Anna Liisa

Canth's second tragedy deals with a conservative Finnish village, and events that transpire surrounding the discovery of a newborn's murder by the titular character, Anna-Liisa.

Anna-Liisa eventually ends up revealing the past event publicly, is absolved of her sins by the village parson, and willingly accepts her punishments of social repercussions and imprisonment by the sheriff.

The play is a departure from Canth's usual positivistic realism in that there is a deus ex machina, or a sudden resolution to a seemingly unsolvable problem, in the third act through Anna-Liisa being morally redeemed.

Hollingshaus postulates that Canth's difficult decision is apparent in this play as the contrast between the strict moral code of Finnish peasants and the reality of life.

Hollingshaus also suggests that Anna-Liisa's redemption at the end of the play draws a duality between herself and the protagonist, as Canth believed that her decision to become a mother rather than a teacher would be judged by God on her 'judgement day'.