Was the Nobel Really Bob Dylan's Right?

Finally, Bob Dylan, the winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature, spoke up and acknowledged this 'ambiguous' award with a wink. The Nobel Academy announced Bob Dylan as the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday, October 22, after much contemplation and discussion and a 24-hour countdown on their website, naming one of the most influential figures in contemporary American and even world music. However, Dylan, although he took the stage that night in Las Vegas for a concert, said nothing about the award, neither accepting it nor rejecting it. The only reaction from this influential songwriter and composer was that he performed a Frank Sinatra song for the audience in Las Vegas, a song with the meaningful title: 'Why Try to Change Me Now.' Bob Dylan sang, 'Let people be amazed, let them laugh and frown...' and that was it. No further news from the master emerged, and this led to media outlets presenting his performance of the Sinatra song as Dylan's only reaction to winning the Nobel Prize in Sweden for a week. Until Thursday, October 29, when everyone suddenly learned of the second subtle reaction from the master: The British newspaper The Guardian reported that the announcement of a new book of Bob Dylan's songs on his official website was accompanied by the phrase: 'Nobel Prize in Literature winner.' So, one problem was solved: Bob Dylan has recognized the award and is very likely to travel to Stockholm next December to receive it. But is receiving the most prestigious literary award in the world deserved by a songwriter and composer, no matter how great Bob Dylan is? Although many books have been written about Bob Dylan and he has penned a book himself, no one considers him a writer in the true sense of the word, meaning as it has been traditionally understood by Nobel laureates over the decades, and this, as predicted, sparked considerable debate and controversy. Evidence also suggested that the Academy members anticipated this debate, as the spokesperson for the Nobel Academy immediately after announcing the winner expressed hope that 'people wouldn't criticize us too much.' This led to a flood of conflicting and opposing reactions: some were overjoyed and deemed the award undoubtedly Bob Dylan's right, while others angrily initiated a debate that has become tiresomely repetitive each year. The reality is that criticism of the Nobel Academy's choices, especially in literature, is not new. For years, these selections have sparked protests and even anger among many readers and literary figures. Some describe the selections as political, others consider the Nobel Prize in Literature as 'another peace prize in literary disguise,' and some say that the Nobel in Literature is more often awarded to Scandinavian writers. Thus, the members of the Nobel Academy in 2016 not only did not embark on a new path but took a much larger step in a direction they have been traveling for years, a step that was hinted at last year with the selection of the creator of oral reports as the Nobel Prize winner in Literature. The point is that according to the will of Alfred Nobel, the founder of this prize, the Nobel Prize in Literature must be awarded each year to someone who has created 'the most distinguished body of work in literature in an idealistic or exemplary direction.' You see that Alfred Nobel did not speak very clearly about his literary prize and left the way open for various interpretations, and there is no doubt that Bob Dylan's staunch supporters can argue based on these few words from the Nobel will and with a thousand justifications that he deserves this award. However, the discussion is not just about merit. Bob Dylan has undoubtedly reached a peak in the world of music that few have attained, and no one will ever forget him. Perhaps the best description in this regard was made by Leonard Cohen, who, in reaction to the Nobel being awarded to Dylan, said: 'It's like putting a medal on Everest just because it's the tallest peak in the world.' In Cohen's astute remark, who some believe deserved the Nobel Prize in Literature more than Dylan, there is certainly a truth: Dylan's status in the world of music and culture is so high that he no longer needs these medals and awards. While perhaps, in a world where both young and old are increasingly immersed in the internet, awarding the Nobel Prize in Literature to a commendable writer, of whom there are not few in Dylan's homeland, could at least encourage some to read books and give a boost to the beleaguered publishing industry. In any case, it does not seem that the Nobel Academy is listening to these arguments, and it appears that we should expect more surprises in the coming years; an example of this joke that circulated just hours after Bob Dylan's name was announced: 'Be careful what you write in your Facebook status, you might one day be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for it!'