The Resume

(April 9, 1802-March 19, 1884)
Born in Sammatti, Finland
Author, physician and botanist
Co-founded Finnish Literature Society (1831)
Compiled the Kalevala, the national epic of Finland (1835, 1849)
Also wrote 'Kantele' (1829), 'Kanteletar' (1840), 'Sananlaskuja' (1842), and 'Flora Fennica' (1860)
Compiled first Finnish-Swedish dictionary (1866-1880)
Wrote 'Flora Fennica' (1860), the first scientific work published in the Finnish language
Last name used as an author abbreviation in botany indicating an individual as the author when citing a botanical name
Died in Sammatti, Finland

Why he might be annoying:

He got married at the age of 47.
His wife was 21 years younger than him.
He financed his travel budget with money obtained from card playing.
He loved to drink heavily at times.
As a doctor, he often prescribed traditional methods of healing to his patients due to the expensive cost of medicine.
His academic work caused undesirable linguistic division within his own family, what with his son conversing to him in Finnish while his wife and daughters talked to him in Swedish.
Ironically, he spoke Finnish very rarely during his later years despite being considered the second father of written Finnish.
Some biographers criticized him for his lack of understanding of complex phenomena like theater, philosophy, and refined poetry.

Why he might not be annoying:

He was one of the first scholars to speak and write in both Swedish and Finnish.
He helped contribute to the establishment of a distinct Finnish identity.
His work in linguistics resulted in Finnish scientific words sounding Finnish rather than having Greek or Latin etymologies.
He eventually stopped drinking and founded Finland's first temperance society.
His son died of meningitis, one of his daughters died of diphtheria, and his wife and two of their daughters died of tuberculosis.
His university studies in Turku were disrupted by a fire that forced him to complete them in Helsinki. (1832)
The Kalevala inspired J. R. R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Silmarillion'.
It also inspired Jean Sibelius to compose 'Kullervo'. (1892)

Credit: Big Lenny

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• 19th Century Scientists
• An Asteroid was Named in My Honor (Ranked: 2243)
• Big Lenny's Profiles [Series 03]
• Breeders [Have 5 or More Kids] (Ranked: 5)
• Google Modified Its Logo For My Birthday (Google Doodles)
• I am Finnish
• I Died in the City I Was Born In
• I Named My Kid After Myself
• I Outlived My Child
• Look at me, I'm Busted
• My Spouse is at Least Ten Years Younger than Me
• Profiles 34501-34750 (Ranked: 34593)
• Scientists

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 34 Votes: 50.0% Annoying