagery of Kalevala in their works. Gallen-Kallelas most
famous works are illustrations from Kalevala, for example the works Lemminkinens Mother
and The Defense of the Sampo. Although Kalevala had an indisputably important role in the
development of the sense of Finnish nationality, it was not a piece of original Finnish-language
literature in the sense that Lnnrot had collected oral folklore instead of creating something of
his own (Laitinen 11-12).
Aleksis Kivis (1834-1872) Seven Brothers was published in 1870, and is seen as Finlands first
Finnish-language novel. There had been some novels written in Finnish before that,1 but Kivis
novels gained more interest among the intelligentsia of the time period and thus earned the title
of the first Finnish-language novel. It can be claimed that Finnish-language art literature was
created along with Kivis Seven Brothers (Laitinen 16).
Woman writers in Finland were active as well. Although Kivi had published Finlands first
Finnish-language novel it was Fredrika Wilhelmina Carstens (1808-1888) who wrote Finlands
first novel. Her novel Poison Ivy was published in 1848 and received primarily negative
criticism. According to the literary critic Fabian Collan2 in the Helsinki Swedish-language
newspaper Helsingfors Morgonblad the novel was a mere sketch. He wrote: Dearest reader,
here we have the first domestic try in the journey for a novel.3 In the article he calls Carstens
novel a sketch, a try-out version of a proper novel, which shames the literary circles of
Finland. He also said Carstens characters were unrealistic and her style more suitable for
women's gossip (Inhemsk 3). Finland's first novel did not receive high or even supportive
feedback from the critics. The intelligentsia was hungry for Finnish original literature but was not
ready to accept it from a woman writer. In addition, they had ideals based on European
literature which was moving towards realism and naturalism and those artistic movements were
colliding with the domestic writers style.
In addition to Carstens, there were other Swedish-language woman writers in the 19th century,
too. Runebergs wife Fredrika Runeberg (1807-1879) was also publishing historical novels in
the mid-19th century but was shadowed by her husbands work (Hatavara 89).

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Nineteenth Century Thoughts on Women Who Wrote

In Mari Hatavaras research (90) it is explained that in the 19th century women writers were
seen as a threat to the traditional role of women and home. Writing was considered to be a
manly occupation; a calling which would make the women trying it less womanly. The
dichotomy between men and women and the roles imposed on them was clear. Men were
suitable for writing, because they could think and form logical ideas. Women were prone to
think with their hearts rather than minds and therefore were unable to create literature that
would be considered art.
There was also a fear that society would crumble if women began to practice the same
professions as men, even if at the same time the critics were stating that women were more
skilled in depicting emotions than men. Men were seen as serious writers who wrote sensible
language, while woman writers were ruining the field of literature with their senseless love
stories (Hatavara 69-79).
The subjectivity of topics that women writers began to use in their works was a consequence of
the popularity of the realistic literary movement from Europe. In Finnish literary criticism, it was
considered to be typical for women to depict events of everyday life and relationships, a literary
notion not likely to form its own artistic movement. The movement of depicting realistically self
and self-consciousness was thought to be rooted in the feminity in women (Hatavara 91).
In addition, Hatavara (96) says that women writers were more likely to receive unappreciative
criticism from critics, the majority of whom were men. During the 19th century it was common in
other countries as well to think that women writers lessened the artistic and national value of
literature. Women writers received negative feedback more often than not, because of the
prevailing assumption that women could not write. Often literature written by women was not
included to the concept of art.
Hatavara (97) states that literature written by women was tolerated to the point where it did not
threaten literature written by men and the male-dominated view of the world. It was seen as
dangerous for women to cross the boundaries set to womanhood and diverge from the topics of
home and family.
Minna Canth and L. Onerva: Breaking Away From the Traditional Roles of Women
In the 19th century the roles of women did not offer many options. Socially the only correct
option for a woman was to study something light (in agrarian families even this was not an
option), then marry a respectable man and raise respectable children. Once a young woman
met the man she was to marry she was not supposed to continue her studies but to release
herself from them and dedicate herself to being a good wife and a mother.
Finnish woman writers of the 19th century, like Carstens and Runeberg, had already been
writing about women and families without much criticism in their narrative voices. Carstens
Poison Ivy discussed the importance of a husband and marriage, but did not question or
criticize the prevailing thoughts (Grnstrand 39). The realistic movement was gaining popularity
in Europe and Russian writers like Leo Tolstoy and Feodor Dostoevsky had been writing
realistic and even naturalistic novels in the 19th century.
The realistic movement together with social awareness birthed women writers who wanted to
write in Finnish. They also wanted to write about topics that were held taboo in the society and
thus considered dangerous areas for women writers to explore. Womanhood, home and family
life were considered taboo in the 19th century. However these were the topics Minna Canth
(1844-1897) and L. Onerva (1882-1972) were interested in depicting. They were pioneering
woman writers, who both wrote in Finnish and managed to open the narrow role of woman to
discussion. Although Canths career was almost over when Onerva was still an aspiring writer,
their boldest works were published only 12 years apart.

