History Literature / TheTalesOfEnsignStal

%%* : Bullwhip for Otto von Fieandt.
%%* WarIsGlorious: Another theme of the book.

%%* UpperClassTwit: King Gustavus IV Adolphus.

%%* WeaponOfChoice: Bullwhip for Otto von Fieandt.

* PolishTheTurd: Runeberg attempts to make a lost war more glorious than it really was in the RealLife.

* ChildSoldier: and a particularly sad case: Soldier Boy.

* TheDeterminator: Sven Dufva.
* DumbMuscle: Sven Dufva.
* DumbIsGood: Sven Dufva.
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: Sven Dufva.
* GeneralFailure: Klingspor.
* AFatherToHisMen: Von Törne.

* EnsignNewbie: Wilhelm von Schwerin.

* MilitaryBrat: Soldier Boy.
* PatrioticFervor

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Lt. Col Drufva, von Konow.
* UpperClassTwit: King Gustavus IV Adolphus.
* WeaponOfChoice: Bullwhip for Otto von Fieandt.
* WarIsGlorious: Another theme of the book.

* AwesomeMcCoolname: Many characters have Swedish "soldier names" where the soldier was named after something military sounding or after something describing his personality. Ensign Stål's last name for example literally means "Steel."

* BadassGrandpa: The Old Man Warrior.

* {{Badass}}: Munter.

Than this — our fathers’ ground."''
--> -- First verse of "Our land", the book's prologue and later national anthem of Finland

''The Tales of Ensign Stål'' (Swedish title: Fänrik Ståls sägner, Finnish: Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat) is a Finnish collection of poems written in Swedish by the poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg and published in two parts, the first in 1848, the second in 1860. The poems tell the story of the disastrous Finnish war (1808-1809), a part of UsefulNotes/TheNapoleonicWars where the [[UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} Russian Empire]] defeated the Swedish armies and conquered UsefulNotes/{{Finland}}, which had been a part of UsefulNotes/{{Sweden}} since the middle ages. Finland would not become a independent nation until 1917, but during the Russian domination, both Finnish- and Swedish-speaking Finns developed a strong sense of nationalism. In the genre of this nationalistic Finnish literature, ''The Tales of Ensign Stål'' is second only to ''Literature/TheKalevala''.

The frame story of the book tells of a young, nameless Finnish student (implied to be a young Runeberg) who befriends an old ensign named Stål, who starts telling the man tales from the Finnish war. Some of the poems talk of real historical people, others about fictional characters. The main theme of the story is a nationalistic love of Finland and a celebration of the bravery of the soldiers in the war. Interestingly enough, the Russian enemies are not demonized, but Runeberg is instead deeply critical of some of the Swedish commanders like king Gustav IV Adolph, or field marshal Mauritz Klingspor, pretty much blaming the disastrous end of the war entirely on them.

!!!Contains examples of:
* AwesomeMcCoolname: Many characters have Swedish "soldier names" were the soldier was named after something military-sounding or after something describing his personality. Ensign Stål's last name for example literally means "Steel".
* {{Badass}}: Munter

** The boyfriend of Girl of the Croft, who has deserted because of her mother's advice

* DumbIsGood: Sven Dufva

* HeroicSacrifice: Many of the poems have this as a main theme, most famously ''Sven Dufva'' and ''The Cloud's Brother''.
* EnsignNewbie: Wilhelm von Schwerin
* MilitaryBrat: Soldier Boy

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Lt. Col Drufva, von Konow

* WeaponOfChoice: Bullwhip for Otto von Fieandt

* WhileRomeBurns: Field marshal Sandels, a BigEater who does not let reports of the Russian army moving in stop him from enjoying his breakfast. That is, until one of the messengers accuse him of being a coward, which makes him leap into action.

