– When I went to secondary school, it happened suddenly. The teacher asked me to read aloud. And as if out of nowhere, suddenly a terror came over me that completely overwhelmed me. This is how Fosse started the Nobel lecture, which many people have associated with great excitement. There has been speculation as to whether Nynorsk would be the topic of the lecture. But two sentences into “Eit taus språk” it became clear that Fosse wanted to tell how the authorship started. Paradoxically, it was the fear of reading aloud that set it all in motion. Jon Fosse defied his own fears when he read aloud to the whole world. Photo: Reuters – This fear of reading aloud followed me on. I learned something important about people from this experience. And I learned many other things. Yes, in fact, probably also something that means that today I can stand and read aloud to an assembly. And now almost completely without fear, said Fosse. The editor of Fosse: – An incredibly beautiful moment Jon Fosse’s editor at Samlaget, Cecilie Seiness, was in the room during the lecture. – It was an incredibly moving, beautiful and lovely moment, she told news shortly after Fosse had finished. An expectant group from Samlaget shortly before Jon Fosse entered the stage on Thursday afternoon. Editor and Fosse biographer Cecilie Seiness on the left. Photo: Privat As editor, Seiness had already read the text. The tension was therefore mostly linked to how the performance itself was going to go. – Was a little excited about whether he was going to be able to take it. After all, he also starts the whole presentation by talking about how he doesn’t like reading aloud. So we were excited about how it was going to go, but it went so well, says Seiness enthusiastically. The editor says that over twenty people from the publisher were in Stockholm to take part in the Nobel weekend. – This is historic, she said before she had to jump on a bus that was to take them to the Norwegian embassy in Stockholm for more recognition of the Nobel Prize winner. Hoem: – Rørande Literary critic at news, Knut Hoem, was in Stockholm to follow the Nobel lecture. – It was touching to hear the story of how it all started. And it started, paradoxically enough, with a junior high school student who is terrified when he is asked to read aloud. From that, Fosse came to the conclusion that he would rather write, says Hoem. – If there is anything we can learn from it, it is that oral medicine is not for everyone. In any case, not if you are of the type that Jon Fosse is. The target group hoped Nynorsk would be the theme In October, Fosse singled out Nynorsk as the actual Nobel Prize winner, rather than his own authorship. Therefore, Norges Mållag hoped that Fosse would devote his speaking time to highlighting the New Norwegian language. But it didn’t turn out that way. – I had hoped for that, but I still thought the lecture was very good, strong, personal and interesting about his writing. Norges Mållag had high expectations that Fosse would highlight Nynorsk in the lecture. – We hope that he will point out the language, how important it has been for him and his writing, said leader Peder Lofnes Hauge on Wednesday, the day before the lecture. Photo: Tuva Åserud / Photographer Tuva Åserud news asked Lofnes Hauge the day before the lecture if he would be disappointed if Nynorsk was not the topic. – Well, haha. If he doesn’t do it, there will probably be plenty of opportunities for Fosse to do it later, said the leader of Norway’s Target Team at the time. Hopes the admission will not affect him Towards the end of the approximately 20-minute long lecture, Fosse went into how he has reacted to criticism over the years. – My first books received rather bad criticism, and I decided that I should not listen to the critics, I should trust myself, and stick to what I believe. Later I mostly got good reviews, and I even started getting awards. Fosse emphasized this line of thinking that he wished to continue with. – I believe it is true to say that I will be able to do it myself after receiving the Nobel Prize, said Fosse and made the venerable Börssalen chuckle. Fosse receives applause from the audience. His supporting players from Samlaget sit in the background of the author. Photo: AFP Had to give the lecture to keep the millions Fosse has turned down several Nobel events. But Jon Fosse is forced to give this lecture, says Hoem. – The Nobel Prize winner is obliged to give the lecture, otherwise he or she will not be paid the 11 million kroner that this prize consists of. On Sunday, the award will be formally presented, but already in November it was revealed that he does not want to participate in several of the events connected to this weekend. This, he explained to VG, was because larger social gatherings do not give him any pleasure. – Fosse not the type to travel from stage to stage The day before Fosse gave the lecture, editor Seiness told news that she was looking forward to seeing the author perform in such a setting. – It will be exciting to see Jon Fosse in that context in the venerable Börssalen in Stockholm. He is well prepared, but I also think he is afraid. Seiness emphasized that the author is not the type who has previously traveled from stage to stage to talk about his literature, but that he had plenty of time to become as confident as possible. – He has had two months to prepare. Samlaget and Cecilie Seiness (left) cheered when it dawned on them that Jon Fosse had been awarded the Nobel Prize. Photo from 5 October. Photo: Ida Yasin Andersen / news Hope he didn’t faint by Knut Hoem, who reported from Stockholm both before and after the lecture, said that he woke up with butterflies in his stomach today because this lecture is so big. – It is an absolutely incredible honor for an author. I think Fosse was happy about this opportunity to highlight what he wants in connection with his authorship. But with the great era also comes expectations and pressure. The literary critic Seiness, as editor, was excited about how Fosse would cope with the presentation. – I have seen Jon Fosse be nervous when he was supposed to read texts in a basement at Voss, so I am excited about how he will cope with this, Hoem told news the day before the lecture. Jon Fosse at Frekhaug quay in October, shortly after he heard that he would be awarded the Nobel Prize. Photo: Stian Sørum Røkenes / news Since Fosse is not particularly fond of the stage lights, Knut Hoem envisioned the worst possible scenario during the important performance: That Fosse would pass out. Hoem himself fainted during a lecture and used the opportunity the day before to come up with his best preventive tips: – I hope Fosse has a good time before he goes on, and take a glass of water with him to the lectern, he says with a twinkle in eye. It is unknown whether Fosse received the tips from right Hoem in advance.
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Jon Fosse began the Nobel lecture by telling about his lifelong fear of reading aloud – news Culture and entertainment