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Minna Canth had a working class background, and many of its general aspects are mirrored in
her work. Her personal life was typical to the time. She was studying to be a teacher, but cut
her studies short when she was proposed to by J. F Canth. They had seven children, but she
was left to take care of them all by herself when her husband passed away after a long
sickness. She struggled to make ends meet publishing her plays. She worked at her fathers
cotton shop and wrote her plays in the evenings. Many of her plays are influenced by the
struggles she herself experienced as a widow and a single provider for her children. Her
marriage to J.F Canth had been happy, at least reflected to the time and the definitions of
marriage. There was no romance, but their life was good and the husband was a trustworthy
companion. When Canth wrote about women suffering in unhappy marriages, she was not
directly using her own experiences (Koskimies 29-30).
Canth wrote about workers wives, their big families, womens chores and possibilities in life.
Her work focused on a womans every-day routines and the roles she must take on to survive.
She also questioned the traditional role of a man as a familys head and often depicted male
characters as weak-minded drunkards and womanizers. She is best known for her plays, but
she also wrote novels and poems. In Finnish literary history, Canth is seen as the first
playwright writing in Finnish after Aleksis Kivi. In the same time it has been deduced that her
work was shadowed by great writers of the early 19th century. Runebergs legacy stayed so
strong in the minds of Finnish intelligentsia that new writers had difficulties in proving their worth
(Kuusi 255).
Canth received both positive and negative criticism from her work. She recounted her own
experiences of the criticism she received from her play Children of misfortune (1888) in a letter
written in 1891: I had now suffered the humiliation of being ousted from the Finnish stage; my
literary efforts scarcely seemed worthy of encouragement in any quarter; and I was left to
ponder on the strange phenomena of human life all alone. I no longer had but loyal friends left
(Heikkil 150). The criticism women writers received was sometimes very harsh, which can be
seen in Canths own experience where she questions her own talent and choices.
L. Onerva (born Hilja Onerva Lehtinen) wrote mostly poems, but also translated French poetry
and wrote novels and short fiction. She was raised by her father after her mother was admitted to
a mental hospital when Onerva was still a child. Soon after that her father sent her to school in the
capital, where she grew up independent. She started to study aesthetics and French literature at
the University of Helsinki in 1902. Onerva married forester Vin Streng in 1905. The marriage
was short-lived and ended in a divorce in 1908. The great love in Onervas life was a poet of the
Finnish golden age, Eino Leino. They were lovers and later close friends until Leino passed away
in 1926. Through Leino, Onerva met composer Leevi Madetoja, whom she married in 1918. The
artistic couple shared a passionate mind for work and also for alcohol, a combination which led
Onerva to a psychiatric hospital. She had no children (Kortelainen 10-194).
Onerva criticized traditional family values and the assumed role of the women in her first novel
Mirdja (1908). Her works mirrored her ideals of the role of the modern women, who were able
to provide for themselves, or to make their own decisions, either in life or love. The decadent
and bohemian lifestyle, which was gaining popularity in the European intelligentsia, influenced
her personal life and writing as well. In the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries Europe was more
open to new ideas, and Onerva was tired of the close-mindedness of the Finnish social
atmosphere. She frequented Paris often and spent time in different German towns and some of
those experiences can also be seen in her work (Koskimies 439).
Canth's Anna-Liisa
Anna-Liisa is Minna Canths last major drama from 1895. It was published only two years
before Canths death. Her play was accused of stealing its content from Leo Tolstoys The
Power of Darkness. This rumor shadowed her play even after Greta von Frenckell-Thesleff
published research reversing such claims (Koskimies 67). Anna-Liisa is a young girl living in

