Every day brings a new story. And each day contributes to the art of story telling -- in prose and poetry, in music, on the stage, on the screen, in podcasts, and in books.
Today is a story of February 2nd
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It is the 33rd day of the year, leaving 332 days remaining in 2023.
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| Aleksis Kivi statue in his hometown of Nurmijävi |
Seven Brothers (the novel's title in English) tells the story of a roguish band of young men who move to the forest outside of their town to live a life of drinking, debauchery, and adventure before returning to their community to become responsible adults. A humorous book, it is a classic form of realism and romanticism.
It was written by Aleksis Kivi, a playwright and a poet. And although he died penniless and in an asylum, he has since become a revered figure in Finland.
He is considered a national icon, and one of the country's greatest writers. His works are regarded as classics and are part of the Finnish canon. A national book award is named after him. A bronze memorial stands in front of the Finnish National Theater in Helsinki.
Kivi was born Alexis Stenvall in 1834 in Nurmijävi, in what was then the Grand Duchy of Finland.
His first play was Kullervo, based on a tale from Finnish folklore. A collection of poems, Kanervala, published in 1866, was rejected and criticized during his life but saw new appreciation after his death for its departure from poetic conventions of the time.
He wrote a dozen plays, including the 1865 comedy, Nummisuutarit (in English, The Cobblers on the Heath), which won a national prize and is still performed today.
He died in 1872.
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