BA309 Literature and cultural history of Finland and Scandinavia

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2008
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Markéta Hejkalová (lecturer), Mgr. Michal Kovář, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Tomáš Hoskovec, CSc.
Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Fri 11:40–13:15 N01023, Fri 13:20–14:55 A11 stara
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Kurz je povinný pro studenty baltistiky.
Kurz je otevřený posluchačům všech oborů.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Main objectives can be summarized as follows: to understand significant periods in the history of Fennoscandia as well as the Baltic area in general by interpreting Finnish and Scandinavian literature, available also in Czech.
The course is based on interpretations of selected works of Finnish and Scandinavian literatures available in Czech. It aims to show some of the most important periods in Finland, Scandinavia and the Baltic Region in general.
Syllabus
  • The aim of the course is to provide students with basic information on Finnish culture and literature needed for understanding of the country’s everyday life and politics. Course topics:
  • Lost in Europe: What we know about Finland – myths and reality; Fennougric languages and nations; Finland and its role in Scandinavia, Europe and the world; Allocation of papers on compulsory and recommended reading; Compulsory reading: Finland
  • Bears – friends: The Kalevala – the Finnish national epic – its origin, authorship, storyline; Epic type – Western or Eastern, national revival or shamanism type? Kalevala’s reflection in contemporary culture and everyday life. Compulsory reading: Kalevala. Recommended reading: Johanna Sinisalo: Ne před slunce západem (One Woman Press 2003)
  • Swedes we are no longer, Russians we can never become, so let us be Finns! (Adolf Ivar Arwidsson): Finland between the West and the East; Finland’s relations with Russia – summary; Juhani Aho’s novel Juha and its film version by Aki Kaurismäki (film projection – if available); Finnish culture and literature during 19th century. Recommended reading: Aleksis Kivi: Sedm bratří; Juhani Aho: Pastorova dcera; Anja Kauranen: Byla tady Soňa O. (Ivo Železný 1992)
  • Dreams of the winners and the defeated: The two wars – The Civil War in 1918 and WWII – and their reflections in literature; Two seemingly opposite authors - Väinö Linna and Mika Waltari; Finland in world-renowned Mika Waltari’s works; Literature and culture in the 1st half of 20th century. Compulsory reading: Väinö Linna: Pod Severkou. Recommended reading: Mika Waltari: Plavovláska (Hejkal 2003); Mika Waltari: Krvavá lázeň a Šťastná hvězda (Hejkal 2002); Frans Eemil Sillanpää: Umírala mladičká; Johannes Linnankoski: Píseň o červeném květu; Veijo Meri: Manilský provaz; Kari Hotakainen: Na domácí frontě (Dybbuk 2006).
  • Finnish ways: Finnish society from 1940s until the beginning of the new millenium; "Men’s" and "women’s" literature; More details on Arto Paasilinna and Anja Kauranen-Snellman; Basic information on literature written in Swedish and Saami; From Suomi-rock to heavy metal (contemporary Finnish popular music). Compulsory reading: Mika Waltari: Cesta do Istanbulu. Recommended reading: Timo K. Mukka: Země je hříšná píseň (Ivo Železný 1992); Märtta Tikkanen: Příběh lásky století (One Woman Press 2000); Arto Paasilinna: Zajícův rok, Stará dáma vaří jed, Chlupatý sluha pana faráře or Les oběšených lišek (Hejkal 2004 - 2006); Rosa Liksom: Prázdné cesty (Volvox Globator 1997); Juha Seppälä: Švihadlo (Volvox Globator 1996); Pirjo Hassinen: Silné ženy (Ivo Železný 1998); Anja Snellman: Čas dotyků (Ivo Železný 2001); Hannu Raittila: Canal Grande (Volvox Globator 2004).
  • Czech-Finnish relations: Relations in literature and culture fields – both historical and contemporary. Compulsory reading: Markéta Hejkalová: Finsko (edice Stručné dějiny států, Libri 2003); Elias Lönnrot: Kalevala (Ivo Železný 1999) – at least: runes 1, 2, 9, 10, 15, 22, 23, one of the runes about Kullervo (31 - 36), 43, 46 a 50; Väinö Linna: Pod Severkou I-III (Odeon 1969-1972), at least Part II; Mika Waltari: Cesta do Istanbulu (Hejkal 2003).
Literature
  • Pain tytär-papin rouva (Orig.) : Pastorova dcera. info
  • WALTARI, Mika. Cesta do Istanbulu. Translated by Markéta Hejkalová. 1. vyd. Havlíčkův Brod: Hejkal, 2003, 220 s. ISBN 808602623X. info
  • HEJKALOVÁ, Markéta. Finsko. 1. vyd. Praha: Libri, 2003, 130 s. ISBN 8072772074. info
  • WALTARI, Mika. Krvavá lázeň :mládí a podivuhodná dobrodružství Mikaela Karvajalky v mnoha zemích do roku 1527, jak je sám upřímně vypráví v deseti knihách. Translated by Markéta Hejkalová. 1. vyd. Havlíčkův Brod: Hejkal, 2002, 674 s. ISBN 80-86026-13-2. info
  • SÖDERGRAN, Edith. Země, která není. Praha: Odeon, 1987. info
  • Kalevala. Translated by Josef Holeček, Illustrated by Václav Fiala. Vyd. 3., v Odeonu 2. Praha: Odeon, 1980, 837 s. info
  • LINNA, Väinö. Pod Severkou. Translated by Jan Petr Velkoborský. Vyd. 1. Praha: Odeon, 1969, 521 s. info
  • KIVI, Aleksis. Sedm bratří : román. Translated by Vladimír Skalička. 3. vyd. V Praze: Topičova edice, 1941, 273 s. info
Assessment methods
The course has two teaching lessons a week, but is taught in limited number of four-lesson blocks for practical reasons. Another part of the course is literature reading – compulsory and recommended items. Students show their knowledge of compulsory items during final exam. Knowledge of recommended items is checked during students’ short papers (approx. 5 min each) and subsequent discussions. Papers are to be the parts of most of the course blocks.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Information on completion of the course: Ukončení zápočtem je možné pouze pro kredit typu C. Uděluje se na základě aktivní účasti při výuce.
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2001, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2008/BA309