{"id":2041,"date":"2024-04-03T23:42:24","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T20:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/vetemaa\/"},"modified":"2024-04-04T00:05:32","modified_gmt":"2024-04-03T21:05:32","slug":"vetemaa","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/v\/vetemaa\/","title":{"rendered":"Enn Vetemaa"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tPoems<\/span><\/strong><\/a> \"Enn<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tNovels<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tShort stories and novellas<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tPlays<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tNon-fiction<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAbout Enn Vetemaa<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\n<\/p>\n

Enn Vetemaa (1936\u20132017) was a prolific and versatile writer and composer. He was mostly known as a prosaist and playwright. In addition to being entertaining, one will find surprising games with genre boundaries and stylistic registers in his work. The core of his oeuvre raises compelling social and ethical questions, which are characteristically handled with humor.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tEnn Vetemaa was born in Tallinn and attended the 22nd Secondary School there. He graduated from Tallinn Polytechnical Institute (1954\u20131959) with a degree in chemical engineering and then completed his studies of music composition at Tallinn National Conservatoire (1960\u20131965). His more permanent jobs included senior editor at ETV (1965\u20131969), where he was also chief editor of the literature and art programs, poetry consultant for the Writers\u2019 Union (1969-1976), and chairman of the publishing house Kupar (1989-1996). Vetemaa was also connected with politics. In 1966, he became a member of the Communist Party, but once Estonia regained independence, he joined the Moderates and later the Social Democratic Party. Vetemaa became a member of the Estonian Writers\u2019 Union in 1966. He focused more on composing in the 1990s (and became a member of the Estonian Composers\u2019 Union in 1994). In 2001, Enn Vetemaa was awarded the Order of the White Star, IV Class. He also won the annual Juhan Smuul Literary Prize in 1973, 1975, and 1976.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tVetemaa debuted as a poet. His first two poetry collections, H\u00e4\u00e4lemurre<\/em> (\u2018Voice Change\u2019, 1962) and Lumes\u00f5da<\/em> (\u2018Snowball Fight\u2019, 1966) were published as parts of poetry cassettes and stood out for their humor and vocabular virtuosity. Toward the middle of the 1960s, Vetemaa began to write novellas, and in the 1970s, he focused more on drama. From the mid-1980s until the end of his life, he published more voluminous novels for entertainment, but again also poetry collections. Vetemaa wrote librettos, lyrics for vocal music, screenplays and articles on an ongoing basis.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tVetemaa\u2019s panoply of space-times is very broad, ranging from the boundaries of a closed space (e.g., a hospital) to a spacious contemporary and mythological space-time as well as from medieval fictional worlds (Risti rahvas<\/em> (\u2018Nation of the Cross\u2019), Krati nimi oli Peetrus<\/em> (\u2018The name of the kratt was Peetrus\u2019)) to the activities taking place in the future.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAlready in his first and most renowned work of prose Monument<\/em> (1965), Vetemaa discusses the drawbacks of the prevailing mentalities of modern times, such as careerism and double standards. Via the first-person narrator\u2019s internal monologue, the reader becomes a direct part of the deviation of his ethical orientation. This new kind of style influenced the literary scene of that time, causing something of a stir in its reception. Criticism of careerism also appeared in H\u00f5bedaketrajad<\/em> (\u2018Silver Spinners\u2019, 1977), a novel about the making of a film. Both pieces touch upon the subversion of artistic purity by realpolitik<\/em>. The play Nukum\u00e4ng<\/em> (\u2018Puppet Game\u2019) investigates the ethics of science through criticism of careerism. Vetemaa also observed the problem of ethical double standards in \u00d5htus\u00f6\u00f6k viiele<\/em> (\u2018Dinner for Five\u2019, 1972), a psychological drama about a marriage in crisis. This play also made the author a well-known drama writer.