A Tangled Up In Blue Prize*

Every writer wants to be appreciated for their work. Even if the feedback is positive or negative, it is still a form of recognition. This might be one of the reasons there are so many awards writers can apply for. However, there is only one honor regarded as the pinnacle of achievement in literature: the Nobel Prize in Literature. It is a dream for some to attain and a guide for others seeking great literature. This year, the Swedish Academy surprised the world by awarding the prize to the well-known Bob Dylan, sparking significant controversy among scholars and writers.

Since 1901, the Swedish Academy has been awarding prizes across various categories to honor lifetimes of achievement rather than single works. On October 12, 2016, Sara Danius, a literary scholar and the Academy’s permanent secretary, announced that the award was given to Mr. Dylan “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” This marked the first time the prize was awarded to someone not primarily associated with books. However, Mr. Dylan’s relationship with literature goes beyond the fact that he adopted his name from the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. He has declared that he was influenced by surrealist French poets, particularly Arthur Rimbaud, and drew inspiration from daily news to write songs that revolutionized folk music. Examples include Blowin’ in the Wind, Masters of War, and The Times They Are a-Changin’, which became anthems for the American civil rights movement during the early ’60s. During that time, Dylan also interacted with members of the Beat Generation, such as Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, William Burroughs, and Allen Ginsberg.

 St. Lawrence University in New York

Even though Dylan has other literary outputs beyond songwriting (such as Chronicles: Volume One or his novel Tarantula), this decision by the Academy’s committee is perhaps its most radical choice to date. It demonstrates a growing openness to nontraditional forms of writing and shows that the boundaries of literature are being redefined. Not everyone agreed with the decision, however. Some critics labeled it misguided, arguing that song lyrics do not hold the same value as poetry or novels. Much of this debate unfolded on social media. For instance, Jodi Picoult tweeted, “I’m happy for Bob Dylan, #ButDoesThisMeanICanWinAGrammy?” using a hashtag—a common social media tool for expressing opinions. On the other hand, prominent figures like Stephen King celebrated Dylan’s achievement. Regardless of opinions, it is worth asking: Wasn’t Homer an oral poet? And what about the troubadours of the Middle Ages?

Mr. Dylan’s songwriting has long been debated among literary scholars. For example, critic Christopher Ricks published Dylan’s Visions of Sin in 2004, in which he compared Dylan at various points with prominent poets like Yeats and Hardy. Similarly, The New York Times celebrated the announcement on October 13th, calling Dylan “one of the most authentic voices America has produced, a maker of images as audacious and resonant as anything in Walt Whitman or Emily Dickinson.” In fact, Dylan was also recognized in 2008 by the Pulitzer Prize jury with a special citation for “his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.”

When I think about Dylan’s career, I can’t recall when I first heard about him or who introduced me to his music. However, I’ve met many people who pay special attention to his lyrics, and one thing they all have in common is their private anthology of favorite Dylan songs. I do not believe that giving him the Nobel Prize insults other American novelists and poets who were candidates. Instead, I believe literature isn’t confined to books alone. This may also be a clever strategy by the Academy to inspire teachers and professors to educate new generations in reading and writing.

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(*) This text was written shortly after the award announcement. I found it amusing how writers turned it into such a big deal on social media.