Undressing the maid : gender, sexuality and the body in the construction of the Finnish nation

This study analyzes how the imaginary Finnish Maid (Suomi-neito) was used to construct the Finnish nation at the turn of the 20th century. It focuses on gender, femininity and masculinity, sexuality and body as well as on the images of virginity, bridehood and sexual violence. The study argues that Finnish male intellectuals saw the Finnish nation as their female beloved, a potential bride, but that they did not get her and the Finnish Maid remained an eternal virgin. In addition, the Finnish Maid was seen as being raped by the Russians. The materials analyzed in this study consist of caricatures, poems and national monuments.