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Yrjö Jylhä (1903-1956) | |
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Finnish poet, and translator, whose poems were brusque and masculine, but who was inwardly responsive and sensitive. The turning point in Jylhä's career was the Winter War (1939-40), when he witnessed as an officer the horrors of the front line. His major work, KIIRASTULI (1941), is generally considered the best lyrical work emerging from this period of the Finnish history. The title of the book, 'Purgatory', do not necessarily refers to Dante's Divine Comedy but more to the acceptance of sacrifices, and ascetic seriousness in front of the personal and national destiny. You know not who he is or whence hailing, Thus do East and West each other encounter, Et tiedä, ken on hän, mistä, Niin kohtaavat toisensa länsi ja itä, Yrjö Jylhä was born in Tampere. His mother, Iida Maria (Kovettu) Jylhä, had deeply religious, withdrawn personality. She died in 1917. Kaarle Juho Jylhä (until 1906 Lindeman), his father, was a merchant. He traded in lumber, but lost his relatively large fortune, never gaining his former wealth. Kaarle Jylhä read historical books, his favorite character was Napoleon. During the Finnish Civil War (1917-18) Jylhä's brothers served in the White Army. When the experience broke one of his brothers, it shadowed Jylhä's youth. This family burden and the fear of its consequences for his own psychical strength created a dark undercurrent in Jylhä's writings. At school Jylhä was especially interested in drawing and athletics - he won a gold medal in javelin throw in an athletic contest between schools. Also some of his later poems were sports-minded. As an aspiring poet Jylhä was encouraged by the literary association Nuoren Voiman Liitto. His first poems Jylhä wrote at the age of 17. After graduating from lycée (Tampereen Klassillinen lyseo), he volunteered in the army. In 1924 he entered the University of Turku and later in the same year he started his studied at the University of Helsinki. In the anthology Nuoret runoilijat I (1924) Jylhä published six poems, which also appeared in his first collection of poems, RUOSKANJÄLJET, in 1926. Two years later followed KURIMUS (1928), but then Jylhä concentrated on translating works for nine years. After Jylhä's father died in 1928, he left his studies without graduating, and devoted himself entirely to writing. He became a member of the literary group Tulenkantajat (The Fire Bearers) with Olavi Paavolainen, Elina Vaara, Lauri Viljanen, Ilmari Pimiä, Viljo Kajava, and Katri Vala. Although Jylhä searched new ways of expression, he also translated into Finnish works from such classic authors as Heine, Shakespeare, La Fontaine and Milton. Jylhä's Shakespeare translations relied on Paavo Cajander's work. His major works in this field, such as Milton's Kadotettu paratiisi (Paradise Lost) and Rolandin laulu (The Song of Roland) Jylhä produced in his thirties. When his colleagues spent much time in cafés and restaurants discussing about literature, Jylhä helped his brother, Kalle, who was a surveyor and traveled around Finland. In the late 1930s Jylhä broke his silence as a poet and published two collections, RISTI LUMESSA (1937) and TOIVIOTIELLÄ (1938). His poem, 'Lasten ristiretki' (1935), ironically depicted the youthful enthusiasms of The Fire Bearers, and dissolution of the group. "Osa tieltä ei väistyä saata: / yhä etsien untensa maata / he samoavat kukin yksikseen / yön autiuteen." During the Winter War and the Continuation War against the Soviet aggression, Jylhä served in the army as a company commander, and at the information department. When the Winter War broke out, six Finnish divisions fought on the Karelian Isthmus against twelve or fourteen divisions, and in north of Lake Ladoga, two divisions held a sixty-mile front against the Soviet Eight Army of seven divisions and a brigade of armor. The infernal fights in Taipaleenjoki (the Taipale river) between the years 1939 and 1940 were basis for his war poems in Kiirastuli. Jylhä portrays the Taipale river as a river of death. The central theme is humanity over front lines as in the poem 'Kohtaus metsässä'. Another painful scene about a dying soldier, 'Kaivolla', is among Jylhä's most quoted verses. Kiirastuli was Jylhä's last major work. The book was published in 1951 in an abridged form, illustrated by Erkki Tanttu. In 1943 appeared a selection of poems, RUNOJA. But when its tone was dark and disillusioned about the obligations of a soldier, Runoja reflected the official belief in victory. "The year of 1943 was the turning point in my life and poetry," he later said. About this time also his wife Kirsti Jylhä died. After the war Jylhä retired nearly completely from writing poetry. He published only some translations and a few poems. When the Academy of Finland was established in 1947, Jylhä was among the first writers to receive its award. The last years of his life Jylhä lived in one-room flat. He planned to translate T.S. Eliot's play 'Murder in the Cathedral', but he often felt himself tired and depressed. Erkki Reenpää, who worked for the publishing company Otava, visited occasionally his small apartment, which "smelled of blood" - Reenpää suspected that Jylhä was suffering from syphilis. Yrjö Jylhä died in Turku on December 30, 1956. Kiirastuli was still voted in the 1990s by Finnish readers among the three most popular books, along with Väinö Linna's Tuntematon sotilas and Erkki Palolammen's Kolaa kestää, which depicted the war years. For further reading: 'Yrjö Jylhä' in Aleksis Kivestä Saima Harmajaan, ed. by Albin Ahonen, Martti Haavio, V. I. Mikkonen (1943); Voices From Finland, ed. by Elli Tompuri ( 1947); Yrjö Jylhä by Kauko Kare (1957); 'Yrjö Jylhän daimoni' by Lauri Viljanen in Lyyrillinen minä(1959); 'Kuoleman ajatus Yrjö Jylhän runoudessa' by Eino Krohn in Kaksi lukittua lipasta (1961); A History of Finland's Literature, ed. by George C. Schoolfield (1998); Suomennoskirjallisuuden historia 2, ed. by H.K. Riikonen et al. (2007) Selected works:
Muita Jylhän käännöksiä:
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