Sexual harassment, corruption, the cancellation of the ceremony – after the Scandal of 2018, will be honored this year two writers. A new Jury is to restore the reputation of the Swedish Academy.
In the history of the Nobel prize for literature in 2018 was certainly not a good year. Allegations of sexual harassment, rape, corruption, breach of the duty of confidentiality – month-to-month, the scandals piled up around the Swedish Academy. At the end of the year, the once-venerable literary institution had mauled with publicly fought Fight almost even. It was triggered probably the most serious crisis in the Academy by revelations about Jean-Claude Arnault, husband of former Board member Katarina Frostenson. He is said to have harassed the Academy members, their wives or daughters, in one case, he was convicted of rape.
In consequence of the self-destructive way of dealing with the scandal, a number of outputs of the original 18-member panel, which was, in the meantime, due to under occupation even incapable of action followed. The award of the Nobel prize for literature in 2018, it was finally deleted.
“There are blue spots”
Slowly, the waves smooth out, carefully a variety of new members – Swedish writer, Translator, and philosopher – was selected, the last only in may of this year. Specifically, the Swedish king Carl Gustaf even changed the articles of incorporation, as the Academy members were actually elected for life.
“It’s been painful. There are bruises,” admitted Mats Malm at the book fair in Gothenburg. The historian of literature and Translator, is one of the new members, and now Permanent Secretary of the Academy, after predecessor Sara Danius had resigned. New this year is also five external consultants, writers, literary critics and Translators to provide for new, independent Wind at the time of decision-making.
Line?
To draw a line under the scandal of the year, and the confidence in the Swedish Academy to recover, are now to be two prizes awarded: retroactive one for 2018 and one for 2019. But it is as a prize-winner not ungrateful, to share the world public to this literary venerable day?
“The prices and the winners of the 2018 and 2019, to be valued equally, and we believe that the attention and the glory will be plenty for both of them,” said Malm. Finally, it is not just the recognition of a single Person, but of the appreciation of world literature.
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Scandals, and the Nobel prize for literature-AcademyDidn’t want to talk: Bob Dylan
As the first musician in 2016, Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel prize for literature. The music world celebrated him for it. However, Dylan distanced himself and seemed to be little interested in the high award. He said his participation in the award ceremony and sent a speech to Read. In March of 2017, he then came over but a short time in Stockholm and got his medal.
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Scandals, and the Nobel prize for literature-AcademyLate honor for the first: Thomas Mann
As Thomas Mann in 1929, got the price, was it not for his just-published “the magic mountain”. He was awarded for his debut novel “The buddenbrooks”. The was, however, already almost 30 years old. Because the Jury but the magic mountain was to “wordy and cumbersome”, it was decided for the older work: “A highlight in the contemporary novel seal par excellence”.
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Scandals, and the Nobel prize for literature-AcademyAlso, no literature. But strong words: Winston Churchill
Actually, the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill would have been a candidate for the Nobel peace prize twice he was on the nomination list. In 1953, he received the prize – for literature. The Jury praised his “mastery of historical and biographical representation”, as well as his brilliant “oratory in defending human values.”
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Scandals, and the Nobel prize for literature-AcademyWas the price not accept: Boris Pasternak
The Soviet author, world-famous for his novel “doctor Zhivago”, was awarded in 1958. His government, however, threatened him with deprivation of citizenship, he should accept the prize. Pasternak gave in – which brought him posthaste to the exclusion from the writers ‘ Union of the USSR. In spite of everything, Pasternak remained in the Soviet Union. His son, the Nobel medal in 1989, picked up in Stockholm.
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Scandals, and the Nobel prize for literature-AcademyJust wanted to the money: Jean-Paul Sartre
In 1964, the French playwright and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre should get the Nobel prize. He refused, however, surprisingly (“Everyone is price-dependent.”) It was said of him that he auditioned years later carefully at the Nobel prize Committee, whether he could not get the 273.000 Swedish crowns, perhaps, but still. But this is only a versified anecdote.
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Scandals, and the Nobel prize for literature-Academy“No Literature”: Dario Fo
He was only a “entertaining juggler, and author of world-class,” was the indignant literary Elite, as the Italian playwright Dario Fo in 1997 was awarded. As a satirist Fo hit back with its own weapons. His speech in the Swedish Academy, he gave the title “Against outspoken jugglers” and made from the venerable award ceremony, a satire show.
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Scandals, and the Nobel prize for literature-AcademyTo many people: Elfriede Jelinek
The Austrian writer Elfriede Jelinek did not want to come to the award ceremony, she was honored in 2004. You had a fear of large crowds and sudden popularity: “I’m not mentally able to me personally, to suspend.” The also had to accept that the Nobel Committee so. After all, Jelinek held her Nobel prize speech, nevertheless, via a video message.
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Scandals, and the Nobel prize for literature-AcademyWith the death threats: Salman Rushdie
Because he found “The satanic verses” (1988) as blasphemy, was Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, a bounty on the Indian-British author who had to live for years in hiding. The Academy was silent, but two members of the Jury resigned. Only 27 years later, the Academy condemned the death threat, was Rushdie, but never with the Nobel prize for literature.
Malm’s predecessor, Sara Danius holds the double-assignment is a mistake. Out of respect for the Victims of sexual Assault, you should not make up the award. “So you would be able to remember that something actually happened. Like a crack in the disc,” said the Swedish literary scholar in March, 2019 in the Swedish television.
Speculation and betting odds
There are now two prizes will be awarded, the speculation of the possible winners in a variety of ways. Is a member of the Academy, for example, “safe”, worldwide recognized writer? In any case, one of the two prizes to be awarded to someone not very Known? Or Controversial as in the case of the prize-giving ceremony in 2016 to Bob Dylan? Who is exactly is to choose from, the remains traditionally for 50 years under lock and key. According to the news Agency DPA, the number of candidates is at least known: For 2018 it 194 should be, for this year, 189.