The Nobel Prize for Literature this year goes to the author of “The Vegetarian” and “The White Book”, Han Kang from Korea. She is just the 18th female to receive the award.
Following three days of Nobel prizes recognizing achievements in various fields of science, the Nobel Committee at the Swedish Academy has revealed the recipient of the Literature award.
Han Kang, a South Korean writer, has been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature for her powerful poetic writing, which addresses historical traumas and reveals the vulnerability of human existence.
As per the Academy, her body of work addresses historical tragedies and unwritten guidelines, revealing the vulnerability of human existence in all her pieces. She possesses a distinct understanding of the links between body and soul, the living and the dead, and through her innovative and experimental writing style, she has emerged as a trailblazer in modern prose.
Kang, aged 53, is the daughter of writer Hang Seung-won and was previously awarded the Man Booker International Prize for her 2016 fictional work “The Vegetarian”, which tells the story of a woman’s decline into mental health issues and familial abandonment. It was her initial book to be released in English.
Noteworthy works also include “Greek Lessons” from 2011, “The White Book” from 2016, and “We Do Not Part” from 2021.
The Nobel Prize for Literature is awarded to the author, making her the 18th woman to receive this honor.
She takes over from Norwegian author Jon Fosse, the recipient of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature, as Anders Olsson, head of the Nobel Committee, praises Fosse’s blending of regional influences and avant-garde artistic methods.
Critics have frequently pointed out that the Literature award tends to favor European and North American writers known for their elaborate writing style over substantial storytelling. It has been predominantly male, with only 18 women out of its 119 winners.
France’s Annie Ernaux was the most recent female winner in 2022.
The Nobel announcements began on Monday with the Medicine prize being awarded to Americans Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun after six days. John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton, both pioneers in machine learning, were awarded the Physics prize this Tuesday. Yesterday, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was given to three scientists for their groundbreaking methods in decoding and creating new proteins.
The award includes a monetary prize of 11 million Swedish kronor (€967,000) provided by a donation made by the originator of the prize, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. The recipients are welcomed to attend ceremonies on 10 December to collect their awards, which coincides with Nobel’s passing.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner will be revealed on Friday, while the Economics award recipient will be announced on 14 October.
News Photo by Antonio Scalogna on Unsplash
