Nobel Prize Winners Literature in the 20th Century
Nobel Prize in Literature for Sully Prudhomme
In the speech that C.D. af Wirsén gave on December 10, 1901, he paid tribute to the first Nobel Prize winner for literature, the French poet and philosopher Sully Prudhomme. Nobel, who was committed to science and peace throughout his life, also recognized the importance of literature and decided that his prize should also be awarded to outstanding literary works. Although literature is mentioned last in the will, for af Wirsén this shows that Nobel saw literature as a "supreme flowering of civilization" that should grow on solid ground. The Nobel Prizes now offer a modern recognition that is materially far superior to the poetic honors of earlier eras.
However, the awarding of the Nobel Prize for Literature poses a particular challenge, as the term "literature" encompasses many forms. According to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, in addition to poetic works, other writings that have literary value through their expression are also eligible for the prize. This broadens the field and makes the choice more difficult, especially when deciding between poets, historians and philosophers. After careful consideration, the Academy, which received numerous excellent recommendations, chose Sully Prudhomme as the ideal representative of the "idealistic tendency" demanded by the founder.
Sully Prudhomme, born on March 16, 1839, entered the literary world in 1865 with his work Stances et Poèmes and has since published several works devoted to poetry as well as philosophical and aesthetic themes. While many poets find their inspiration mainly in the external world, Prudhomme is drawn to the inner worlds of his own thoughts and feelings. His poetry, which is less concerned with external images and situations, primarily reflects his mental conflicts, doubts and melancholy, which he describes in clear, artful words. He avoids superfluous words and lends his poetry a plastic, almost sculptural beauty.
Prudhomme's poetry, which is immersed in noble and profound thoughts, is melancholy and at the same time tender, without slipping into sentimentality. The Swedish Academy found his smaller, lyrical poems in particular, which captivate through their nobility, their dignity and the rare combination of subtle reflection and deep feeling, especially worthy of an award. According to af Wirsén, these poems embody a "melancholy analysis" that inspires the reader to empathetic contemplation. His works are characterized by exquisite style and thoughtful artistic elaboration. Some of his poems, af Wirsén emphasized, are "pearls of everlasting value".
The moral dimension of Prudhomme's work was particularly important to the Academy. His restless spirit, which is not satisfied with the ephemeral, finds evidence of the supernatural nature of man in moral principles and conscience. For Prudhomme, these universal values are an expression of the idealistic literature that Alfred Nobel had called for. For this reason, the Academy decided that Prudhomme, among many outstanding authors, should be the first laureate.
As Sully Prudhomme could not be present due to illness, af Wirsén presented the prize to the French ambassador and asked him to convey the honor of the Swedish Academy to Prudhomme. At the subsequent banquet, af Wirsén paid tribute to the French literary tradition and emphasized the ties between France and Sweden in the literary and cultural world.