Nathional anthems and characterisation in Hetalia

[drcalvin]

I noticed a couple of things when I looked up various national anthems - some of them seem to match their nation-tan really well. Has anyone else noticed this? Do you think it's just coincidence or something Hidekaz used as inspiration for creating his characters?

Comments

[mwuuh]

Norway:
"Yes, we love this country
as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, above the sea,
with the thousands of homes.
Love, love it and think
of our father and mother
and the saga night that sends
dreams to our earth.
(repeat the last two lines)"
Or so Wikipedia says. I've never really thought of the lyrics before. Uh, feel free to interpret? I sense there's something mystical about the two last lines. "Love and think of our father and mother"? Now I haven't seen Norway's parents, but since apparently he considers Iceland to be his brother, we could quickly change "mother and father" into "brother", and then it would fit. ♥ Oh, Iceland.
(Oh, hey, look, they made an English version, too. Why haven't I seen this before?)

[drcalvin]

The old saga motif in the end of the first part fits well with Norway's troll companion (or whatever that thing is)

[m_clancy]

Also, don't forget that Norway refer to both Denmark and Sweden as his 'brothers'.

The enemy threw away his weapon,
up the visor went,
we, in wonder, to him hastened,
because he was our brother. (Sweden)
Driven forth to a stand by shame
we went to the south; (Denmark in the South)
now we three brothers stand united,
and shall stand like that!

[mwuuh]

Oh! That's lovely!
Hehe, I didn't notice it before. I've sung all the verses, like, once. But I love this. Lovely~

[nighteevee]

I'm actually pretty sure that the "father and mother" line is just a reinforcement of all that pretty nationalism, as an extra reminder that "our forefathers were Norwegians, not Danes/Swedes/Germans/Fjellfinns". Particularly with the previous placement of the "home" directly into the landscape there, and we all know that the only thing Norway ever has had going for him was the mountains. go figure that fandom was what it would take to make me want to do a full-fledged analysis of it :/

[mwuuh]

(snicker)
Ah, you interpret it better than me, hahaha. That was great.
Also, I love your icon.