When you're trying to do serious research into the political history of Finland but your enemies are 19th century writers and modern historians so the entire thing ends up sounding like sufin and rusfin drama.
"Sweden and Finland were more like a love marriage while Sweden and Norway union was more like a marriage of convenience" - a swedish researcher in a documentary
"Finland was like a kidnapped bride forced into a marriage against her will", "Swedes acted like a jealous ex-husband who wished ill will for his ex-wives new marriage with his hated rival", "Finland was like a mistress who liked to show off her new bling she got from her new man" - a bunch of 19th century writers about Finnish autonomy
"And then Finland had an adventurous single life and open relationships with the Nordics, Baltics and Germany before ending up in a miserable relationship with Soviet Union" - a book about the separation between Sweden and Finland after 1809
I had to share this with someone who might appreciate it since it's just too funny that people were writing personified country drama in 19th century as analogs for what was happening in politics
People LOVE to anthropomorphize and humanize concepts. We’ve been doing it throughout history; from propaganda posters, national motifs in art, to political cartoons and satirical illustrations. Humanized countries have always existed, and they will always exist. Whenever you see people saying “they reinvent Hetalia every couple of years” honestly it isn’t much of a stretch. I’m constantly seeing new takes on country personifications, and people clearly find them entertaining.
Personifying concepts helps us understand and relate to them. Of course, it also simplifies complex realities and assigns human traits to things that aren’t human at all, which can be a slippery slope. But as long as we recognize that it is a simplification, there’s no reason they can’t be a creative and entertaining way to engage with bigger ideas (or even get introduced to them).
ANYWAY, I do have my fair share of trust issues with Swedish historians lol, but these interpretations are definitely interesting. I can see why they chose those examples and imo, they do a good job of conveying the overall situation. But my sociology brain is immediately drawn to the fact that they so universally decide to portray Finland as a feminine figure, like they're clearly articulating the nation's struggles through womanhood. Maybe the association is rooted in ideas of dependency, vulnerability and oppression, and those qualities are being mapped onto femininity here. Also the language, e.g. using the term "kidnap" is interesting, considering that the Finnish estates universally pledged loyalty to Russia in 1809. Hmm, is the Swedish ex really not at any fault here? But yeah, when you read Swedish sources or perspectives on the matter, there’s a heavy use of “the one that got away” language. There is a persistent, almost unspoken idea that if only things had unfolded slightly differently, we might still be happily together.
Honestly, I'd read these 19th century authors sufin/rusfin fanfic on AO3, drop the link!!!
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