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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. Who comes after the Water-Mother prays for relief?

2. What does the Storyteller tell us in the first stanzas?

3. What kind of tree does Vainamoinen plant?

4. What does the Maid of Pohja say when she hears that Vainamoinen has arrived at the end of his journey?

5. How does Aino's mother console her when Aino is crying about marrying Vainamoinen?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the ox prepared for the wedding feast?

2. How do Joukahainen's mother and sister feel about the deal Joukahainen struck with Vainamoinen?

3. What does Vainamoinen suggest when the Old Man says that Marjetta's son must be tested before he can be baptized?

4. What happens when Lemminkainen decides to go to the wedding?

5. What happens after Vainamoinen tells the old man the story of the iron?

6. What do Marjetta's parents do when Marjetta gets pregnant?

7. How do Vainamoinen, Ilmarinen, and Lemminkainen steal the Sampo?

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

9. What happens when Vainamoinen goes to the underworld?

10. How does Vainamoinen make pearls by playing the kantele?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

On several occasions, characters lie about their intentions before they finally tell the truth. What role does lying play in the Kalevala, and how do characters arrive at the truth? How are characters tricked or misled? Is misdirection always found out, or do characters get away with their lies? Cite examples from the text as you answer.

Essay Topic 3

What rules govern hospitality in the Kalevala? Are guests expected to follow a certain code? Are hosts? What ties and what obligations bind them? Cite examples from the Kalevala to describe the guest-host bond in the Kalevala.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 958 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample