Nobel Prize– one of the world's most prestigious prizes, awarded annually for outstanding scientific research, revolutionary inventions or major contributions to culture or society.
On November 27, 1895, A. Nobel drew up a will, which provided for the allocation of certain funds for the award awards in five areas: physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine, literature and contributions to world peace. And in 1900, the Nobel Foundation was created - a private, independent, non-governmental organization with an initial capital of 31 million Swedish crowns. Since 1969, on the initiative of the Swedish Bank, awards have also been made prizes in economics.
Since the establishment of the awards, strict rules for selecting laureates have been in place. Intellectuals from all over the world participate in the process. Thousands of minds work to Nobel Prize received the most worthy of the applicants.
In total, to date, five Russian-speaking writers have received this award.
Ivan Alekseevich Bunin(1870-1953), Russian writer, poet, honorary academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1933 “for the strict skill with which he develops the traditions of Russian classical prose.” In his speech when presenting the prize, Bunin noted the courage of the Swedish Academy, which honored the emigrant writer (he emigrated to France in 1920). Ivan Alekseevich Bunin - greatest master Russian realistic prose.
Boris Leonidovich Pasternak(1890-1960), Russian poet, laureate of the 1958 Nobel Prize in Literature “for outstanding services to modern lyric poetry and to the field of great Russian prose.” He was forced to refuse the award under threat of expulsion from the country. The Swedish Academy recognized Pasternak's refusal of the prize as forced and in 1989 awarded a diploma and medal to his son.
Mikhail Alexandrovich Sholokhov(1905-1984), Russian writer, winner of the 1965 Nobel Prize in Literature “for the artistic strength and integrity of the epic about the Don Cossacks at a turning point for Russia.” In his speech during the awards ceremony, Sholokhov said his goal was to “extol the nation of workers, builders and heroes.” Having started out as a realistic writer who was not afraid to show deep life contradictions, Sholokhov in some of his works found himself captive of socialist realism.
Alexander Isaevich Solzhenitsyn(1918-2008), Russian writer, winner of the 1970 Nobel Prize in Literature "for moral strength, drawn from the tradition of great Russian literature." Soviet government considered the decision of the Nobel Committee “politically hostile”, and Solzhenitsyn, fearing that after his trip, returning to his homeland would be impossible, accepted the award, but did not attend the award ceremony. In his artistic literary works, he, as a rule, touched upon acute socio-political issues, actively opposing communist ideas, the political system of the USSR and the policies of its authorities.
Joseph Alexandrovich Brodsky(1940-1996), poet, laureate of the 1987 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his multifaceted creativity, marked by acuteness of thought and deep poetry.” In 1972, he was forced to emigrate from the USSR and lived in the USA (the World Encyclopedia calls him American). I.A. Brodsky is the youngest writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. The peculiarities of the poet's lyrics are the understanding of the world as a single metaphysical and cultural whole, the identification of the limitations of man as a subject of consciousness.
If you want to get more specific information about the life and work of Russian poets and writers, to get to know their works better, online tutors We are always happy to help you. Online teachers will help you analyze a poem or write a review about the work of the selected author. Training is based on specially developed software. Qualified teachers provide assistance in completing homework and explaining incomprehensible material; help prepare for the State Exam and the Unified State Exam.
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The Nobel Prize was created by and named after the Swedish industrialist, inventor and chemical engineer, Alfred Nobel. It is considered the most prestigious in the world. The laureates receive a gold medal depicting A.B. Nobel, a diploma, and a check for a large sum. The latter consists of the amount of profits that the Nobel Foundation receives. In 1895 he made a will, according to which his capital was placed in bonds, shares and loans. The income that this money brings is divided equally into five parts every year and becomes a prize for achievements in five areas: chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature, and also for activities to strengthen peace.
The first Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded on December 10, 1901, and has since been awarded annually on that date, which is the anniversary of Nobel's death. The winners are awarded in Stockholm by the Swedish king himself. After receiving the award, Nobel Prize winners in literature must give a lecture on their work within 6 months. This is an indispensable condition for receiving the award.
The decision on who is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature is made by the Swedish Academy, located in Stockholm, as well as the Nobel Committee itself, which announces only the number of applicants, without naming their names. The selection procedure itself is secret, which sometimes causes angry reviews from critics and ill-wishers who claim that the award is given for political reasons and not for literary achievements. Main argument, which is cited as evidence, are Nabokov, Tolstoy, Bokhres, Joyce, who were bypassed for the prize. However, the list of authors who received it still remains impressive. There are five writers from Russia who have won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Read more about each of them below.
The 2014 Nobel Prize for Literature has been awarded for the 107th time, going to Patrick Modiano and screenwriter. That is, since 1901, 111 writers have received the award (since four times it was awarded to two authors at the same time).
It would take quite a long time to list all the laureates and get to know each of them. The most famous and widely read Nobel Prize winners in literature and their works are brought to your attention.
1. William Golding, 1983
William Golding received the award for his famous novels, of which there are 12 in his oeuvre. The most famous, Lord of the Flies and The Descendants, are among the best-selling books written by Nobel laureates. The novel Lord of the Flies, published in 1954, brought the writer worldwide fame. Critics often compare it to Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye in terms of its significance for the development of literature and modern thought in general.
2. Toni Morrison, 1993
The Nobel Prize winners in literature are not only men, but also women. One of them is Toni Morrison. This American writer was born into a working-class family in Ohio. After attending Howard University, where she studied literature and English, she began writing her own works. The first novel, "The Most Blue eyes" (1970), was based on a story she composed for a university literary circle. It is one of Toni Morrison's most popular works. Another of her novels, Sula, published in 1975, was nominated for the National USA.
3. 1962
Most famous works Steinbeck - "East of Eden", "The Grapes of Wrath", "Of Mice and Men". The Grapes of Wrath became a bestseller in 1939, selling more than 50,000 copies and now selling more than 75 million copies. Until 1962, the writer was nominated for the prize 8 times, and he himself believed that he was unworthy of such an award. And many American critics noted that his later novels were much weaker than his previous ones, and responded negatively to this award. In 2013, when some documents from the Swedish Academy (kept secret for 50 years) were declassified, it became clear that the writer was awarded because he was "the best in bad company" that year.
4. Ernest Hemingway, 1954
This writer became one of nine winners of the literature prize, to whom it was awarded not for creativity in general, but for a specific work, namely for the story “The Old Man and the Sea.” The same work, first published in 1952, brought the writer the following year, 1953, another prestigious award - the Pulitzer Prize.
In the same year, the Nobel Committee included Hemingway in the list of candidates, but the winner of the award that time was Winston Churchill, who by that time had already turned 79 years old, and therefore it was decided not to delay the presentation of the award. And Ernest Hemingway became a well-deserved winner of the award the following year, 1954.
5. Marquez, 1982
The winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982 included Gabriel García Márquez among their ranks. He became the first writer from Colombia to receive an award from the Swedish Academy. His books, among which we should especially note “Chronicle of a Death Declared”, “Autumn of the Patriarch”, as well as “Love in the Time of Cholera”, became the best-selling works written in Spanish, throughout its history. The novel “One Hundred Years of Solitude” (1967), which another Nobel Prize laureate, Pablo Neruda, called the greatest creation in Spanish after Cervantes’s “Don Quixote”, has been translated into more than 25 languages of the world, and the total circulation of the work was more than 50 millions of copies.
6. Samuel Beckett, 1969
The Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Samuel Beckett in 1969. This Irish writer is one of the most famous representatives of modernism. It was he who, together with Eugene Ionescu, founded the famous “theater of the absurd”. Samuel Beckett wrote his works in two languages - English and French. The most famous creation of his pen was the play "Waiting for Godot", written in French. The plot of the work is as follows. The main characters throughout the play are waiting for a certain Godot, who should bring some meaning to their existence. However, he never appears, so the reader or viewer has to decide for himself what kind of image it was.
Beckett was fond of playing chess, enjoyed success with women, but led a rather secluded lifestyle. He did not even agree to come to the Nobel Prize ceremony, sending his publisher, Jerome Lindon, in his place.
7. William Faulkner, 1949
The Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949 went to He also initially refused to go to Stockholm to receive the award, but was eventually persuaded by his daughter. John Kennedy sent him an invitation to a dinner organized in honor of Nobel Prize winners. However, Faulkner, who all his life considered himself “not a writer, but a farmer,” in his own words, refused to accept the invitation, citing old age.
The author's most famous and popular novels are The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying. However, success did not come to these works immediately, for a long time they hardly sold. The Sound and the Fury, published in 1929, sold only three thousand copies in its first 16 years of publication. However, in 1949, by the time the author received the Nobel Prize, this novel was already an example classical literature America.
In 2012, a special edition of this work was published in the UK, in which the text was printed in 14 different colors, which was done at the request of the writer so that the reader could notice different time planes. The limited edition of the novel was only 1,480 copies and sold out immediately after its release. Now the cost of a book of this rare edition is estimated at approximately 115 thousand rubles.
8. 2007
The Nobel Prize for Literature in 2007 was awarded to Doris Lessing. This British writer and poet received the award at the age of 88, making her the oldest recipient. She also became the eleventh woman (out of 13) to receive the Nobel Prize.
Lessing was not very popular with critics, since she rarely wrote on topics devoted to pressing social issues; she was even often called a propagandist of Sufism, a teaching that preaches the renunciation of worldly vanity. However, according to The Times magazine, this writer ranks fifth on the list of the 50 greatest British authors published since 1945.
Doris Lessing's most popular work is the novel The Golden Notebook, published in 1962. Some critics classify it as an example of classic feminist prose, but the writer herself categorically disagrees with this opinion.
9. Albert Camus, 1957
French writers also received the Nobel Prize in Literature. One of them, writer, journalist, essayist of Algerian origin, Albert Camus, is the “conscience of the West.” His most famous work is the story "The Stranger", published in 1942 in France. Made in 1946 English translation, sales began, and within a few years the number of copies sold amounted to more than 3.5 million.
Albert Camus is often classified as a representative of existentialism, but he himself did not agree with this and in every possible way denied such a definition. Thus, in a speech delivered at the presentation of the Nobel Prize, he noted that in his work he sought to “avoid outright lies and resist oppression.”
10. Alice Munro, 2013
In 2013, nominees for the Nobel Prize in Literature included Alice Munro on their list. A representative of Canada, this novelist became famous in the genre short story. She began writing them early, from her teenage years, but the first collection of her works, entitled “Dance of the Happy Shadows,” was published only in 1968, when the author was already 37 years old. In 1971, the next collection, “The Lives of Girls and Women,” appeared, which critics called “an education novel.” Her other literary works include the books: “Who Are You, Exactly?”, “The Fugitive,” and “Too Much Happiness.” One of her collections, “The Hateful Friendship, Courtship, Love, Marriage,” published in 2001, was even made into a Canadian film called “Away From Her,” directed by Sarah Polley. The author's most popular book is " Dear Life", published in 2012.
Munro is often called the "Canadian Chekhov" because the writers' styles are similar. Like the Russian writer, he is characterized by psychological realism and clarity.
Nobel Prize laureates in literature from Russia
To date, five Russian writers have won the prize. The first laureate was I. A. Bunin.
1. Ivan Alekseevich Bunin, 1933
This is a famous Russian writer and poet, an outstanding master of realistic prose, and an honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. In 1920, Ivan Alekseevich emigrated to France, and when presenting the award, he noted that the Swedish Academy acted very bravely by awarding the emigrant writer. Among the contenders for this year’s prize was another Russian writer, M. Gorky, however, largely thanks to the publication of the book “The Life of Arsenyev” by that time, the scales nevertheless tipped in the direction of Ivan Alekseevich.
Bunin began writing his first poems at the age of 7-8 years. Later, his famous works were published: the story “The Village”, the collection “Sukhodol”, the books “John the Weeper”, “The Gentleman from San Francisco”, etc. In the 20s he wrote (1924) and “Sunstroke” ( 1927). And in 1943, the pinnacle of Ivan Alexandrovich’s creativity was born, a collection of stories " Dark alleys". This book was dedicated to only one topic - love, its “dark” and gloomy sides, as the author wrote in one of his letters.
2. Boris Leonidovich Pasternak, 1958
The Nobel Prize laureates in literature from Russia in 1958 included Boris Leonidovich Pasternak on their list. The poet was awarded the prize at a difficult time. He was forced to abandon it under threat of exile from Russia. However, the Nobel Committee regarded Boris Leonidovich’s refusal as forced, and in 1989 transferred the medal and diploma to his son after the writer’s death. Famous novel"Doctor Zhivago" is Pasternak's true artistic testament. This work was written in 1955. Albert Camus, laureate in 1957, spoke with admiration of this novel.
3. Mikhail Alexandrovich Sholokhov, 1965
In 1965, M. A. Sholokhov was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Russia has once again proven to the whole world that it has talented writers. Having started your literary activity as a representative of realism, depicting the deep contradictions of life, Sholokhov, however, in some works finds himself captive of the socialist trend. During the presentation of the Nobel Prize, Mikhail Alexandrovich made a speech in which he noted that in his works he sought to praise “the nation of workers, builders and heroes.”
In 1926 he started his main novel, "Quiet Don", and completed it in 1940, long before he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Sholokhov's works were published in parts, including "Quiet Don". In 1928, largely thanks to the assistance of A. S. Serafimovich, friend Mikhail Alexandrovich, the first part appeared in print. The second volume was published the following year. The third was published in 1932-1933, with the assistance and support of M. Gorky. The last, fourth, volume was published in 1940. had an affair great importance both for Russian and world literature. It was translated into many languages of the world, became the basis of the famous opera by Ivan Dzerzhinsky, as well as numerous theatrical productions and films.
Some, however, accused Sholokhov of plagiarism (including A. I. Solzhenitsyn), believing that most of the work was copied from the manuscripts of F. D. Kryukov, a Cossack writer. Other researchers confirmed the authorship of Sholokhov.
In addition to this work, in 1932 Sholokhov also created “Virgin Soil Upturned,” a work telling about the history of collectivization among the Cossacks. In 1955, the first chapters of the second volume were published, and at the beginning of 1960 the last ones were completed.
At the end of 1942, the third novel, “They Fought for the Motherland,” was published.
4. Alexander Isaevich Solzhenitsyn, 1970
The Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970 was awarded to A. I. Solzhenitsyn. Alexander Isaevich accepted it, but did not dare to attend the award ceremony because he was afraid of the Soviet government, which regarded the decision of the Nobel Committee as “politically hostile.” Solzhenitsyn was afraid that he would not be able to return to his homeland after this trip, although the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970, which he received, increased the prestige of our country. In his work, he touched upon acute socio-political problems and actively fought against communism, its ideas and the policies of the Soviet regime.
The main works of Alexander Isaevich Solzhenitsyn include: “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” (1962), story “ Matrenin Dvor", the novel "In the First Circle" (written from 1955 to 1968), "The Gulag Archipelago" (1964-1970). The first published work was the story "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich", which appeared in the magazine "New World". This publication caused great interest and numerous responses from readers, which inspired the writer to create “The Gulag Archipelago.” In 1964, Alexander Isaevich’s first story received the Lenin Prize.
However, a year later he lost the favor of the Soviet authorities, and his works were prohibited from being published. His novels “The Gulag Archipelago”, “In the First Circle” and “Cancer Ward” were published abroad, for which the writer was deprived of citizenship in 1974 and he was forced to emigrate. Only 20 years later he managed to return to his homeland. In 2001-2002, Solzhenitsyn’s great work “Two Hundred Years Together” appeared. Alexander Isaevich died in 2008.
5. Joseph Alexandrovich Brodsky, 1987
The winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1987 joined their ranks with I. A. Brodsky. In 1972, the writer was forced to emigrate to the USA, so the world encyclopedia even calls him American. Among all the writers who received the Nobel Prize, he is the youngest. With his lyrics, he comprehended the world as a single cultural and metaphysical whole, and also pointed out the limitations of the perception of man as a subject of knowledge.
Joseph Alexandrovich wrote not only in Russian, but also in English language poems, essays, literary criticism. Immediately after the publication of his first collection in the West, in 1965, Brodsky came to international fame. TO the best books The author's works include: "Embankment of the Incurable", "Part of Speech", "Landscape with Flood", "The End of a Beautiful Era", "Stop in the Desert" and others.
Illustration copyright Getty Images
“...and another part will go to the one who creates the most outstanding work in the field of literature in an idealistic direction...”
From the will of Alfred Nobel
The winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature is determined by the Swedish Academy. It was founded in 1786 by King Gustav III for the "study and organization of the Swedish language and literature."
Nobel Prize in Literature in numbers
prizes for literature from 1901 to 2014
13 women became laureates
4 times the prize was divided between two candidates
The youngest laureate was 42 years old
64 years old average age of the laureate on the day the prize was announced
Nobel Committee
The charter of the Nobel Committee states that “literature is not only fiction, but also other works that, in form or style, are of literary value.”
The requirements for works submitted for the Nobel Prize have been somewhat relaxed in Lately. And now not only works written in the last year can be considered, but also earlier works by the same author, if “their significance was not appreciated until recently.”
What did Alfred Nobel mean?
If it is more or less clear with physics, chemistry and medicine, then literature, firstly, is not a science, and secondly, it is difficult to drive it into the strict framework of objective criteria.
Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption The Swedish Academy for a long time could not decide what Alfred Nobel meant by “idealism”The Swedish Academy in its choice is bound not only by the general framework of the Nobel Foundation's statutes (the work submitted for the prize should bring maximum benefits to all humanity), but also by Nobel's separate remark that literary work must provide this benefit in an “idealistic direction.”
Both criteria are quite vague, especially the second, which has caused a lot of controversy. What exactly did Nobel mean by idealism? It is very difficult to trace the history of how the Swedish Academy's interpretation of Nobel's will changed, because, according to the foundation's charter, all documentation and correspondence must be kept secret for 50 years.
The modern interpretation of the will still adheres to the point of view that by idealism Nobel did not mean an idealistic direction in literature, but rather the ideal execution, language and style of a work that make it outstanding.
From European idealism to literature of the whole world
At the first stage of the existence of the Nobel Prize in Literature (1901-1914), the main attention was paid to idealism, as literary movement. Therefore, the British Rudyard Kipling and the German Paul Heise became Nobel laureates, but not Leo Tolstoy.
Illustration copyright Hulton Archive Image caption Due to difficulties in interpreting Alfred Nobel's will, Rudyard Kipling won the Nobel Prize, but Leo Tolstoy did notIn the 20s of the 20th century, the Academy moved away from the narrow definition of idealism, and moved on to works and authors who were distinguished by the ideas of “broad humanism”. On this wave, Anatole France and Bernard Shaw became Nobel laureates.
In the 1930s, preference began to be given to writers who described life in accordance with the “good for all mankind.” modern society with all the pros and cons. Thus, Sinclair Lewis became the first Nobel laureate in literature.
After World War II, there was another change in direction, and candidates who “blazed new trails” in literature gained particular popularity. Such pioneers were, for example, Hermann Hesse and Samuel Beckett.
Illustration copyright Istock Image caption The Swedish Academy strives to move away from European authors and make the award truly globalIN last years The Swedish Academy has begun to focus on lesser-known authors from around the world to make the Nobel Prize in Literature as universal as possible.
Voluntary and forced
In the entire history of the Nobel Prize in Literature, it has been refused only twice.
Illustration copyright Hulton Archive Image caption Boris Pasternak had to refuse the Nobel PrizeThe first in 1958, Boris Pasternak, initially agreed to accept it, but then refused due to pressure from the Soviet authorities.
The second to be rejected for the Nobel Prize in 1964 was Jean-Paul Sartre, who throughout his life consistently rejected any official recognition.
The Nobel Prize for Literature is the only one in which no candidate has won it twice.
Is language important?
Illustration copyright istock Image caption How important is it for the Nobel Prize that a work be written in a widely spoken language?Alfred Nobel emphasized that candidates for literary prizes should not be selected exclusively from Scandinavian countries or Europe.
Imagine the scale of work that fell on the members of the Swedish Academy, who somehow had to familiarize themselves with literary works around the world?
The Nobel Prize for Literature has been repeatedly reproached for being too “European”. But in 1984, the Swedish Academy said it would do everything possible to ensure that the prize truly covered writers throughout the world.
English leads by a wide margin
Illustration copyright istock Image caption Most of the works of Nobel laureates are written in EnglishEnglish-language writers top the list of literary prize winners (27), followed by the French (14), Germans (13) and Spaniards (11).
Russia is in seventh place with five Nobel laureates.
Award and genres
Among literary genres, the absolute leader is prose (77), followed by poetry (33), drama (14), literary and philosophical essays (3) and historical works (2).
Illustration copyright istock Image caption Winston Churchill received the Nobel Prize in Literature for his outstanding oratory and historical writingsWinner of the Nobel Prize in Literature just for historical essay became British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1953. The justification for the award stated literally the following: “for excellence in historical and biographical descriptions, as well as for brilliant oratory, defending noble human values.”
The best from the best
Illustration copyright Hulton Archive Image caption Mikhail Sholokhov received the Nobel Prize for "Quiet Don"Although the Swedish Academy still strives to evaluate all works of authors, in nine cases a specific literary work was named that was awarded the Nobel Prize.
This list includes Mikhail Sholokhov with The Quiet Don, John Galsworthy with The Forsyte Saga, Thomas Mann with Buddenbrooks and Ernest Hemingway with The Old Man and the Sea.
Literary medal
Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption Nobel Prize Medal for LiteratureAll Nobel medals have an image of Alfred Nobel on the obverse and an allegory of the relevant science or art on the reverse.
The literature medal depicts a young man sitting under a laurel tree. He listens with inspiration and writes down what the muse tells him.
The inscription in Latin reads: "Inventas vitam juvat excoluisse per artes." This line is taken from Virgil's poem "The Aeneid" and roughly translated goes something like this: "And those who have improved life on Earth by their newfound skill."
The medal was created by Swedish sculptor Erik Lindberg.
Since the delivery of the first Nobel Prize 112 years have passed. Among Russians worthy of this most prestigious award in the field literature, physics, chemistry, medicine, physiology, peace and economics there were only 20 people. As for the Nobel Prize in Literature, Russians have their own personal history in this area, not always with a positive ending.
First awarded in 1901, it bypassed the most important writer in history. Russian and world literature - Leo Tolstoy. In their 1901 address, members of the Royal Swedish Academy formally paid their respects to Tolstoy, calling him "the deeply revered patriarch modern literature” and “one of those powerful soulful poets, who in this case should be remembered first of all,” however, they referred to the fact that, in view of their convictions great writer he himself “never aspired to this kind of reward.” In his response letter, Tolstoy wrote that he was glad that he was spared the difficulties associated with the disposal of so much money and that he was pleased to receive notes of sympathy from so many respected persons. Things were different in 1906, when Tolstoy, preempting his nomination for the Nobel Prize, asked Arvid Järnefeld to use all kinds of connections so as not to be put in an unpleasant position and refuse this prestigious award.
In a similar way Nobel Prize in Literature surpassed several other outstanding Russian writers, among whom was also the genius of Russian literature - Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. The first writer admitted to the “Nobel Club” was someone disliked by the Soviet government who emigrated to France Ivan Alekseevich Bunin.
In 1933, the Swedish Academy nominated Bunin for an award “for the rigorous skill with which he develops the traditions of Russian classical prose.” Among the nominees this year were also Merezhkovsky and Gorky. Bunin received Nobel Prize in Literature largely thanks to the 4 books about Arsenyev’s life that had been published by that time. During the ceremony, Per Hallström, a representative of the Academy who presented the prize, expressed admiration for Bunin’s ability to “extraordinarily expressively and accurately describe real life" In his response speech, the laureate thanked the Swedish Academy for the courage and honor it showed to the emigrant writer.
A difficult story full of disappointment and bitterness accompanies the receipt of the Nobel Prize in Literature Boris Pasternak. Nominated annually from 1946 to 1958 and awarded this high award in 1958, Pasternak was forced to refuse it. Almost becoming the second Russian writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, the writer was persecuted in his homeland, receiving stomach cancer as a result of nervous shock, from which he died. Justice triumphed only in 1989, when his son Evgeniy Pasternak received an honorary award for him “for significant achievements in modern lyric poetry, as well as for continuing the traditions of the great Russian epic novel.”
Sholokhov Mikhail Alexandrovich received the Nobel Prize in Literature "for his novel Quiet Don" in 1965. It is worth noting that the authorship of this profound epic work, despite the fact that the manuscript of the work was found and a computer match was established with the printed edition, there are opponents who claim the impossibility of creating a novel, indicating deep knowledge of the events of the First World War and Civil War at such a young age. The writer himself, summing up his work, said: “I would like my books to help people become better, become purer in soul... If I succeeded in this to some extent, I am happy.”
