Doctor of philological sciences, associate professor, Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow, Russia [email protected]
Abstract.In the article “The modest genius of Finnish literature is Johan Ludvig Runeberg” deals main works of the Swedish-speaking writer, that allowed the people of Finland to understand themselves as a single entity, that belonged a single Motherland. The poet wrote historical ballads, poems, love poems, imbued with a sharp sense of humanity to people. The subject of the critical observation of Runeberg became the Finnish national character. Runeberg became a singer of simple workers of Finland – peasants, hunters and fi shermen. He was the fi rst in Finnish literature who described the contrast between material poverty and moral grandeur. Runeberg is called as the fi rst national poet of Finland. The Modern Finnish literature began to emerge thanks to the creativity of Runeberg.
Keywords: national character, romanticism, fennofi lskoe movement, historical ballads, a dramatic poem, love poems, poetry about nature, the Christian world.