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tMany of Vetemaa\u2019s works deal with relationships between the past and present: the impact of tragic events on the psyche and conscience. In the novella Pillimees<\/em> (\u2018The Musician\u2019, 1967), the internal monologue depicts memories haunting the character of unsolicited codes of conduct during the Stalin era. Likewise, in the novella V\u00e4ike reekviem suupillile<\/em> (\u2018Small Requiem for a Harmonica\u2019, 1968), the action develops in a church during German occupation, where men in hiding face shadows of the past. The religious setting only deepens the question of responsibility in that novella. In the play Roosiaed<\/em> (\u2018Rose Garden\u2019, 1976), the influence of war is also touched upon, however as time passes, this manifests itself within the attitudes and relationships of the mentally ill working in the rose garden. The novel M\u00f6biuse leht<\/em> (\u2018M\u00f6bius Strip\u2019, 1985, 1990) examines the interrelated connections between the past and present in the psyches of a man who has lost his memory and his doctor. In his dystopias such as Tulnuk<\/em> (\u2018Alien\u2019, written from 1971-1972, but not published until 1987 because of problems with censorship), Neitsist s\u00fcndinud<\/em> (\u2018Born of a Virgin\u2019, 2001) and S\u00f5idavad Eelija tulisel vankril<\/em> (\u2018They Ride in Elijah\u2019s Fiery Chariot\u2019, 2016) as well as the play J\u00e4lle h\u00e4da m\u00f5istuse p\u00e4rast<\/em> (\u2018Woe from Wit, again\u2019, 1975), Vetemaa speculates about dangerous political and scientific developments of the future.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAn integral part of Vetemaa\u2019s work is its humor, which varies from empathic benevolent jokes to bitter irony. Besides mocking careerists, Vetemaa makes fun of characters who lack the ability to adequately judge themselves. The novella Munad Hiina moodi<\/em> (\u2018Eggs Chinese Style\u2019, 1969) is narrated in the form of diary, where the egocentric self-image of a man in a cancer hospital is developed, but ironically the tragedy turns out to be a farce once the illness proves to be an illusion. Vetemaa\u2019s humor often works by embedding mythological themes into mundane, demythologizing context. In Kalevipoja m\u00e4lestused<\/em> (\u2018Memoirs of Kalevipoeg\u2019, 1971), Kalevipoeg analyzes his life in an unusually critical and trivial manner so that it loses its epic greatness and gives birth to a travesty. Such an approach also helps Vetemaa play with genres. For example, the strict form of popular science merges with the freedoms of fiction in his works Eesti n\u00e4kiliste v\u00e4lim\u00e4\u00e4raja<\/em> (\u2018A Field Guide to Estonian Mermaids\u2019, 1983) and Eesti luupainaja aabits<\/em> (\u2018The ABC of Estonian Nightmares\u2019, 1993). The play P\u00fcha Susanna ehk Meistrite kool<\/em> (\u2018St Susanna, or, the Masters\u2019 School\u2019), in which a conflict arising between an older woman and two self-serving repairmen in a way symbolizes the battle between good and evil, is considered to be Vetemaa\u2019s best comedy.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I. S. (Translated by M. M.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Books in Estonian<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tPoems<\/em><\/strong>
H\u00e4\u00e4lemurre: luuletusi 1958\u20131962<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Riiklik Kirjastus, 1962, 47 lk. [Osa luulekassetist \u2018Noored autorid 1962\u2019 koos Paul-Eerik Rummo, Mats Traadi, Linda Ruudi ja Arvi Siiaga.]
Paul-Eerik Rummo, Lumevalgus \u2026 lumepimedus<\/strong>; Enn Vetemaa, Lumes\u00f5da<\/strong>. Tallinn: Perioodika (Loomingu Raamatukogu<\/span><\/span><\/span>), 1966, 46 lk. [Tirelraamat.]<\/span><\/span><\/span>
Varas\u00fcgise aiad<\/strong>. Tallinn; Kupar, 1996, 63 lk.
K\u00fclimit<\/strong>. Tallinn: Kirjastuskeskus, 2011, 105 lk.
Hambad viskiklaasis<\/strong>. \u00dche m\u00f6\u00f6dunud sajandi mehe v\u00e4rsse: 2013\u20132014. Tallinn: T\u00e4nap\u00e4ev, 2015, 108 lk.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tNovels<\/em><\/strong>
H\u00f5bedaketrajad<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1977, 156 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: Tallinn, Kuldsulg, 1999, 155 lk.]
M\u00f6biuse leht<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1985, 255 lk.
M\u00f6biuse leht. 2<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1990, 286 lk.
