View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Lemminkainen discover when he returns from his hiding place?

2. Where does Ilmarinen go to make himself a new wife?

3. What does Ilmarinen tell his metallic bride when he wakes up beside her?

4. How does Lemminkainen respond to his mother's warnings?

5. What preparations are made for the marriage of Vainamoinen and the Maid of Pohja?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many times characters sing praises for the Creator, but there are also many cases where characters create things themselves. How are the characters' creations celebrated or recognized? What kinds of creation are reserved for the Creator? Do any of the characters try to overstep the limits of their creative abilities? Using examples from the text, describe creations in the Kalevala.

Essay Topic 2

Several characters tell stories in the Kalevala. What makes a good story? What makes a bad story? What are the rewards or consequences of telling a good or bad story? Does the Kalevala itself meet its own criteria for a good story? How does the poetic form of the Kalevala contribute to its value as a story?

Essay Topic 3

What glimpses do you get into the everyday lives of the Finns who composed the Kalevala? What was their life like? What did they value, and what were they afraid of? What technologies did they have? What gods did they believe in? What customs did they follow?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 366 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample