Mary Baker // Special Guest Writer
I am here to give what is undoubtedly an unpopular opinion. It’s pretty clearly stated in the title, but just for emphasis: everyone’s favorite folk singer Bob Dylan should not have won the Nobel.
Notice my wording here. I’m not saying that he didn’t deserve it. The oral tradition of literature has a longer and more storied history than the written tradition, and Dylan is a worthy contributor to the institution. He’s contributed layered and poignant lyrics to the American Songbook that, when read without musical accompaniment, come across as poetry (A personal favorite: “Come writers and critics / Who prophesize with your pen / And keep your eyes wide / The chance won’t come again / And don’t speak too soon / For the wheel’s still in spin” from “The Times, They Are A-Changin’”). Dylan is one of the most popular recipients of the Nobel for Literature at the time of presentation. The attention Dylan’s brand draws for this prestigious award itself is an unquestionable positive. The Swedish Academy awarded the honor to Dylan “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”—a deserved recognition.
All of this is fine and good. I’m not (nor, I think, is anyone who shares this opinion) doubting Dylan’s impact or importance on songwriting both in America and abroad.
However.
The heart of this issue is that the Swedish Academy made an active choice not to award a writer. Dylan is, first and foremost, a musician. (I do want to acknowledge he has written a book of prose poetry, but let’s not kid ourselves—that is not what he won for.) Though it is entirely possible to analyze his lyrics as poetry in and of themselves—shout out to all the super cool high school English teachers—in the end they are lyrics. They are not meant to be experienced without the corresponding music, and when isolated lose a crucial part of what makes them great. The Academy is awarding a musician, not a writer.
This is gravely disappointing in a time when there are so many incredible writers who are deserving of this award. This much maligned New Republic article lists many authors and poets who were at the top of the betting pools for this year’s award: Adonis, Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o, Jon Fosse, and Ko Un top the list of potential winners, with the subtitle “Not Bob Dylan, that’s for sure”. Haven’t heard of them before? Don’t worry—that’s the norm for this award, at least in recent years.
Belarusian Svetlana Alexievich was the winner last year, a name that should sound familiar thanks to the million-watt spotlight the Nobel gives. Alexievich, like Dylan, was a nontraditional choice for the award, as she is considered by many to be a journalist who writes fiction and non-fictional prose. She is widely thought to be a smart and worthy choice, not only for the sheer power and urgency of her writing about post-Soviet society, but also because she was politically persecuted for her work, Alexievich also helped expand the definition of who can receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Instead of recognizing a critical Syrian poet and translator (Adonis) or another author with a long history of contributing to literature (Rushdie, Atwood, Murakami) the Swedish Academy gave an award that has helped authors (and, let’s be real, their publishers) rise to prominence and success. The prize catapults the author and their work into the international market and usually to the bestseller lists, a life-changing event.
Guess who doesn’t need any more publicity, success, or sales? Oh yes—this year’s winner, Bob Dylan, who has an entire Wikipedia page dedicated to all of his accolades, including (but not limited to): twelve Grammys, one Academy Award, one Golden Globe, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. While the Nobel should first and foremost be used to recognize a great contribution to literature, it should not be underestimated as a way to highlight little-or-unknown artists.
The Swedish Academy also missed an opportunity to reward someone who isn’t a white man in the category. Though usually quite diverse in their selections, they chose the first American winner in sixteen years from a pool of options like Alice Walker, Junot Díaz, Ursula Le Guin, Joyce Carol Oates, and so many more, and they went with a white guy with a guitar. Not much better than American Idol, Swedish Academy.
No one is saying Bob Dylan isn’t a great songwriter, perhaps the greatest. It just feels like such a missed opportunity and a thumbed nose at the literary community to say this year, a songwriter was just better than any of you.
I really hope you enjoy meeting Bob Dylan, Swedish Academy. I’ll be here, waiting for next year’s recipient to make up for this crucial oversight.