Eino Friberg
Encyclopedia
Eino Friberg was a Finnish
-born, American author most widely noted for his 1989 translation of the Finnish national epic
, The Kalevala.
, Finland
in 1901 and moved to the United States
when he was still a child, in 1906. At the age of seven he was involved in an accident in which his eye
s were damaged, which led to his eventual blindness
at the age of 10. He attended the Perkins School for the Blind
in Watertown, Massachusetts
and then attended Boston University
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He enrolled in a Ph. D. program in philosophy
at Harvard University
, but never completed his thesis
. He eventually received a Master of Arts
in philosophy
from Harvard in the mid-1970s, after passing a French language
examination.
and was ordained as a minister in the Swedenborgian
, Congregational
and Unitarian
Churches, serving as a minister in Congregational and Unitarian churches in New England
. In 1949, on the porch of his house in Westminster, Massachusetts
, Friberg had a "mystical enounter," about which Friberg wrote an unpublished manuscript. Theologian Reinhold Neibuhr commented on the manuscript that "I know of no record of spititual pilgrimage more authentic."
At the age of 75, he began to translate into the English Language
, the Finnish national epic
The Kalevala, working from a Braille
copy of The Kalevala. This was the first time The Kalevala had been translated by a native Finnish speaker into English, and was the fourth full translation overall.
, Friberg worked in a tool and die plant in Worcester, Massachusetts
and became a labor organizer for the United Steelworkers of America. Friberg was married three times and had two daughters. He also published a book of poetry
, Sparks, in 1926.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
-born, American author most widely noted for his 1989 translation of the Finnish national epic
Finnish literature
Finnish literature refers to literature written in Finland. Earliest texts in Finland were written in Swedish or Latin during the Finnish Middle Age . Finnish-language literature was slowly developing from the 16th century onwards. First artistic heyday of the Finnish literature was the mid-19th...
, The Kalevala.
Earlylife
Eino Hjalmar Friberg was born in MerikarviaMerikarvia
Merikarvia is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the Satakunta region.The municipality has a population of and it covers an area of , ofwhich is water...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in 1901 and moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when he was still a child, in 1906. At the age of seven he was involved in an accident in which his eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
s were damaged, which led to his eventual blindness
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
at the age of 10. He attended the Perkins School for the Blind
Perkins School for the Blind
Perkins School for the Blind, located in Watertown, Massachusetts, is the oldest schools for the blind in the United States. It has also been known as the Perkins Institution for the Blind.-History:...
in Watertown, Massachusetts
Watertown, Massachusetts
The Town of Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,915 at the 2010 census.- History :Archeological evidence suggests that Watertown was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from England...
and then attended Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He enrolled in a Ph. D. program in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, but never completed his thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
. He eventually received a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from Harvard in the mid-1970s, after passing a French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
examination.
Career
In addition to his literary work, Friberg had an enormously varied career. He attended the Swedenborgian School of TheologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and was ordained as a minister in the Swedenborgian
Swedenborgian
A Swedenborgian is the doctrines, beliefs, and practices of the Church of the New Jerusalem, and is an adjective describing a person or an organization that understands the Bible through the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg....
, Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
and Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
Churches, serving as a minister in Congregational and Unitarian churches in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. In 1949, on the porch of his house in Westminster, Massachusetts
Westminster, Massachusetts
Westminster is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 7,277.- History :Westminster was first settled in 1737, and was officially incorporated in 1759....
, Friberg had a "mystical enounter," about which Friberg wrote an unpublished manuscript. Theologian Reinhold Neibuhr commented on the manuscript that "I know of no record of spititual pilgrimage more authentic."
At the age of 75, he began to translate into the English Language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, the Finnish national epic
National epic
A national epic is an epic poem or a literary work of epic scope which seeks or is believed to capture and express the essence or spirit of a particular nation; not necessarily a nation-state, but at least an ethnic or linguistic group with aspirations to independence or autonomy...
The Kalevala, working from a Braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
copy of The Kalevala. This was the first time The Kalevala had been translated by a native Finnish speaker into English, and was the fourth full translation overall.
Awards
- The Finnish American Translators Association awarded an Honorary membership in recognition of outstanding achievement to Eino Friberg, translator of The Kalevala.
- In 1988, Friberg returned to FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
for the first time since 1906, to receive the Order of the White RoseOrder of the White RoseThe Order of the White Rose of Finland is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor,...
, Finland's highest literary award, for his translation of The Kalevala.
- In 1989, Eino Friberg was honored with an Arts & Letters Award and Certificate of Merit by the Finlandia Foundation, New York Metropolitan Chapter for his translation of The Kalevala.
Personal life
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Friberg worked in a tool and die plant in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
and became a labor organizer for the United Steelworkers of America. Friberg was married three times and had two daughters. He also published a book of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, Sparks, in 1926.
Other sources
- The Kalevala: Epic of the Finnish People - Inside front page.
- "Epic Task Ties Poet to Finnish Roots," Boston Globe, May 7, 1988, Metro Section, page 2 (link requires subscription or fee)