Kalevala
The Kalevala is the Finnish national epic, compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian folk poetry and first published in 1835. The expanded 50-poem edition of 1849 is the standard text, and the work helped shape Finnish national identity.
- Editions tracked
- 1
Which edition do you have?
Editions
- Oxford University Press1989 Hardback I own Kalevala, Oxford University Press 1989 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- Die Kalewainen in Pochjola musical, 1890
- Väinö's Song musical, 1945
- Sampo film, 1959
- The Age of Iron television series, 1982
- Kalevala Tarot adaptation, 1996
- Kalevala: The New Era film, 2013
- The Story of Kullervo adaptation, 2015
- Kalevala: The Story of Kullervo film, 2026
- Aino musical
- Lemminkäinen Suite musical
- Maiden of the North musical
Setting and characters
- Characters
- Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen, Joukahainen, Aino, Kalervo, Kullervo, Lemminkäinen, Louhi
- Genre
- epic poem
In print
- Editions recorded
- 30 on Open Library, 4 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 84 languages
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by Elias Lönnrot
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How to Identify a First Edition
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For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
How many editions of Kalevala are there?
We track 1 edition of Kalevala. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has Kalevala been adapted?
Yes, including Aino (musical), Lemminkäinen Suite (musical), Maiden of the North (musical), according to Wikidata.
When was Kalevala first published?
Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot was first published in 1835.
Can I read Kalevala for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
Where these facts come from
- Kalevala, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Kalevala: the Finnish national epic, thisisFINLAND (finland.fi)
- Kalevala (Q130924), Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 21 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.
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