Meeting between Species. Nonhuman Creatures from Folklore as Characters of Fantasy Literature

Authors

  • Merja Leppälahti Folkloristics, University of Turku, Henrikinkatu 3, 20014 University of Turku, Finland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/Traditio2011400312

Keywords:

folklore and fantasy, third life of folklore, Finnish folklore, Finnish fantasy literature // foklora in fantazija, tretje življenje folklore, finska golklora, finska fantazijska književnost

Abstract

Many folklore creatures live new lives in fantasy literature. In this article, I will discuss two Finnish fantasy books, Else Lassila’s Hyväntuulenlaakso and Johanna Sinisalo’s Ennen päivänlaskua ei voi. Both books are set in modern Finland, where there really exists a race of supernatural creatures similar to the supernatural races that exist in Finnish folklore. I intend to ascertain the links between folklore creatures and those present in these fantasy books. Does the presence of folklore contribute something special to fantasy literature?

***

Številna bitja iz folklore živijo svoje novo življenje v fantazijski književnosti. V članku sta obravnavani finski fantazijski deli, Hyväntuulenlaakso (Dolina dobrega Meseca) Else Lassila in Ennen päivänlaskua ei voi (Ne pred sončnim zahodom) Johanne Sinisalo. Obe sta postavljeni v sodobno Finsko, kjer naj bi resnično obstajala vrsta nadnaravnih bitij, prav tako je vrsta takšnih bitij poznana v finski folklori. Avtorico zanimajo skupne značilnosti teh bitij v folklori in književnosti. Ali folklora dodaja fantazijski zgodbi kaj posebej značilnega?

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References

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Published

15.12.2011

How to Cite

Leppälahti, M. (2011). Meeting between Species. Nonhuman Creatures from Folklore as Characters of Fantasy Literature. Traditiones, 40(3), 169–177. https://doi.org/10.3986/Traditio2011400312

Issue

Section

Real and Virtual Spaces of Folklore Studies / Realni in virtualni prostori folkloristike