* YouShallNotPass: The book contains a classic and rather interesting example of this. One of the poems tell the story of the brave but incredibly stupid soldier Sven Dufva who, in the middle of a battle against the Russians misunderstands an order to retreat and instead attacks the enemies in front of him. He single-handedly manages to hold a bridge until reinforcements can arrive, sacrificing his life in the process.[[labelnote:*]]The general leading the reinforcements comments, upon examining his corpse, in a line made immortal in the Swedish language that the bullet made a wise choice: instead of hitting his weak head, it went through his brave heart.[[/labelnote]]

''The Tales of Ensign Stål'' (Swedish title: Fänrik Ståls sägner, Finnish: Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat) is a Finnish collection of poems written in Swedish by the poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg and published in two parts, the first in 1848, the second in 1860. The poems tell the story of the disastrous Finnish war (1808-1809), a part of the NapoleonicWars where the [[UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} Russian Empire]] defeated the Swedish armies and conquered UsefulNotes/{{Finland}}, which had been a part of UsefulNotes/{{Sweden}} since the middle ages. Finland would not become a independent nation until 1917, but during the Russian domination, both Finnish- and Swedish-speaking Finns developed a strong sense of nationalism. In the genre of this nationalistic Finnish literature, ''The Tales of Ensign Stål'' is second only to ''Literature/TheKalevala''.

* TearJerker: Wilhelm von Schwerin's death
* ValuesDissonance: "Soldier Boy". In the 19th century the poem was a representation of patriotic fervour; today it is seen as a sad tale of gung-ho militarism and ChildSoldiers.

* BerserkButton: For most characters, being called a coward is by far the worst insult imaginable. Also, God have mercy on the enemy who's salvoes ruined lieutenant colonel von Törne's new coat.

''The Tales of Ensign Stål'' (Swedish title: Fänrik Ståls sägner, Finnish: Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat) is a Finnish collection of poems written in Swedish by the poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg and published in two parts, the first in 1848, the second in 1860. The poems tell the story of the disastrous Finnish war (1808-1809), a part of the NapoleonicWars where the Russian empire defeated the Swedish armies and conquered Finland, which had been a part of Sweden since the middle ages. Finland would not become a independent nation until 1917, but during the Russian domination, both Finnish- and Swedish-speaking Finns developed a strong sense of nationalism. In the genre of this nationalistic Finnish literature, ''The Tales of Ensign Stål'' is second only to ''Literature/TheKalevala''.

* PolishingTheTurd: Runeberg attempts to make a lost war more glorious than it really was in the RealLife.

* Badass: Munter

* DumbIsGood: Sven Dufva.

* FramingDevice: The poems are all stories told by ensign Stål.

* YouShallNotPass: The book contains a classic and rather interesting example of this. One of the poems tell the story of the brave but incredibly stupid soldier Sven Dufva who, in the middle of a battle against the Russians misunderstands an order to retreat and instead attacks the enemies in front of him. He single-handedly manages to hold a bridge until reinforcements can arrive, sacrificing his life in the process.

* WarIsGlorious: Another theme of the book and possible source for discomfort to modern readers, who commonly hold different values.

''The Tales of Ensign Stål'' (Swedish title: Fänrik Ståls sägner, Finnish: Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat) is a Finnish collection of poems written in Swedish by the poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg and published in two parts, the first in 1848, the second in 1860. The poems tell the story of the disastrous Finnish war (1808-1809), a part of the NapoleonicWars where the Russian empire defeated the Swedish armies and conquered Finland, which had been a part of Sweden since the middle ages. Finland would not become a independent nation until 1917, but during the Russian domination, both Finnish- and Swedish-speaking Finns developed a strong sense of nationalism. In the genre of this nationalistic Finnish literature, ''The Tales of Ensign Stål'' is second only to ''TheKalevala''.

* AFatherToHisMen: Von Törne.

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The Tales of Ensign Stål (Swedish title: Fänrik Ståls sägner, Finnish: Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat) is a Finnish collection of poems written in Swedish by the poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg and published in two parts, the first in 1848, the second in 1860. The poems tell the story of the disastrous Finnish war (1808-1809), a part of the NapoleonicWars where the Russian empire defeated the Swedish armies and conquered Finland, which had been a part of Sweden since the middle ages. Finland would not become a independent nation until 1917, but during the Russian domination, both Finnish- and Swedish-speaking Finns developed a strong sense of nationalism. In the genre of this nationalistic Finnish literature, The Tales of Ensign Stål is second only to ''TheKalevala''.