Ben Jackson
Well-known member
The Nobel Literature Prize weren't awarded for the years 1914 and 1918 and from 1940---1943 due to the impact of the war. However, after going through the reports from these years, apart from 1942, there were, apparently deliberations for some of the candidates with the hope that if the war should subside, the prize can be awarded.
The first World War began in 1914, some months after the Swedish Academy had received nominations from the distinguished members of the literary community. But with the "blazing flames" spreading across the European continent, there wasn't a chance for the Academy to award the Prize for that year. Instead the prize money was returned to Nobel Foundation. When the war became less intense, the prizes was awarded between 1915--1917, before been reinvested again in 1918. And after the award to Frans Emil Silanpaa in 1939, the Academy had hoped that the war might have subsided so as to award the prize for 1940 and 1941, but it became so terrifying that the Academy didn't bother with deliberations for 1942 prize, only receiving nominations. The Committee resumed deliberations for 1943 when the war became less intense, but the Committee still saw the awarding of the prize as lacking any form of feasibility. With the war gradually coming to a close in 1944, the committee saw it as opportunity for the awarding of the Prize, which was awarded to Danish Modernist writer Johannes V Jensen.
I was initially surprised when I read that there were deliberations for the "lost years." So in my post, I will analyse the shortlisted writers for the lost years.
The first World War began in 1914, some months after the Swedish Academy had received nominations from the distinguished members of the literary community. But with the "blazing flames" spreading across the European continent, there wasn't a chance for the Academy to award the Prize for that year. Instead the prize money was returned to Nobel Foundation. When the war became less intense, the prizes was awarded between 1915--1917, before been reinvested again in 1918. And after the award to Frans Emil Silanpaa in 1939, the Academy had hoped that the war might have subsided so as to award the prize for 1940 and 1941, but it became so terrifying that the Academy didn't bother with deliberations for 1942 prize, only receiving nominations. The Committee resumed deliberations for 1943 when the war became less intense, but the Committee still saw the awarding of the prize as lacking any form of feasibility. With the war gradually coming to a close in 1944, the committee saw it as opportunity for the awarding of the Prize, which was awarded to Danish Modernist writer Johannes V Jensen.
I was initially surprised when I read that there were deliberations for the "lost years." So in my post, I will analyse the shortlisted writers for the lost years.