{"id":502,"date":"2020-12-03T23:03:07","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T23:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dlf.uzh.ch\/sites\/skandinavien-postkolonial\/?p=502"},"modified":"2021-03-05T10:42:43","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T10:42:43","slug":"finns-as-a-medium-to-establish-hypermasculinity-in-medieval-ages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dlf.uzh.ch\/sites\/skandinavien-postkolonial\/finns-as-a-medium-to-establish-hypermasculinity-in-medieval-ages\/","title":{"rendered":"Finns as a Medium to Establish Hypermasculinity in Medieval Ages"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Finland Collage by Ann-Christin Ravald.
Sources from: https: www.abo.fi\/wpcontent\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3.-Olaus-Magnus-1539. jpg, https: \/\/de. depositphotos.com\/stock-photos\/whales.html, and https:\/\/www. pinterest.ch\/pin. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You are surely familiar with masculinity, but do you know about the concept of \u201chypermasculinity“? Britannica Encyclopaedia <\/em>explains hypermasculinity, but it does not mention colonialism, however the Encyclopaedia of Race and Crime <\/em>(Craig, 2009, pp. 2-4) does. According to Craig<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

„The term hypermasculinity<\/em> is believed to have been established by Ashis Nandy in her writings on colonialism and gender in the 1980s. The term is widely used in the social science and has evolved in meaning, but no standard definition exists.“ <\/p>Craig, 2009, p. 2<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Craig also refers to Mosher<\/a> (1991) who claims that hypermasculinity is shown through characteristics such as violent behaviour, love of danger, excitement and sensationalism, and showing callous behavior towards women. For example, in the film The Birth of a Nation<\/em> (Griffith 1915) both black and white males are put in a hypermasculine context (Craig<\/a> 2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hypermasculinity can be recognized in expeditions to \u2018Finna land\u2019, \u2018Samlandi\u2019 and \u2018Kvenland<\/a>\u2019 (today\u2019s Lapland) in the Old English Beowulf<\/em><\/a> and Widsith<\/em><\/a>, and Old Norse Vatnsd\u00e6la saga<\/em><\/a> and Flateyjarb\u00f3k<\/em><\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is ambiguity in the term lapp<\/em>, as I can translate it from Swedish to Finnish as paikka<\/em>, meaning \u2018a place\u2019 or \u2018a patch\u2019 (cf. Hurme et. al. 1984). In the last chapter of Flateyjarb\u00f3k<\/em> Earl Gizurr travelled to the Sami in \u201cSamlandi\u201d (Nordal IV 1944, p. 322; cf. \u201cSamr ok Semingr\u201d (Nordal Vol. II 1944, p. 9). Previous research shows that during the Medieval Ages there were various designations for Finns: Aalto (2003, p. 2) finds Finni, Fidr<\/em> and finnr<\/em> (pl.) in Heimskringla<\/em>. P\u00e1lsson (1999, pp. 30-31) names Finni, Finnr<\/em> (m.), Finnar<\/em> (pl.) (S\u00e1mi people), Finna <\/em>(f.), Finnur<\/em> (pl.) (Sami women), and Old English Finnas<\/em> and Finnar<\/em> refers to S\u00e1mi or \u2018the inhabitants of Finland\u2019, and P\u00e1lsson finds that h\u00e1lffinnar<\/em>, Lappir <\/em>(pl.) refer to S\u00e1mi in Flateyjarb\u00f3k<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Beowulf<\/em>, Finns are mentioned when Beowulf meets the Danes at Heorot\u2019s hall and brags about a swimming race against Breca, who was carried from the land of the Broodings\u2019 to the coast of the Heatho-R\u00e6mas in central Norway. Beowulf went even further north: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u00dea mec s\u00e6 o\u00feb\u00e6r, flod \u00e6fter faro\u00f0e on Finna land, wadu weallendu.\u201d [\u2018Then the sea, the flood with its currents, the surging waters, carried me away to the land of the Lapps\u2019].<\/p>Swanton lines 579-581; pp. 59-61<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This excursion illustrates the courage and sensationalism of taking part in such races. The translations of Finna land<\/em> show ambiguity, as Swanton translates „Finna land“ to \u201cthe land of the Lapps\u201d, in Sweden and Finland (208), and Heaney translates \u201cFinna land\u201d as \u201cthe coast of Finland\u201d (Heaney 39).