Solzhenitsyn Alexander Isaevich, winner of the 1918 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the moral strength with which he followed the immutable traditions of Russian literature." Having spent most of his life in exile and exile, the writer created deep and frightening in its authenticity historical works. Upon learning of the Nobel Prize award, Solzhenitsyn expressed his desire to personally attend the ceremony. The Soviet government prevented the writer from receiving this prestigious award, calling it “politically hostile.” Thus, Solzhenitsyn never got to the desired ceremony, fearing that he would not be able to return from Sweden back to Russia.
In 1987 Brodsky Joseph Alexandrovich awarded Nobel Prize for Literature"for comprehensive creativity, imbued with clarity of thought and passion of poetry." In Russia, the poet never received lifelong recognition. He created while in exile in the USA, most of his works were written in impeccable English. In his speech as a Nobel laureate, Brodsky spoke about what was most dear to him - language, books and poetry...
Throughout the history of the Nobel Prize Russian writers awarded 5 times. The Nobel Prize laureates were 5 Russian writers and one Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich, the author of the following works: “ The war has no woman's face
», « Zinc boys"and other works written in Russian. The wording for the award was: “ For the polyphonic sound of her prose and the perpetuation of suffering and courage»
2.1. Ivan Alekseevich Bunin (1870-1953) The prize was awarded in 1933 " for the truthful artistic talent with which he recreated the typical Russian character in an artistic rose, for the strict skill with which he develops the traditions of Russian classical prose» . In his speech when presenting the prize, Bunin noted the courage of the Swedish Academy in honoring the emigrant writer (he emigrated to France in 1920).
2.2. Boris Pasternak- Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958. Awarded " for outstanding services in modern lyric poetry and in the field of great Russian prose» . For Pasternak himself, the prize brought nothing but problems and a campaign under the slogan “ I haven’t read it, but I condemn it!" The writer was forced to refuse the prize under threat of expulsion from the country. The Swedish Academy recognized Pasternak's refusal of the prize as forced and in 1989 awarded a diploma and medal to his son.
Nobel Prize I was lost, like an animal in a pen. Somewhere there are people, freedom, light, And behind me there is the sound of a chase, I can’t go outside. Dark forest and the shore of a pond, Spruce felled log. The path is cut off from everywhere. Whatever happens, it doesn't matter. What kind of dirty trick have I done? Am I a murderer and a villain? I made the whole world cry over the beauty of my land. But even so, almost at the grave, I believe the time will come - The power of meanness and malice will be overcome by the spirit of good.
B. Pasternak
2.3. Mikhail Sholokhov. The Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded in 1965. The award was presented to " for the artistic power and integrity of the epic about the Don Cossacks at a turning point for Russia». In his speech during the award ceremony, Sholokhov said that his goal was " extol the nation of workers, builders and heroes».
2.4. Alexander Solzhenitsyn– laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature 1970 « for the moral strength gleaned from the tradition of great Russian literature». Government Soviet Union considered the decision of the Nobel Committee " politically hostile", and Solzhenitsyn, fearing that after his trip he would not be able to return to his homeland, accepted the award, but was not present at the award ceremony.
2.5. Joseph Brodsky- Laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1987. Prize awarded « for his multifaceted creativity, marked by sharpness of thought and deep poetry». In 1972, he was forced to emigrate from the USSR and lived in the USA.
2.6. In 2015, the prize was sensationally received by a Belarusian writer and journalist Svetlana Alexievich. She wrote such works as “War Doesn’t Have a Woman’s Face”, “Zinc Boys”, “Enchanted by Death”, “Chernobyl Prayer”, “Second Hand Time” and others. It’s quite a rare event in recent years when a prize was given to a person who writes in Russian.
3. Nobel Prize nominees
The Nobel Prize in Literature is the most prestigious award, which has been awarded annually by the Nobel Foundation for achievements in the field of literature since 1901. A writer who has been awarded the prize appears in the eyes of millions of people as an incomparable talent or genius who, with his creativity, managed to win the hearts of readers from all over the world.
However there is whole line famous writers who were bypassed by the Nobel Prize for various reasons, but they were no less worthy of it than their fellow laureates, and sometimes even more. Who are they?
