By Claire Booth
The world of words was rocked
this week by the announcement that Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize for
Literature. Yes, that Bob Dylan.
Bob Dylan in 1980 (photo by Jean-Luc Ourlin)
He’s the first songwriter to win
what is arguably the most prestigious literary award in the world. Lots of
people are grumbling about it, and lots of people are happy about it. (Which is
pretty typical of the Nobels.) But one reaction was almost universal. Everyone
was surprised.
I was delighted. And not just
because I’m a Dylan fan. I think it signals a refreshing willingness on the
part of the Swedish Academy to change with the times.
The ways we communicate are
evolving at breakneck pace. Texts, tweets, Instagram photos – the list goes on
and is constantly growing. Even in the narrow world of novels and poetry, there
are more accepted ways to do it than ever before. There are books on paper,
books in digital format, books on audio, books as graphic novels.
It really isn’t that big a jump
to songwriting. Obviously, putting words to music is not a new concept. But in
the rarified air of international awards, the acknowledgement that song lyrics
can also be literature – that’s revolutionary.
And it bodes well for things to
come. There are a lot of people out there who have a way with words. Who knows
what form they will use in the future to communicate their work? They – and
those who judge them – shouldn’t have to be limited to only what has been accepted
in the past.
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