J.R.R. Tolkien's Unpublished Novel 'The Story Of Kullervo' Release Date Set in October
Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien will soon have something new to read from the English author. Word is out that an early work of the writer famous for his "Lord of the Rings" trilogy will be published posthumously in fall of this year.
According to Polygon, the novel is called, "The Story of Kullervo," which is the author's rendition of a famous Finnish myth. It is derived from a section of the "Kalevala," called "The Kullervo Cycle."
The 19th century epic poetry is a compilation of Karellan and Finnish oral folklore and mythology that dates back to the pre-Christian influence in the region.
Tolkien has always been fascinated with the folklore and tradition of Northern Europe and it led him to specialize on the subject. The author first encountered the "Kalevala" while he was a student at Oxford.
"He was 'immensely attracted by something in the air' of this verse epic of dueling Northern wizards and lovestruck youths, beer-drinkers and shape-changers," noted biographer John Garth in his book, "Tolkien and the Great War."
The author began his version of the Finnish mythology in 1914, and used prose instead of poetry for his rendition. Unfortunately, the writer passed on before he was able to complete his work on "The Story of Kullervo."
While it was unfinished, this epic poem from Finnish folklore inspired Tolkien to write another work, which was also published posthumously. "The Silmarillion," which talks about how the Middle-Earth was formed and its early history, had a section influenced by "The Kullervo Cycle."
Turin Turambar's chapter in "The Silmarillion," which talked about a hero that has experienced unjust treatment that led to his taking revenge upon his own hands, was a direct inspiration from the Finnish myth.
Tolkien already revealed in previous notes that "The Silmarillion" took its idea from "The Kullervo Cycle."
"The germ of my attempt to write legends of my own to fit my private languages was the tragic tale of the hapless Kullervo in the Finnish Kalevala. It remains a majore matter in the legends of the First Age (which I hope to publish as The Silmarillion)," wrote the English author.
Tolkien's retelling of "The Kullervo Cycle" was published in 2010 as part of a commentary on the author's work in "Tolkien Studies: Volume 7."
The upcoming publication will be the first time the entire manuscript will be printed in novel format along with the writer's personal notes.
HarperCollins will publish the novel, which is expected to hit shelves on August 27 in the United Kingdom and on October 27 in the United States.
Read more about the upcoming book's synopsis on this link.
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of latinpost.com