Risti rahvas<\/strong>. Tallinn: Kupar, 1994, 465 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: Tallinn: Kirjastuskeskus, 2011, 591 lk.]
\u201eV\u00e4egade noobel kooljas\u2026\u201c (nentis vanem laibakandur): romaan kriminaalsete ja viroloogiliste all\u00fc\u00fcridega<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1996, 188 lk.
Risti rahvas II<\/strong>. Tallinn: Kupar, 1998, 372 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: Tallinn: Kirjastuskeskus, 2011, 591 lk.]
Neitsist s\u00fcndinud<\/strong>. Tallinn: T\u00e4nap\u00e4ev, 2001, 435 lk.
Minu v\u00e4ga magus elu, ehk Martsipanimeister<\/strong>. Tallinn: T\u00e4nap\u00e4ev, 2002, 205 lk.
Vaba Vaimu Vennaskond, ehk, Vanah\u00e4rrade kummalised r\u00f5\u00f5mud<\/strong>. Tallinn: T\u00e4nap\u00e4ev, 2006, 531 lk.
Akadeemik Gustav Naani hiilgus ja viletsus<\/strong>. Tallinn: T\u00e4nap\u00e4ev, 2011, 503 lk.
S\u00f5idavad Eelija tulisel vankril<\/strong>. Tallinn: T\u00e4nap\u00e4ev, 2016, 382 lk.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tShort stories<\/em><\/strong>
Monument<\/strong>. Tallinn: Perioodika, 1965, 76 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: \u2019V\u00e4ike romaaniraamat\u2019, Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1968, 216 lk; 3. tr\u00fckk: \u2019Monument. Pillimees\u2019, Tallinn: Eesti P\u00e4evaleht: Akadeemia, 2009, 186 lk.]
Pillimees<\/strong>. Tallinn: Perioodika, 1967, 76 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: \u2019V\u00e4ike romaaniraamat\u2019, Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1968, 216 lk; 3. tr\u00fckk: \u2019Monument. Pillimees\u2019, Tallinn: Eesti P\u00e4evaleht: Akadeemia, 2009, 186 lk.]
V\u00e4ike romaaniraamat<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1968, 216 lk. [Sisu: \u2019Monument\u2019, \u2019Pillimees\u2019, \u2019V\u00e4ike reekviem suupillile\u2019.]
V\u00e4ike romaaniraamat. 2<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti raamat, 1972, 254 lk. [Sisu: \u2019Kalevipoja m\u00e4lestused\u2019, \u2019Munad hiina moodi\u2019.]
Eesti n\u00e4kiliste v\u00e4lim\u00e4\u00e4raja<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1983, 144 lk<\/span>. [2. tr\u00fckk: Talllinn: Kirjastuskeskus, 2004, 198 lk.]
Ah soo\u2026. V\u00f5i nii\u2026!!!<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1984, 175 lk.
Kalevipoja m\u00e4lestused<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1985, 96 lk. [1. tr\u00fckk: \u2019V\u00e4ike romaaniraamat. 2\u2019, Tallinn: Eesti raamat, 1972, 254 lk; 3. tr\u00fckk: Tallinn: E. Vetemaa, 2001, 221 lk.]
Tulnuk<\/strong>. Tallinn: Perioodika, 1987. 111 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: \u2019Tulnuk. Munad Hiina moodi\u2019, Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1988, 297 lk.]
Krati nimi oli Peetrus<\/strong>. Tallinn: Kupar, 1991, 237 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: Tallinn: Kirjastuskeskus, 2007, 207 lk.]
Pomm Eesti peaministrile: uudisjutt<\/strong>. Tallinn: Kupar, 1992, 125 lk.
Eesti luupainaja-aabits<\/strong>. Tallinn: Kupar, 1993, 110 lk.
Rott Romulus Paburitski t\u00e4navast: koguperejutt<\/strong>. Tallinn: E. Vetemaa, 2011, 247 lk. [Lastejutt.]<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tPlays<\/em><\/strong>
P\u00fcha Susanna, ehk Meistrite kool: kom\u00f6\u00f6dia (kus juhutub ka imesid) 3 vaatuses ja 5 pildis<\/strong>. Tallinn: Perioodika, 1974, 64 lk.
