Norwegian author Jon Fosse, aged 64, has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2023, in recognition of his groundbreaking plays and prose that articulate the inexpressible. The announcement was made on October 5, 2023.
Anders Olsson, chairman of the Nobel committee for literature, praised Fosse's extensive body of work, which includes approximately 40 plays, as well as numerous novels, poetry collections, essays, children's books, and translations. Olsson noted Fosse's ability to blend his deep connection to Norwegian language and culture with modernist artistic techniques.
Born in Haugesund, Norway, in 1959, Fosse's artistic journey was significantly influenced by a near-fatal childhood accident at the age of seven. He initially aspired to be a rock guitarist before shifting his focus to writing.
Fosse's debut novel, "Red, Black" (Raudt, svart), was published in 1983. His first performed play, "And Never Shall We Part" (Og aldri skal vi skiljast), premiered at the National Theater in Bergen in 1994. However, it was his earlier play, "Someone Is Going to Come" (Nokon kjem til å komme), staged by French director Claude Régy in Nanterre in 1999, that catapulted him to prominence.
The Nobel Prize in Literature, established by Alfred Nobel, is awarded annually to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the field of literature, aligning with Nobel's vision of recognizing work that promotes idealism