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rural Finland who becomes infatuated with her fathers farmhand, Mikko. She becomes
pregnant and keeps the child a secret from everybody but Mikko and Mikkos mother. Mikko
and his mother are gypsies, which makes their social status in the play very poor. Anna-Liisa
tries to keep the secret to herself, but when she is unable to bear the guilt no longer she
commits infanticide.
The young girl struggled to continue her life as if nothing happened while her father set up a
marriage with a respectable young man, Johannes. Anna-Liisa agrees to marry him, but before
the wedding she confesses to the parish what she has done. She is imprisoned, while there are
no ramifications for farmhand Mikkos actions. The main character is morally absolved when
she confesses and suffers the consequences, but is still left to carry the guilt all by herself.
Canths play comments on the social norms set on men and women in Finnish society. The
juxtaposition is set via two young characters with different backgrounds. One is a young girl
whose father owns land and has employees; the other is a young vagrant man who works on
different farms and also has a family background which is not favorable. Both characters
commit deeds that are judged wrong in the society, but only one of them is reprimanded.
Against the setting the more likely resolution would be that the vagrant farmhand would be
punished. However, In Canths play the result is the opposite; the young girl with her
respectable background is punished. Canth criticizes the attitudes towards women in society
and how the culture favors men over women.
Onerva's Mirdja
L. Onerva published her first novel Mirdja in 1908. The book is a depiction of a young woman
opposite the traditional ideals imposed on a woman. The main character of the novel is not tied
to the social restraints of the 19th century. She has a social life which is more typical to the men
of the time period than women. Mirdja visits restaurants and cafes and engages in
conversations with both men and women. She does not take a chaperone with her, as the
times custom was. Mirdja acts like a modern woman, which means she can approach men and
engage in a friendly conversation without a thought of marriage in the back of her mind. The
novels style of writing is mostly stream of consciousness, and the plot is not the main aspect of
the work. Onerva has depicted the inner thoughts of a modern feminine character who
contemplates the different aspects of life and womanhood.
In Onervas work the main characters femininity is depicted differently from the traditional way.
Mirdja is a feminine character with male traits, an androgenic. She is not a motherly madonnalike character with a built-in willingness to have children (Parente-apkova 222).
Onerva was interested in a decadent depiction of human nature, which was not expected from
a woman writer. Women were supposed to write light stories of love and home life, not explore
deeply into human nature and suggest a modern and disruptive lifestyle for women. Onervas
work opened up a conversation about traditional womans roles and how it would be useless
(from a womans perspective) to take up a new role before the society was ready to accept the
wider view of womans role and sexuality.
Contemporary Reactions to Anna-Liisa and Mirdja
When Anna-Liisa was published in 1895 Minna Canth had written numerous plays and novels,
whereas Mirdja was L. Onervas first novel. Minna Canth was among the first women to write in
Finnish instead of Swedish and Onerva was among the first Finnish women to write poetry in
Finnish (Laitinen 16, Koskimies 439-440). The same time almost all of the criticism they
received in the newspapers was still written in Swedish, which reveals the fact that most of the
critics were Swedish-speaking by their background and their Finnish was not perhaps so
strong. In the digital newspaper archives of the Finnish National Library Anna-Liisas reviews
from 1895 are primarily in Swedish. Even Mirdja, which was published in 1908, received almost
all of its reviews in Swedish.

