Eesti teema soome kirjanduses: Sofi Oksaneni romaan "Puhastus"
The Estonian Theme in Finnish Literature – „Purge” by Sofi Oksanen

Summary/Abstract: the article discusses the novel Purge by a popular Finnish author sofi Oksanen who has used Estonian subject matter. the reception of the book in Finland and Estonia is compared pointing out the differences in readers’ and critics’ opinions. the image of Estonian history offered by Oksanen (who has Estonian roots, but has been raised in Finland) in „Purge” is described, as well as a young woman’s quest for her identity between Finland and Estonia as depicted in her novel „stalin’s Cows”. some parallels are drawn between Oksanen’s writing and Finnish literature (mika Waltari’ historical novels) and Estonian literature (Ene mihkelson’s „the Plague Grave”, Eeva Park’s „a trap in Infinity”). sofi Oksanen is a Finnish author who speaks out with a courage and poignancy unusual in the Finnish society, laying bare violence, totalitarianism and hypocrisy. as one of the compilers of the essay collection „Fear Behind us all” she has helped to expose the crimes of soviet regime and their consequences for Estonia. there followed a polemics in Finnish media, where Oksanen stood out as an ardent advocate of Estonia, which must have strengthened her Estonian identity. In the article sofi Oksanen is associated with another Finnish writer aino kallas, whose oeuvre was also strongly based on Estonian subjects and who also wrote about the violence of an occupying (German) power against Estonians. Like aino kallas, sofi Oksanen is an author who wishes to win readers everywhere, not just in Finland or Estonia. they both share an intention to create symbolic or mythological stories of the Estonian past, wound around eternal themes such as love, sexuality, violence and injustice.

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