Literary News: 2019 Nobel Prize in Literature

A Long-Awaited Return

By Gretchen Gales

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

After scandals and disagreements between the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Foundation Board of Directors disrupted the awarding of high literary merit, the Nobel Prize for Literature will once again be awarded for both 2018 and 2019. 
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In a press release, the Nobel Prize organization announced their intentions of bringing the prize back, adding that they are confident in the decisions made by the Academy and will continue to provide opportunities to restore trust between the two after a string of controversial events. 

This has not been the first instance where the Nobel Prize in Literature has been the subject of controversy. The award has been subject to criticism due overwhelming Eurocentrism in their final choices. In 2016, Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, receiving mixed reaction from the public. Lebanese author Rabih Alameddine tweeted his reaction to the award, saying "Bob Dylan winning a Nobel in Literature is like Mrs Fields being awarded 3 Michelin stars. This is almost as silly as Winston Churchill."

But discord truly broke out in 2018 when author Jean-Claude Arnault resigned in response to allegations of sexual misconduct involving ranging from the harassment and assault of 18 women. Additionally, board member Katarina Frostenson, who is married to Arnault, worked with Arnault to give out the names of potential prize recipients to friends in order to help close friends and allies make money from bets. As a result, Arnault was sent to prison on rape charges for two years. Further mistrust ensued when board secretary Sara Danius refused to take legal action against Arnault. She was asked to resign, bringing the number of people on the committee down four people in a short amount of time. 

The scandal led to the development of the New Academy Prize in Literature, which left voting up to the public for 2018. But even with a new prize, the demand for the return of a century-old tradition has been restored this year...hopefully without a hitch. 

Celebrate the prize's return by experiencng the works of past winners:
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