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Canth's Anna-Liisa received negative criticism for its violent content. A Swedish-language
newspaper, Tammerfors, wrote that the violence pictured in the play did not have a motive and
thus seemed inapt (W.T. 2). It could be argued that the reason for criticizing Anna-Liisas
violence is the gender of the playwright. Since womens writing was expected to be the
depiction of romantic relationships and children the content of Anna-Liisa came as a surprise to
the audience. Similarly it would seem that the critics were ready to judge the work by only one
of its aspects rather than exploring the general theme and ideas conveyed by it.
Despite the criticism directed at women writers, Onerva received a national literature award for
Mirdja, although there was a heated discussion over the topic of the book's non-conservative
and modern depiction of woman. A Finnish-language newspaper, Otava, wrote about the
dispute and questioned the board members' judgment on Mirdja. However, it is difficult to say
what the real opinions about the book were, since the article only disputes it being lewd (an
assertion that had been advanced at the time). The Otava newspaper wrote about Onerva's
book being a young woman's confused account of her love life, which was not offensive in any
way. The article was clearly of the opinion that Onerva's writing was not very serious and that
her book was overly dramatized (Suurin 2).
The above examples were typical criticism given on the literature written by Finnish women.
Women writers were seen as a group whose literary achievements could never be as good as
those of men. Naturally men were criticized as well, but the criticism towards womens work
was not based on the whole of the book, as in Canths case where Anna-Liisas violence
overshadowed all the other elements of the play. Women were seen as their best in the only
genre offered to them, in romantic novels, which meant they could at their best write funny
stories about women and families, but otherwise their talents would not be sufficient to write
serious and valued literature. Novels written by women were often called sketches and
attempts. By labeling women's literature thusly, the field of real arts was not threatened by the
lesser sex (Hatavara 80).
Simultaneously, a certain type of masculinity was welcomed in the ideal characterization of
women. This idea had roots in the nationalistic movement that was gaining popularity in
independence-hungry Finland. Women were allowed to be courageous and show their
resilience when met by hardships in life. In Canths play Workers Wife from 1885, the main
character, Johanna, was seen as heroic because she worked hard and did not complain about
her incapable husband. She showed courage by not criticizing her husband, which was not a
womans right. However, when a womans traits clearly approached manly characteristics they
were not seen as being suitable for women any longer. In Johannas case the reason for
absolving her manly traits was her child, for whom she was trying to provide. Onervas Mirdja is
in a sense a similar character to Johanna in that she is independent and provides for herself,
but because she does not have the motherly motif her manly behavior is only destructive.
Without the motherly traits the woman was dangerous and destructive to herself and to society
(Parente-apkova 219).
The Legacy of Canth and Onerva to Modern Women Writers of Finland
It could be argued that Minna Canth had already opened the way for Onerva. Towards the end
of the 19th century women writers began to be interested in the two problematic sides in
womens lives, their personal views and their social status. In Suomen kirjallisuushistoria IV
(Koskimies 71) it is claimed that Canth gave other women writers a shaky start for the
questioning of a womans role in the society, but managed to show its artistic capabilities.
In Finland, literature has always been the forum in which to discuss social inequalities and the
taboos and problematic areas of society. Although the social and cultural atmosphere is
different and more open now than the one at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the
discussion is as important. Finnish women writers since Minna Canth and L. Onerva have

