Eino Leino
Encyclopedia
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. He is beloved and widely read in Finland today.
and was the seventh and youngest son in a family of ten children. Leino's father had transferred his surname from Mustonen to Lönnbohm to advance in his career.
Leino published his first poem at 12 and, by age 18, a collection of poems as well, Maaliskuun lauluja.
After the Finnish Civil War
, Leino's idealistic faith for national unity collapsed, and his influence as a journalist and polemicist weakened. He was granted a State writer's pension in 1918 at the age of forty. Although publishing prolifically, he had financial problems and his health deteriorated. "Life is always a struggle with eternal forces," Leino said in a letter in 1925 to his friend Bertel Gripenberg.
Leino published over 70 books of poems and stories. The most famous of these are the two poem collections Helkavirsiä (1903 and 1916), in which he extensively uses Finnish mythology
and folklore. In addition, Leino was the first person in Finland to translate Dante
's Divine Comedy into Finnish.
Leino was married three times and had one daughter, Helka. He died in 1926 at the age of 47.
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...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
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
Kalevala
The Kalevala is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology.It is regarded as the national epic of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature...
and folk songs. Nature, love, and despair are frequent themes in Leino's work. He is beloved and widely read in Finland today.
Early life
Eino Leino was born as Armas Einar Leopold Lönnbohm in PaltamoPaltamo
Paltamo is a municipality of Finland.It is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is. There are two built-up areas in the municipality: Kontiomäki and Paltamo...
and was the seventh and youngest son in a family of ten children. Leino's father had transferred his surname from Mustonen to Lönnbohm to advance in his career.
Leino published his first poem at 12 and, by age 18, a collection of poems as well, Maaliskuun lauluja.
Writing career
Early in his career Eino Leino was much loved and praised by the critics. He joined literary and newspaper circles and became a member of the Young Finnish circle. Among Leino's friends were the artist Pekka Halonen and Otto Manninen, who gained fame as a poet and translator.After the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
, Leino's idealistic faith for national unity collapsed, and his influence as a journalist and polemicist weakened. He was granted a State writer's pension in 1918 at the age of forty. Although publishing prolifically, he had financial problems and his health deteriorated. "Life is always a struggle with eternal forces," Leino said in a letter in 1925 to his friend Bertel Gripenberg.
Leino published over 70 books of poems and stories. The most famous of these are the two poem collections Helkavirsiä (1903 and 1916), in which he extensively uses Finnish mythology
Finnish mythology
Finnish mythology is the mythology that went with Finnish paganism which was practised by the Finnish people prior to Christianisation. It has many features shared with fellow Finnic Estonian mythology and its non-Finnic neighbours, the Balts and the Scandinavians...
and folklore. In addition, Leino was the first person in Finland to translate Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
's Divine Comedy into Finnish.
Leino was married three times and had one daughter, Helka. He died in 1926 at the age of 47.