What is the Nobel Prize in Literature actually? – It is the biggest literary award in the world, says Knut Hoem, literary critic at news. You can compare it to winning the World Cup in writing. The literature prize is awarded once a year, together with the other Nobel prizes: Physics, chemistry, medicine and peace. And this Swede started it all: When Alfred Nobel died in 1896, he bequeathed all his money to five international prizes. Photo: DSK / Afp Alfred Nobel was an engineer, chemist and inventor of dynamite. Yes, he also has these awards named after him. Not worst. Since 1901, they have been awarded almost every year. Who decides? In order to be allowed to nominate someone at all, you must be a university professor of literature, a former Nobel laureate or the head of a country’s writers’ organization. Or you have to be part of an exclusive, small club: Only 18 selected writers and cultural figures are members of the Swedish Academy, as the group is called. They are the ones who have the last word, and choose who gets the award. If you first set foot in here, you are in the academy for life. So you should enjoy reading. This group makes big decisions. Here from 2016. Photo: SOREN ANDERSSON / Afp And you can just forget to send in nominations via e-mail – here, letters are valid. What do you get? On Sunday, Jon Fosse will be the lucky owner of three things: A gold medal, a diploma from the King of Sweden and money. And it’s not just a little money we’re talking about. A whopping 11 million Swedish kroner will flow into Fosse’s account! With that money, he can afford to buy over 37,000 copies of his newest book, Kvitleik. If he should feel like it. Jon Fosse gets this on Sunday. Photo: news There is only one catch: You have to give a lecture to get the money. Fosse did that on Thursday – despite nervousness. Why is it such a big deal that Fosse gets him? It has been almost a hundred years since the last time a Norwegian received this award. Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Knut Hamsun and Sigrid Undset are the Norwegians Fosse can now compare himself to. See how easily he slips in: These Norwegians have received the Nobel Prize for literature throughout the ages. Photo: news Furthermore, Fosse is the first Nobel laureate to write in Nynorsk. – A prize for the Nynorsk, declared Fosse himself when the winner was announced. Those who receive the award tend to have their works translated into many languages. This way Fosse can get a more international audience. – There is no doubt that he elevates drama as a genre, says Ellisiv Lindkvist, chairman of the Dramatists’ Association. Jon Fosse is the first Nynorsk user to receive a Nobel Prize. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB What does it take to get him? Usually, the entire authorship is considered when the winner is chosen. And: – Everything is about quality. This is explained by Ellen Matteson from the Swedish Academy on Nobel’s website. She believes that such a talent is something one is born with. On 5 October it was announced that Jon Fosse will receive the Nobel Prize. Photo: AFP But the Swedish Academy has received criticism for not always choosing the right candidates. Henrik Ibsen, Lev Tolstoy and James Joyce are examples of famous authors who did not receive the award – even though they were alive when it was awarded. The prize has also received criticism for mainly awarding male European authors. Jon Fosse has managed something that even Ibsen couldn’t manage. Photo: news
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Everything you wonder about the Nobel Prize – news Culture and entertainment