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Widsith shows hypermasculinity by skiing with Finns. Widsith<\/em> tells the story of a wandering minstrel. Chambers says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWidsith \u2013 \u201cFarway\u201d \u2013 the ideal wandering minstrel, [mentions] tribes among which he has sojourned, all the chieftains he has known.\u201d<\/p>Chamers, 1912, p. 4<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Widsith visits Swedes, Danes, and Finns of the north (7). He meets \u201cBecca Baningum [\u2026] Casere weold Creacum ond C\u00e6lic Finnum\u201d (lines 18-20; pp. 191-2). Here Becca is a prince. With regards to the \u201cCeltic Finns\u201d, Chambers quotes Heinzel \u201cthis is a corrupt form of Kalew\u201d (cf. Heinzel, 1886, p. 507; here Chambers 192). One could relate Kalew to Kalevala<\/em> <\/a>the Finnish epos (Elias L\u00f6nnrot 1835; cf. Moster, 2016, p. 255). Widsith<\/em> mentions being with the Finns: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMid Creacum ic w\u00e6s ond mid Finnum ond mit Casere (line 76) [\u2026] (\u2018With the Greeks I was and with the Finns, and with Casere\u2019 [\u2026]\u2019), furthermore, \u201c[\u2026] mid Scride-Finnum\u201d (line 79 \u2018the sliding Finns\u2019).<\/p>Chamers, 1912, p. 212<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The skiers lived in the north of Norway rather than Finland in (213). Taking part in new sports, such as, skiing with ‚the sliding Finns‘ shows hypermasculinity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vatnsd\u00e6la saga<\/em> shows encounters with Finns. Ingimundr and Grimr meet with a skilled sorceress, a Finn who tells them to emigrate to Iceland (\u00c1smundarson, pp. 26-27). When Ingimundr arrives in Vatnsdals he says: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cS\u00fa mun sannast sp\u00e1in Finnanna, \u00fev\u00ed at n\u00fa kenni ek landsleg at fr\u00e1s\u00f6gn \u00feeirra, at h\u00e9r mun oss at v\u00edsat, […] at h\u00e9r s\u00e9 vel byggjanda\u201d [\u2018It is truly like the Finnish sorceress said [\u2026], that here is a good place to live,\u2019 transl. Ann-Christin Ravald (ACR)]. <\/p>\u00c1smundarson, 1893, p. 37<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Here, Ingimundr is conquering Iceland, and becoming one of the first landowners there, a hypermasculine thing to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fundinn Noregr<\/em>, in Flateyjarb\u00f3k,<\/em> (Nordal 1944: Vol. I. 241-290) begins: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFornj\u00f3tr hefir konungr heitit. Hann r\u00e9\u00f0 fyrir \u00fev\u00ed landi, er kallat er Finnland ok Kvenland.\u201d [\u2018Fornj\u00f3tr was the name of the king. He ruled over the countries called Finland and Kvenland.\u2019 ACR.<\/p>Nordal, 1944 (1), p. 241<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The brothers N\u00f3rr and G\u00f3rr, \u201cbr\u00e6\u00f0ra var fj\u00f6lmennr\u201d [\u2018the brothers of the arctic mountains\u2019, ACR].(241), explore new territories. G\u00f3rr sails to \u201c\u00c1landshaf\u201d, whereas N\u00f3rr, who \u201clag\u00f0i \u00e1 hei\u00f0ar ok sk\u00ed\u00f0f\u00e6ri ger\u00f0t gott\u201d [\u2018was a heathen and a good skier\u2019, ACR.] (241), goes to Kvenland<\/a>,[1] north of Finnmark, to meet with \u201cLappir\u201d (241). The myth explains that N\u00f3rr goes in search of his sister to Upplanda and Hei\u00f0m\u00f6rk, where konungr Hr\u00f3lfr rules, and who had kidnapped G\u00f3i (242). N\u00f3rr and the king have a meeting where they exchange products – women! N\u00f3rr gifts G\u00f3i to the king in exchange for Hr\u00f3lfr\u2019s sister (242):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEftir \u00feat s\u00e6ttust \u00feeir, ok f\u00e9kk N\u00f3rr systur Hr\u00f3lfs, en Hr\u00f3lfr f\u00e9kk G\u00f3i.  \u00dea\u00f0an sneri N\u00f3rr after nor\u00f0r til r\u00edkis \u00feess, er haf\u00f0i under sik lagt. \u00deat kalla\u00f0i han Norveg\u201d [\u2018Then N\u00f3rr went north to [Fornj\u00f3tr’s] kingdom, which he took over. He named it Norway\u2019, transl. ACR.] <\/p>Nordal, 1944 (1), p. 243<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Later G\u00f3rr conquers Orkney (247). Spivak (1996)<\/a> refers to the method of nominalism to show power and hierarchy (cf. Said<\/a>, 1993, p. 193), like N\u00f3rr baptizing Norway. The women, except for sorceresses, can be considered subordinate, as they do not have a voice. Spivak claims that the \u201csubalterns\u201d do not have a voice, as they have not left any official history behind (203).