STOCKHOLM — Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy announced on Thursday. Carson is recognized for her distinctive body of work that seamlessly combines classical antiquity with modern sensibilities.
The award comes as the Nobel Prize week concludes, following the announcement of laureates in science and medicine earlier in the week. The medicine prize was shared by three scientists whose research led to a tool using light to help unravel how the brain works. The physics prize honored a scientist’s efforts to demystify a rare group of neutrinos, while the chemistry prize recognized two scientists for untangling mysterious mirror images in molecules, a discovery with significant applications in drug development.
The Nobel Prize in Literature carries a monetary award of 12 million Swedish kronor, approximately $1.2 million. The Swedish Academy stated that Carson’s work upholds the power of art through its unique fusion of ancient and contemporary voices.
Last year, Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai won the literature prize for his surreal and anarchic novels, which judges noted combined a bleak worldview with mordant humor, upholding the power of art in the midst of “apocalyptic terror.”
The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences is scheduled to be announced on Monday, with the Peace Prize to follow on Friday.
I’m genuinely surprised but not upset. Carson’s work is brilliant, yet this feels like a very niche choice for the Academy.
Finally! Anne Carson is a massive influence on my own writing. Such a well-deserved recognition for her unique style.