This is the season of Nobel prizes. So far, the Nobel prize for Medicine, Physics, Peace and Literature have been declared. The Nobel Prize for Literature has been won by Norwegian author and playwright Jon Fosse of Norway for “his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable,” according to the Nobel Prize committee.
Conferred by the Swedish Academy, the Nobel Prizes are given “to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind”. In literature, The Nobel Prize is given for a body of work, not one specific title of the author.
Although at times controversial, the annually awarded prize helps to put focus on specific areas or parts of the world which may have been neglected.
The Nobel Prize for Literature identifies someone who has contributed to literary styles, genres, or innovative ways of speaking about human experiences. In 2016, for example, rock artist Bob Dylan won the prize in recognition of the literary quality of his lyrics which reflect “The American song tradition”. This award was not without controversy as many saw the award as going against the purity of literature which did not traditionally accept other forms like musical lyrics into its fold.
But, just as the of what is literary was stretched with the award to Dylan, other years offered challenging ways of understanding literature. The works of Derek Walcott, Toni Morrison, Seamus Heaney and Harold Pinter all showed how storytelling can assume different forms and media, but share the common concern for thoughts and feelings that bind all of humanity.
The Nobel Prize is not known for being ahead of the social curve. The first woman to win the prize, for example, was in 1909 with the next one in 1926, a gap of more than 15 years. After Rabindranath Tagore in 1915, Wole Soyinka was the first coloured person to win the award in 1986 and Toni Morrison the first Black woman awardee in 1993.
Clearly, awards follow international trends in social changes and perceptions. But in all cases, the awards are seen as ways to recognize and promote a group of writers whose voices had not yet been heard.
Naguib Mahfouz was the first Arab to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988 and with his win Arabic literature, especially the novel saw a new life in sales and readership. Mahfouz was followed by other Middle Eastern writers like Orhan Pamuk in 2006 and Abdulrazzaq Gurnah in 2021. Each one of the awards helped to recognize a different part of the world and raised the curiosity and interest of readers.
As Jon Fosse’s works show, one of the limitations of gaining recognition in literature is the absence of translation which would showcase a work for an international reader. But with an increase in readership and a rising market for translation, literary works from various parts of the world will continue to vie for international recognition.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
