The Ostrobothnians
Synopsis
Synopsis
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### Act 1

Antti Hanka, a young freehold farmer, awaits trial for having stabbed a cobbler who insulted his fiancée, Maija Harri. Returning from the [remand prison](/wiki/Remand_prison "Remand prison") in [Vaasa](/wiki/Vaasa "Vaasa") and transported to the Harri farm by Maija's father, Antti—shackled and dressed in prisoner's garb—sings the folk song *Tuuli se taivutti koivun larvan* (*The Wind Bent the Birch*). Maija, who is nervous to meet Antti and has gone into the woods, overhears her beloved's sorrowful song. Her brother Jussi, the young master of the Harri farm, retrieves her and arranges for the two lovers to meet alone. Maija struggles with her emotions: having recently converted to [Pietism](/wiki/Pietism "Pietism"), she has renounced everything material but nonetheless still feels love for Antti and concern for his well\-being. She begs him to repent his sins; he refuses, saying that it was incumbent upon him to defend her honor.

As an interlude, the focus shifts to two farmhands, Kaappo and Salttu, who have been drinking on the job and, thoroughly inebriated, are wallowing in self\-pity. The arrival of the Sheriff interrupts the revelry. Although the Ostrobothnian farmers despise him for his brutal and oppressive tactics, they all nonetheless remove their hats out of deference to the law. The Sheriff demands to see Antti's travel paperwork, which Jussi comes forward to provide, but without removing his hat. Offended, the Sheriff strikes his whip, knocking Jussi's hat to the ground. Jussi, however, manages to grab the whip and defiantly breaks it in half. The sheriff departs, threatening reprisals for any future insolence.

### Act 2

Liisa, a young servant girl at the Harri farm, pines for the brave Jussi; gradually she makes her feelings known to him. Jussi, with growing awareness of Liisa's beauty and innocence, begins to spend more time with her and soon their relationship deepens into love. Antti, who has been at court for sentencing, returns to the farm and announces that he has been convicted and ordered to prison. Maija, devastated, decides God's will cannot be for Antti to spend his life behind bars, and she persuades him to go [on the lam](/wiki/On_the_lam "On the lam"). The village people have assembled on the Harri farm for dancing, but the arrival of a gang of ruffians interrupts the merrymaking. The men seek to plunder the farm, but withdraw when their leader, Köysti, loses in a wrestling match with Jussi. The victory is short\-lived, when Jussi and the others discover that, during the fighting, Antti has disappeared. The act ends with the villagers searching for the escaped convict.

### Act 3

Jussi and Liisa's love continues to blossom, and they begin to plan their wedding. Word of Antti's escape has reached the Sheriff, who returns to the Harri farm to interrogate the Ostrobothnians and sniff out the fugitive's confederates; accompanying the Sheriff is the Scribe, Lay Judge, and Bailiff. Kaappo is the first to be brought before the Sheriff; intimidated and confused, the farmhand provides false testimony that he last saw Antti drinking with Jussi. Kaisa, a motherly tenant of the Harri farm, provides far more resistance when she is questioned; her strategy of [circumlocution](/wiki/Circumlocution "Circumlocution") enrages the Sheriff and he orders her out. After Kaisa departs, the Sheriff orders the Scribe to retrieve Jussi; he draws his whip from the side of his boot, itching for a fight.

The accused is brought before the Sheriff and after a brief sham trial, Jussi is handcuffed—his protestations of innocence notwithstanding—and taken into a backroom. The Lay Judge warns the Sheriff not to abuse his power and flout the law, but the Sheriff pushes past him and enters the room. Inside the Sheriff whips Jussi, seeking a confession. Their confrontation eventually spills into the main hall, where Jussi laments that he has been "beaten like a dog, like an old horse". He warns the Sheriff to stay away from him, but when he nonetheless advances, Jussi breaks his shackles and brandishes his knife. The Sheriff draws his revolver and fires two shots at Jussi, who nevertheless manages to stab the Sheriff to death. Although mortally wounded, Jussi's death is not immediate. Erkki, Maija (who confesses to being Antti's actual abettor), and Liisa each take a turn lamenting Jussi's fate. He drops to his knees and describes his vision: the oppressors are vanquished and the Ostrobothnians are slaves no longer. He asks Liisa to close his eyes, and her grief\-stricken face is the last he ever sees.


How does the story explore the themes of love, loyalty, and sacrifice?