Half a century later, the Nobel Committee reveals its secrets, so today we know not only who received awards in the first half of the 20th century, but also who did not receive them, remaining among the nominees.
First time among the literary nominees Nobel“Russians” dates back to 1901 - then Leo Tolstoy was nominated for the award among other nominees, but he did not become the winner of the prestigious award for several more years. Leo Tolstoy would be present in the nominations every year until 1906, and the only reason why the author " War and Peace"did not become the first Russian laureate" Nobel”, became his own decisive refusal of the award, as well as a request not to award it.
M. Gorky was nominated in 1918, 1923, 1928, 1930, 1933 (5 times)
Konstantin Balmont was nominated in 1923,
Dmitry Merezhkovsky -1914, 1915, 1930, 1931 – 1937 (10 times)
Shmelev - 1928, 1932
Mark Aldanov – 1934, 1938, 1939, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 – 1956,1957 (12 times)
Leonid Leonov -1949,1950.
Konstantin Paustovsky -1965, 1967
And how many geniuses of Russian literature were not even declared among the nominees Bulgakov, Akhmatova, Tsvetaeva, Mandelstam, Yevgeny Yevtushenko... Everyone can continue this brilliant series with the names of their favorite writers and poets.
Why were Russian writers and poets so rarely among the laureates?
It is no secret that the prize is often awarded for political reasons. , says Philip Nobel, a descendant of Alfred Nobel. - But there is another important reason. In 1896, Alfred left a condition in his will: the capital of the Nobel Foundation must be invested in shares of strong companies that provide good profits. In the 20-30s of the last century, the fund's money was invested primarily in American corporations. Since then, the Nobel Committee and the United States have had very close ties.”
Anna Akhmatova may have received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1966, but she... died on March 5, 1966, so her name was not later considered. According to the rules of the Swedish Academy, the Nobel Prize can only be awarded to living writers. The prize was received only by those writers who quarreled with the Soviet regime: Joseph Brodsky, Ivan Bunin, Boris Pasternak, Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
The Swedish Academy of Sciences did not favor Russian literature: at the beginning of the twentieth century, it rejected L.N. Tolstoy and did not notice the brilliant A.P. Chekhov, passed by no less significant writers and poets of the twentieth century: M. Gorky, V. Mayakovsky, M. Bulgakov and others. It should also be noted that I. Bunin, like later other Nobel laureates (B. Pasternak, A. Solzhenitsyn , I. Brodsky) was in a state of acute conflict with the Soviet regime.
Be that as it may, great writers and poets, Nobel Prize laureates, whose creative path was thorny, with their brilliant creations they built a pedestal for themselves. The personality of these great sons of Russia is enormous not only in the Russian, but also in the world literary process. And they will remain in people’s memory as long as humanity lives and creates.
« Exploded Heart»… This is how you can characterize state of mind our compatriot writers who became Nobel Prize laureates. They are our pride! And our pain and shame for what was done to I.A. Bunin and B.L. Pasternak, A.I. Solzhenitsyn and I.A. Brodsky by the official authorities, for their forced loneliness and exile. In St. Petersburg there is a monument to Nobel on Petrovskaya Embankment. True, this monument is a sculptural composition “ Exploded tree».
Fantasy about Nobel. There is no need to dream about the Nobel, After all, it is awarded by chance, And someone, alien to the highest standards, Keeps joyless secrets. I have not been to distant Sweden, As in the dreams of snow-covered Nepal, And Brodsky wanders around Venice And silently looks into the canals. He was an outcast who did not know love, slept in a hurry and ate unsweetened, but, having changed the plus for the minus, he married an aristocrat.
Sitting in Venetian bars and having conversations with counts, He mixed cognac with resentment, Antiquity with the Internet age. Rhymes were born from the surf, I had the strength to write them down. But what about poetry? They are empty, Once again Nobel came out of the grave. I asked: - Let the genius be Brodsky. Let him shine in a pair of tails, But Paustovsky lived somewhere, Not Sholokhov in a pair of cognac. Zabolotsky lived, fell into the abyss, and was resurrected, and became great. Once upon a time Simonov lived, gray-haired and sober, counting the Tashkent ditches. Well, what about Tvardovsky? Nice sidekick, that's the one who molds the lines so well! Where are you looking, Uncle Nobel? Mendel.