Aleksis Kivi
The tortured genius who forged Finland's literary language, writing its first great novel while battling poverty and mental illness.
1834–1872 (age 38)·National writer of Finland·Birthday: October 10
Biography
Born Alexis Stenvall in a small village, the man who would become Aleksis Kivi arrived in Helsinki with a fierce determination to create art in Finnish, a language then considered crude for literature. Living often in dire poverty, he taught himself by devouring Shakespeare and the ancient Greeks. His play 'Nummisuutarit' (The Heath Cobblers) brought comedic Finnish peasant life to the stage, but it was his monumental novel, 'Seitsemän veljestä' (Seven Brothers), that changed everything. A sprawling, earthy, and profoundly human tale of seven orphaned brothers, it was met with scathing criticism from the establishment, which broke his health. Kivi died in obscurity at 38, but his work became the bedrock of national identity, giving Finns a mirror in their own tongue. Today, Finns celebrate his birthday as 'Finnish Literature Day.'
#1 When Aleksis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1834
Aleksis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1834Born
1839Started school
1847Became a teenager
1850Could drive
1852Could vote
1855Turned 21
1864Turned 30
President: Abraham Lincoln
1872Died at 38
President: Ulysses S. Grant
Key Achievements
- Wrote 'Seitsemän veljestä' (Seven Brothers), the first significant novel written in the Finnish language.
- Authored the classic Finnish comedy play 'Nummisuutarit' (The Heath Cobblers).
- Pioneered the use of Finnish as a legitimate language for all forms of serious literature and drama.
Did You Know?
He chose the surname 'Kivi' (meaning 'stone' in Finnish) as a pen name, rejecting his Swedish-sounding birth name.
He suffered from schizophrenia and lived his final years in his brother's care.
A statue of him by sculptor Wäinö Aaltonen sits in front of the Finnish National Theatre in Helsinki.
His face was featured on the Finnish 10-mark banknote before the country adopted the euro.
“Luja onni on luja, mutt' on lujempi taivas ja tuuli.”
