Jon Fosse, the Norwegian playwright, has been awarded the prestigious 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature, in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to drama and literature that give voice to the ineffable.
Born in the coastal city of Haugesund, Norway, Jon Fosse, aged 64, may not be widely recognized beyond his homeland, but he enjoys an esteemed reputation within literary circles worldwide. Often referred to as “the most produced living playwright,” he has received numerous accolades in Europe and enjoys full financial support from the Norwegian government, including a lifelong stipend and residence near Oslo’s Royal Palace. In 2007, he was honored as a Knight in France’s National Order of Merit.
The Nobel committee, in its commendation, highlighted Fosse’s prolific body of work, composed in Norwegian Nynorsk, encompassing a diverse array of genres such as plays, novels, poetry collections, essays, children’s literature, and translations. While he has achieved global recognition as one of the most frequently performed playwrights today, his skills in prose have also garnered increasing acclaim.
Comparisons to literary giants have frequently been made, with some likening him to the “new Henrik Ibsen,” while the Nobel committee chairman drew parallels to Samuel Beckett, emphasizing Fosse’s artistic evolution in the aftermath of modernism.
In a 2015 essay for The Paris Review, Damion Searls offered a different perspective, likening the elder statesmen of Norwegian literature to the Beatles, with Fosse being characterized as the “quiet one,” known for his mystical and spiritual storytelling, and considered by many to be the finest craftsman among them.
Jon Fosse initially embarked on his literary journey as a novelist and only gained prominence as a playwright in his 40s. His international acclaim as a playwright was solidified in 1998 when his first play, “Nokon kjem til å komme” (translated as “Someone Is Going to Come”), written in 1992, was staged in Paris. Since then, his works have been performed in over 60 countries, according to his translator, Ann Henning Jocelyn.
The Nobel Committee has faced criticism for its tendency to favor European and Anglo writers, with only a limited number of writers of color receiving the literature prize in the past two decades. Last year’s laureate was French writer Annie Ernaux, who is now 83 years old.
