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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Vainamoinen do when Louhi offers him food?

2. What is Vainamoinen missing as he works with the wood Sampsa brought him?

3. What condition is the Water-Mother trying to find relief from?

4. What does the person who comes to meet Vainamoinen say that Vainamoinen's purpose is when he arrives back home?

5. What does Vainamoinen feel as he listens to Joukahainen's stories?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Vainamoinen convince Vipunen to tell him the three magic words?

2. What story does Anio's mother tell her to make her feel better about marrying Vainamoinen?

3. What happens after Kullervo slaughters Untamo's family?`

4. How do Vainamoinen and Ilmarinen liberate the sun and moon from the cave?

5. Describe how Lemminkainen's mother brings him back to life.

6. How does Vainamoinen heal his people from Louhi's revenge?

7. What happens when Vainamoinen goes to the underworld?

8. Describe Lemminkainen's courtship of Kyllikki.

9. What happens after Vainamoinen refuses to cease working at his blacksmith's shop inside of Vipunen?

10. How does the Storyteller describe the purpose of his stories at the end?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Enchantments and magic are commonplace throughout the Kalevala. Are they used for good or evil? Are good and evil even appropriate terms to describe the use of magic and enchantment. If good and evil are not the most appropriate terms, how would you describe the uses to which magic is put? Is magic simply a matter of convenience? Fear or desire? Power?

Essay Topic 2

What kind of justice applies in the Kalevala? Is murder always punished? Is theft always punished? Is the justice always the same or does it vary? Citing examples from the text, describe justice in the Kalevala.

Essay Topic 3

Sometimes characters are brought back to life in the Kalevala. Who or what determines whether characters are let to die or are brought back to life? Is there a Fate-like agency that decides? Or is it the whim of the story? Choose three examples of characters dying or being brought back to life and from those instances, describe the significance of death in the Kalevala.

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This section contains 998 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample