XIX a. pabaigos – XX a. pradžios suomių ir lenkų-lietuvių kultūriniai bei literatūriniai ryšiai

Abstract

The beginning of Finnish and Lithuanian–Polish cultural and literary relations, which started in the late 19th cent., wasn’t a casual phenomenon. In the late 19th – early 20th cent. Finnish scientists became interested in Polish literature and started researching its history, communicating with Polish writers. This interest in Polish literature was inevitably concerned with Lithuanian political and cultural situation. The first researches in this area were performed by two Finns. A young Finnish couple, the writer Maila Talvio and her husband linguist Jooseppi Julius Mikkola. In the late 19th cent. they arrived at Lithuania. The aim of this travel was not just to have pleasant holidays. The Finns also wanted to learn Lithuanian language, to get to know more about the culture and people of this country. They perceived that the Lithuanian nation was under oppression and that its language was sought to be annihilated. The Finns with pleasure communicated with Lithuanian public and cultural workers – Zofija and Petras Kriaučiūnai, Vincas Kudirka. Inspired by traveling impressions around Lithuania Maila Talvio wrote articles, memories and literary writings, which made known the name of this country in Finland. In the outskirts of Gardinas Maila Talvio and her husband made acquaintance with famous Polish writer Eliza Ožeškova. Their friendship was nice and kind. Maila Talvio became a good friend of Polish writer and Polish people in general. She did plenty of work in making E. Ožeškova known in Finland. However, in the late 19th – early 20th cent. in Finnish literary press the biggest attention was paid to Lithuanian–Polish poet Adomas Mickevičius. He was supposed to be as a poet of two nations and two cultures. The works of Adomas Mickevičius were started to be translated in the late 19th cent., when in order to commemorate a hundred years anniversary of the poet’s birth in monthly journal „Kansan toveri“ there were published three poems, translated into Finnish. Later a great deal of works about A. Mickevičius appeared. The greater part of his most important works was translated into Finnish. In 1925 a monograph about A. Mickevičius, written by V. K. Trast, was published. This monograph was a great opportunity for Finnish reader to get more information about A. Mickevičius’ personality, life and his works. The early historical A. Mickevičius’ poems, especially „Konradas Valenrodas“, are interpreted as a silent opposition against czars’s Russia and a hidden fight for nation’s freedom. And these fights were urgent for nations in question – for Finns, Poles and Lithuanians. The most valuable A. Mickevičius’ poem is supposed to be his poem „Mister Tadas“, reputed to be a national epos. All A. Mickevičius’ critics emphasize highlights of this poem: landscape, unforgettable sense of humor of the poem ant its low spirit. One more A. Mickevičius’ work, which is discussed by Finnish critics, is about the day of commemorating the dead. The biggest attention in this poem is paid to personality of Konradas and his monologue, often called „The great improvisation“. In A. Mickevičius’ opinion, the third part of this poem is the only his work worth reading.