The Kalevala is regarded as the national epic of Karelia and Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature. The Kalevala was instrumental in the development of the Finnish national identity and the intensification of Finland's language strife that ultimately led to Finland's independence from Russia in 1917. The work is also well-known internationally and has partly influenced, for example, the Middle-earth mythology created by J. R. R. Tolkien.