The 2023 Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded this Thursday (5), to Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse for his “innovative” works, the jury announced.
++ Biden says he will give ‘major speech’ about aid to Ukraine
With the announcement, Fosse said he was “overwhelmed and a little scared” in a statement. “I see this as a reward for literature that, above all, aims to be literature, without other considerations.”
Born in 1959 on the west coast of Norway, Fosse made his debut in 1983 with the novel “Raudt, svart”. Already called the “Norwegian Samuel Beckett of the 21st century”, his work includes fiction, poetry, essays, more than 40 plays and children’s titles.
++ Court rules that Lady Gaga will not pay reward for dog kidnapping
“Jon Fosse has much in common with his great precursor in Norwegian literature from Nynorsk, Tarjei Vesaas. Fosse combines strong local ties, both linguistic and geographical, with modernist artistic techniques,” says the Academy.
“Although Fosse shares the negative outlook of his predecessors, it cannot be said that his particular Gnostic vision results in a nihilistic contempt for the world. Indeed, there is great warmth and humor in his work, and a naive vulnerability to his vivid images of human experience.”
In addition to literature, Fosse also stands out in dramaturgy, his highlight was with the play “Nokon kjem til å komme” (1996; “Someone Will Arrive”), “with its themes of frightening expectation and paralyzing jealousy, Fosse’s uniqueness is totally evident”, says the Academy.