In Symbol of Dawn Madli Puhvel presents the story of the life and times of Lydia Koidula to English-speaking readers. Koidula, who lived in the latter half of the 19th century, was the first great poet to write in Estonian. At the time, it was still considered vulgar in the Baltic provinces for a woman to have her name appear in print and her poems were published anonymously. An admiring contemporary dubbed the author with the nom de plume «Koidula», a name which in Estonian has connotations of «dawn». That name became universally recognized by Estonians who learned her patriotic poems at school These were inspirational messages advocating ethnic pride and love of native land to a people who were just emerging from over 600 years of serfdom.
In her personal life the poet was plagued by depression. In this she shared the fate of many intellectually gifted women who lived during times when intellect in women was largely deplored. Her nom de plume was well known during her lifetime, but real recognition came largely posthumously. Today she is considered Estonia's national heroine, a woman whose portrait adorns currency and postage stamps.