J\u00e4lle h\u00e4da m\u00f5istuse p\u00e4rast<\/strong>. Tallinn: Perioodika, 1975, 60 lk.
Roosiaed<\/strong>: n\u00e4idend kahes vaatuses ja kolmes pildis. Tallinn: Perioodika, 1976, 56 lk.
V\u00e4ike n\u00e4idendiraamat<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1977, 156 lk. [Sisu: \u2019\u00d5htus\u00f6\u00f6k viiele\u2019, \u2019P\u00fcha Susanna ehk Meistrite kool\u2019, \u2019J\u00e4lle h\u00e4da m\u00f5istuse p\u00e4rast\u2019.]
J\u00e4lle P\u00fcha Susanna, ehk Armastuse Kool: kom\u00f6\u00f6dia kahes vaatuses proloogi ja epiloogiga<\/strong>. Tallinn: Perioodika, 1978, 55 lk.
V\u00e4ike n\u00e4idendiraamat. 2<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1979, 144 lk. [Sisu: \u2019Illuminatsioonid kerav\u00e4lgule ja \u00fcheksale n\u00e4itlejale\u2019, \u2019Roosiaed\u2019, \u2019J\u00e4lle P\u00fcha Susanna ehk Armastuse kool\u2019.]
V\u00e4ike n\u00e4idendiraamat. 3<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1981, 184 lk. [Sisu: \u2019Nukum\u00e4ng\u2019; \u2019Taaniel\u2019; \u2019Ikka veel P\u00fcha Susanna ehk Noorpaaride kool\u2019.]
Tuul Ol\u00fcmposelt tuhka t\u00f5i\u2026: ohudraama 2 vaatuses<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1987, 54 lk.
V\u00e4ike n\u00e4idendiraamat. 4<\/strong>. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 2000, 261 lk. [Sisu: \u2019Trellhotell\u2019, \u2019L\u00f5ppm\u00e4ng\u2019, \u2019Kalosseum\u2019, \u2019Vend Kristofer\u2019.]
V\u00e4ike n\u00e4idendiraamat. 5<\/strong>. Tallinn: Kirjastuskeskus, 2006, 168 lk. [Sisu: \u2019Polaarid\u00fcll\u2019, \u2019\u00d5dus \u00f5htupoolik Bagdadis\u2019, \u2019Keyserling lindpriiks \u2013 Kingissepp kohtum\u00f5istjaks\u2019, \u2019Soolane kom\u00f6\u00f6dia\u2019.]
V\u00e4ike n\u00e4idendiraamat. 6<\/strong>. Tallinn: Kirjastuskeskus, 2009, 277 lk. [Sisu: \u2019Gustav Naani hiilgus ja viletsus\u2019, \u2019Sofia\u2019, \u2019\u00dchek\u00e4eline bandiit\u2019, \u2019V\u00f5\u00f5ras\u2019.]<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tScreenplays<\/em><\/strong>
V\u00e4ike reekviem suupillile: re\u017eiistsenaarium<\/strong>. Tallinn: Tallinnfilm, 1972, 237 lk.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tNon-fiction<\/em><\/strong>
Maui on parim! Reisiraamat<\/strong>. Tallinn: Kupar, 1997, 196 lk.
Tunneli l\u00f5pus ootab puus\u00e4rk<\/strong>. Tallinn: E. Vetemaa, 1999, 105 lk. [Raamat narkootikumidest ja narkomaaniast.]
Jaak Urmet, Enn Vetemaa, Mees nagu saksofon<\/strong>. Tallinn: T\u00e4nap\u00e4ev, 2012, 216 lk. [Jaak Urmeti intervjuu Enn Vetemaaga.]
\u00dcle\u00f5lapilguheit<\/strong>. Tallinn: T\u00e4nap\u00e4ev, 2014, 413 lk. [M\u00e4lestused.]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Poems Novels Short stories and novellas Plays Non-fiction About Enn Vetemaa Enn Vetemaa (1936\u20132017) was a prolific and versatile writer and composer. He was mostly known as a prosaist and playwright. In addition to being entertaining, one will find surprising …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":0,"parent":733,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2041","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2041"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2041\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3031,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2041\/revisions\/3031"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}