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addressed the status of women in society. Modern Finnish women writers have also addressed
this theme, continuing the pioneering work Canth and Onerva began.
Naturally, it cannot be argued that all modern Finnish woman writers are continuing the same
literary path and in the same thematic field as Minna Canth and L. Onerva, but a certain lineage
of themes can be seen that modern women writers use which rise from the tradition started by
woman writers at the turn at the 19th and 20th centuries. Anja Snellman (1954-) and Sofi
Oksanen (1977-) are two modern woman writers who have addressed the themes of womans
identity and the right to act upon her own instincts instead of those assumed by the culture.
Anja Snellman wrote her first novel Sonja O. kvi tll in 1981, and it has become her most
known work. The novel is an account of young woman who explores her sexuality with different
partners and as a result has to have an abortion. She is also committed to a mental hospital
while she is searching for her identity. The language in the novel is racy, open and fast-paced,
and Snellman brings up feminist themes.
The theme in Sonja O. kvi tll is very similar to Onervas Mirdja, but the plot is updated to
the 20th century. It could be said that Snellmans main character plays the same role as Mirdja
does in Onervas novel, but takes each step a little further. The young women characters
identify with each other thematically. Both are socially and sexually open characters who are
searching for their identity and their place in this world as women, who do not want to settle for
the stereotypes offered to them. Mirdjas closing scene depicts a delirious main character
searching for her imaginary child in a misty swamp, which can be compared to the abortion in
Snellmans novel.
Similarly, Sofi Oksanen has voiced strong opinions about society and woman's role in her
works. She has written about the woman's role from a more modern view, including the topics
of human trafficking and prostitution. Both of those topics are such that the general Finnish
audience has not thought such issues would occur here in Finland but someplace else. The
same can be said for the topics Minna Canth wrote about. If women were not allowed to voice
their thoughts on, for example, violent husbands, the problem did not exist in public discussion.
Oksanen has written about sexual minorities and mental problems in her novel Baby Jane
(2005). In Baby Jane Oksanens focuses the narrative on a lesbian couple who both suffer from
mental health issues. The novel is a comment on the attitudes towards sexual minorities and
the mental patients treatment in Finland. In the novel the characters are alone with their
problems and cannot find an instituion that would help and most importantly understand them.
Although the topic varies from what woman writers in the turn of the centuries chose, the
comment stays the same. Oksanen is questioning the roles imposed on women and asking for
support from society. In Canths Anna-Liisa the young girl is left alone with her problems; her
only resolution is to be punished. In Baby Jane the atmosphere is similar in a sense that mental
illness is not a self-inflicted problem, but the society fails to give support and understanding;
both of the characters in Oksanens novel become social hermits when they cannot face society
any longer. Similarly to Anna-Liisa the only solution to the problem is punishment.
Both Snellman and Oksanen are highly vocal modern women writers whose background can be
linked with early Finnish women writers. Their social commentary has just shifted to different
areas; whereas Canth and Onerva questioned the traditional role of women and their right to
choose their professions and husbands, modern writers comment on freedom of sexuality and
problems such as mental illness that are still missing from public discussion.
Snellman and Oksanen are both interested in womans bodies and the symbolism they carry as
a literary theme. The theme of a womans body can be seen as similar to the individualism and
mindset of a woman which Canth and Onerva were interested in depicting. The focus of the
modern woman writer has instead moved from inside to outside (Ahokas 9).

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New Authors Continue and Adapt the Nineteenth Century Themes

Minna Canth and L. Onerva were pioneers in the field of Finnish literature at the turn of the 19th
and 20th centuries. Their impact can still be seen today, as the vast discussion over a womans
role, her rights, her identity and her body is still embedded in the Finnish woman writers novels.
It can be said that Canth and Onerva began the discussion because they were first to raise
such questions of womanhood in Finnish literature.
In todays Finnish culture and society it can easily be claimed that everything is open for
discussion, but novelists such as Snellman and Oksanen have shown that there are still taboos
in the culture that need addressing. The new area for literary exploration is the theme of a
womans control over her own body, which modern Finnish women writers have begun to
address in contemporary literature.
The journey from mind to body has taken many women writers efforts to question inequalities
in Finnish society. However, in the process Finland has received many novels with strong social
commentary. The literature has opened up for public discussion many topics which were
previously considered taboo, which is what the best literature always achieves.
Notes
1