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In \u201cFr\u00e1 \u00d3lafi\u201d, King \u00d3lafr (Vol. II: 1944, pp. 86-88) meets \u201cFinnar\u201d and \u201cFinnlendingar\u201d on an excursion to Finland. Before sailing to Denmark, the king’s men capture a sorceress. Sighvatr poem mentions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFinnlendigar funde Balagardz at barde\u201d [\u2018Finlanders were found on the ship Balagardz\u2019, transl. ACR.] <\/p>Nordal, 1944 (2), p. 87<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The word Finnlendigar suggests that the men met Swedish-speaking Finlanders. Hypermasculinity was shown in the callous behaviour of men kidnapping women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These Old English and Old Norse myths show how hypermasculinity was established to construct ideologies. Beowulf explored Finna land, Widsith met Scride-Finnum, and in Flateyjarb\u00f3k<\/em>, Ingemundr received courage from a Finn to emigrate to Iceland. Moreover, men exchanged women as goods, treating them as subordinate. N\u00f3rr demonstrates authority by naming Norway. Overall, hypermasculinity is evident in these myths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

[1]<\/a> \u201cKvenland.\u201d Nationalencyklopedin<\/em>, Kv\u00e4nland.               http:\/\/www.ne.se\/uppslagsverk\/encyklopedi\/l\u00e5ng\/kv\u00e4nland<\/a>. Web. December 30, 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Primary literature<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beowulf<\/em>. Revised Edition. Edited with an Introduction, Notes and New Prose Translation by Michael Swanton<\/em>. Manchester University Press, [1982] 1997.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beowulf. A New Verse Translation By Seamus Heaney. Bilingual Edition<\/em>. W.W. Norton & Company, 2000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flateyjarb\u00f3k. Volume I, II, III, IV.<\/em> Sigur\u00f0ur Nordal. Printverk Akraness H. F., 1944.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vatnad\u00e6la saga. <\/em>Valdimar \u00c1smundarson. Reykjav\u00edk: Sigur\u00f0ur Kristj\u00e1nsson, 1893. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Widsith.<\/em> Chambers, R. W. (ed.). Widsith: A Study in old English Heroic Legend<\/em>. Cambridge University Press, 1912.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondary literature<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aalto, Sirpa: „Alienness in Heimskringla. Special Emphasis on the Finnar<\/a>„. In: Rudolf Simek\/Judith Meurer (Hg.): Scandinavia and Christian Europe in the Middle Ages<\/em>. Bonn: Universit\u00e4t Bonn, 2003, pp. 1-7. Web.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Craig, Roland. „Hypermasculinity.“ In: Encyclopaedia Encyclopaedia of Race and Crime.<\/em> (Eds.) Helen Taylor Greene & Shaun L. Gabbidon. Thousand Oaks: SAGA Publications, 2009, pp. 2-4. Web. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hurme, Raija. Syv\u00e4oja, Malin. Syv\u00e4oja, Olli. Uusi Suomi-Englanti-Suur Sanakirja<\/em>. WSOY, 1984.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mosher, D. L. „Macho Men, Machismo, and Sexuality<\/a>„. In: Annual Review of Sex Research, Vol. 2 (1), 1991, pp. 199-247. Web. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moster, Stefan. \u201cFinnische Literatur.\u201d In: J\u00fcrg Glauser (ed.) Skandinavische Literaturgeschichte<\/em>. J.B. Metzler Verlag: Stuttgart. 2016, pp. 445-487.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P\u00e1lsson, Hermann. Oral tradition and saga writing<\/em>. Wien: Fassbaender 1999. Web.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Said, Edward. Culture and Imperialism<\/em>. Chatto, 1993.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty: The Spivak Reader<\/em>. Routledge, 1996.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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