The Nobel Prize for Literature: What Little Remains

Hello Gentle Reader

Summer break is coming to a close both for students but also the Swedish Academy. Since the start of the summer it has been quiet on the front of the Swedish Academy, who has retained its stony silence since the eruption of scandal in the spring, which has seen the Academy’s numbers dwindled down to ten active sitting members and the Nobel Prize for Literature for two-thousand and eighteen being postponed until two-thousand and nineteen. Considering the state and behaviour of the Swedish Academy over the past few months, the Nobel Foundation, has grown increasingly concerned about the conduct and the reputation of the academy, which it believes has damaged the Noble Prize for Literatures prestige and reputation. The Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation, Lars Heikensten has been expressed grave concern about the conduct of the Swedish Academy and has encouraged the academy to repair its reputation and organize its affairs, while regaining the public’s trust. Lars Heikensten understands his authority over the awarding institutions is limited, but has made it quite clear that in the event the Swedish Academy is unable to restore faith with the public, as the executive director of the Nobel Foundation, and therefore the executor of Alfred Nobel’s will, the Nobel Foundation has the authority and ability to withhold the prize money to any future laureate, on the grounds the Swedish Academy has still failed in resolving its internal governance issues, and regaining the trust from the public. Yet it is speculated that in the event the Swedish Academy continues tromp and trudge in its current direction, the Nobel Foundation, will seek an alternative institution to award the Nobel Prize for Literature; however, this route is rumored to be expensive and legally contentious.

Considering the events over the spring, as well as the facts there has been no move or word from the Swedish Academy as to how it will rebuild itself, the Nobel Foundation had sent a letter to the academy proposing a temporary solution, while the Swedish Academy organizes its affairs. The temporary solution proposed by Lars Heikensten, on behalf of the Nobel Foundation, was to create in essence a shadow committee of the Swedish Academy, who would receive nominations for the Nobel Prize for Literature, then organize and adjudicate accordingly, before sitting down for the final stages of discussions, debates, and the final vote. This would mean the award going forward would not be tainted by the current body’s previous behaviour and conduct. Sadly, however, Anders Olsson the pro temporare Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy wrote back to the Nobel Foundation whereby he declined their request, on behalf of the remaining members of the Swedish Academy. Andres Olsson points out; the request raises numerous legalities and challenges, to which Lars Heikensten pointedly made clear: everything at this point is going to be met with legalities and legal uncertainties, yet accepts the decision of the academy as their own by their own autonomy. The remaining members of the Swedish Academy have seen fit they seek to handle the matter internally, to which Lars Heikensten has made it clear that the ball is in their court, and they truly are on their own to repair their reputation, rebuild their fractured and damage institution, and regain the trust of the public, while restoring the integrity of the award.

Personally, I am not sure how the Swedish Academy intends to move forward at this point. First of all they lack the necessary members to hold a quorum. If my research is correct, they need twelve members to

A: elect new members;

B: come to a consensus on the Nobel Laureate for Literature

Currently the Swedish Academy only has ten members actively serving, and without the necessary twelve members, they would be unable to elect and induct new members, and by extension no laureate would be able to be named either. All of this means is it is appears the Swedish Academy will be fighting an uphill battle, one in which they are more than likely going to fail at climbing successfully; which means the future of the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Prize for Literature hangs in an uncertain limbo. It is safe to assume Lars Heikensten and the Nobel Foundation have since washed their hands of the Swedish Academy, and has left them to their own devices. It would not be unfair to assume either that the Swedish Academy, through its stony silence, is unsure of how to move past the scandal and regain its former glory. Personally, I have no issue stating that the Swedish Academy’s current petulant behaviour is exaggerated and pantomime. Their inability to accept help as its being offered has cut their proverbial nose off despite their face. Their egos have gotten in their way to see the damage they have done to the award, and their current behaviour tarnishes all future laureates and awards. How the Swedish Academy will move beyond this is up to them, but their current behaviour strikes me as they think they can continue on with the business as though nothing has changed; all the while the complete opposite is true: everything has changed, and they need to adjust to these new situation or risk being forgotten in its entirety.

In the event the Swedish Academy is unable to get its affairs in order, there appears to be increasing pressure put on the King of Sweden to dismiss all current siting members of the Swedish Academy, and wipe the slate clean, while appointing new members. The other possible remedy is the Nobel Foundation seeks another institution to award the Nobel Prize for Literature; but this too will be met with legal challenges by the ten remaining members of the Swedish Academy.

Moving away from the Swedish Academy’s current state of mutilation, Sara Danius recently opened up about her decision to leave the academy, and with no surprise she is bitterly resentful over the situation. She described her revulsion in reading the claims by the eighteen women, who have accused Jean-Claude Arnault of sexual assault and rape. She dismissed the claims of Horace Engdahl as being one of the worst Permanent Secretaries in the academy’s history, and remains baffled by his behaviour during the entire scandal, going so far as to state when Swedish Academy decided to employ the law firm to investigate the accusations and the academy’s connections, he was very supportive, but quickly changed his tune after the Christmas Break, and only a few months later, scandal erupted, and the Swedish Academy could only attempt to put out the flames, as they popped up. When asked about her resignation, Sara Danius did little hide her bitterness in which she called a: “horse trade,” between herself and the disgraced member: Katarina Frostenson, who has not yet formally resigned from the academy.

This is entirely unfortunate when reflected on from March until August. The Nobel Prize for Literature and the Swedish Academy, have been great assets and allies in expanding my literary palette; which makes the current behaviour exhibited by the remaining Swedish Academy disheartening, and also wondering how the Nobel Prize for Literature will be able to come through this scandal without being tarnished—but the truth is: it is already tarnished. Now it is up to the Swedish Academy to rectify the situation, which of course they have proven to be incapable of doing. My personal hope is that the his Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, will dismiss the remaining members of the academy and appoint a new eighteen members, and save the Nobel Prize for Literature from further scandal, and sustain what integrity it has left.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary

For Further Reading Gentle Reader please see the following articles:

"Swedish Academy snubs call for new Nobel Prize committer,"

"Ousted Swedish Academy head gives her side of the story for the first time,"