Juhana Cajanus (1655-1681) and Kallio (1803-1852) had been writing the with early Finnish
alphabet (Laitinen 16).
The writer of the article is not mentioned in the newspaper, but Mari Hatavara refers to him
as the author of the article as she writes about the same article (Hatavara 80).
Hr, vrdaste lsare, hafva vi det frsta inhemska frsk i roman-vg (HM 11.1.1841)

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Followup Report
My paper discussed the importance of Finnish women writers at the turn of the 19th and 20th
centuries. The discussion was carried out through two female writers, whose importance to the
development of modern Finnish literature was evaluated. The women in question were Minna
Canth and L. Onerva. Research questions focused on what kind of works Canth and Onerva
wrote to change the traditional depiction of women and whether those changes are still visible
in Finnish literature.
The answer was a combination of aspects; the paper begun with an explanation of the cultural
situation in Finland in the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and there was a discussion of
women's role in the field of literature. The second part focused on the two writers and their
works. I tried to find examples of their plays and novels which would best describe the topics
they wanted to raise into focus. Lastly, the paper discussed two modern Finnish female writers
who could be said to be following in the footsteps of Canth and Onerva.
If written again, the essay would need a better focus. In its current form, the essay could be
expanded almost everywhere. There is of course a limitation of length for the paper, but I would
also see that the essay would benefit from broader author introductions. There are many
Finnish female writers who could be mentioned in this essay, eg. Maria Jotuni, Aino Kallas and
Hella Wuolijoki, to mention only a few. In retrospect, this is a paper that would be at its best with
a very narrow focus. As I was writing mine and getting revision comments on expanding
subjects, I realized this paper only gets better by less overall information but more detail.
Another possibility would be simply write this essay about one of the women writers I chose
(eg. Minna Canth A Model for Future Finnish Women Writers).
My paper only mentions the Finnish golden age of arts in the end of the 19th century, but I feel I
could also have written my paper on the time period and its importance to Finnish cultural
heritage and identity. The golden age of arts and its artists, who later became the most known
Finnish artists, are such an important part of Finnish history and identity that it would definitely
be worth writing about. Again, the paper could focus on only one of the artists and his work. I
could imagine that Akseli Gallen-Kallela's painting The Defense of Sampo would be one of
those works. Although the painting's theme comes from Finnish national epic Kalevala, the
symbolism in the painting creates a clear link to the independence process of Finland. In the
painting, a winged witch Louhi attacks a boat on which Sampo, the magical artifact, is been
carried. Louhi's character can also be seen as a metaphor for Russia's national emblem, an
eagle. All in all, I think this painting and all the symbolism around it would be a great theme for
an essay. It is hard to imagine anything less important to Finnish institutions course.
To compare the topic I chose for the paper, I would have to be more acquainted with AngloAmerican literature and women writers. However, the comparison to English writer Virginia
Woolf would probably offer some equivalent points, as my understanding is that she also spoke

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of woman's right to choose her own role. Although in Finland's case, I believe the comparison is
not on the same level, because the Finnish nation is so much younger than Anglo-American.
However, Irish history, the struggle for independence in the 1920s and the language-division,
could be a possible cultural area, where similar authors could be found. I am even less
acquainted with Irish cultural history and am therefore unable to name any similar women
authors.
For translator's point of view the paper offers cultural understanding of the development of the
Finnish literature and how women authors were perceived in the field. There might be
references to some of the issues around woman writer in Finnish literature that are more
understandable from the basis of this paper. It is especially important for a translator to be able
to read also in between the lines and for example understand that Finnish women were under
their husbands' custody in the 19th century and were unable to make any actual decisions.
Minna Canth for example refers to the custody in her play Workers Wife, but it can be difficult to
understand without the knowledge of it.
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