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Dylan Awarded the Nobel Prize - Your Thoughts
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Gerald
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Oct 13, 2016 01:22PM
I do now if this thread has already been published. I just interested in your thought.
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Are they really saying there are so few writers whose works are significant that we have to move on to musicians? So are all musicians eligible now? What about writers of movies and t.v? I'm not arguing the significance of Dylan's work, just thinking this isn't the correct place to honor him. Maybe they need a Nobel prize for art in general? Because we don't have enough prizes for music, movies, t.v., etc.... (I'm rolling my eyes)
I agree EShay. I'm flabbergasted that Dylan has won a prize for literature when there are soooooooo many exceptional authors deserving of recognition. Dylan certainly has made his mark on music and pop culture, but literature?
I was also thinking that.Why not a prize for art or music. Perhaps they go by what Nobel wanted. Personally I think it's a publicity stunt. I had discussions with a few people who insisted Dylan is a poet or poet of his generation. One man evened considered Dylan a better poet then the greatest poets of all time like Eliot. I could not believe that. I insisted that Dylan would have never considered himself a poet.
He has written books of memoir, poetry, and one book of fiction. Obviously, he isn't mostly known for his books, but I've always heard him touted as a more amazing songwriter than musician--maybe that has something to do with it?
One of the articles I had in my inbox on this listed a number of writers who agreed with the selection. I don't recall all the names on the list but Salman Rushdie's name was there. If Rushdie considers Dylan worthy of a Nobel prize who am I to argue. This award will go nicely with the Pulitzer Prize he already has. In an amusing note someone suggested there was going to be a lot of 'millennials' doing searches on Google to find out who Bob Dylan is.
I saw an article concerning the large list of authors who have been denied the Noble prize because of this decision. I believe it's a publicity stunt.
There is no reason why the lyrics for a song cannot be considered poetry. In the Anglican Church many of our classic hymns started out as poems (Jerusalem comes to mind). The secretary of the committee, whose name I forget but I know is a Professor of Literature in Sweden's main university made that argument in justifying the award. We also have no idea who was also nominated as it has been sealed and will not be opened for fifty years. I doubt you have to worry about this setting a precedent. None of today's songwriters are in Dylan's class.
Well I think some would disagree with you but it's my opinion that Dylan should should not have gotten the award but I have fought with so many people about this including a Catholic Bishop that I'm tired of it. I like Dylan BTW.
When you think about it the ones for the various sciences and economics are for areas that the average person doens't really understand. But the one for Peace and for Literature are a different matter altogether. Mind you with Literature I daresay the average person reads few if any of the writers nominated.
Well I read Colm Tobin and he might have been nominated. I also think Atwood was nominated. Looking forward to the real book prizes soon.
I guess I'm in the minority here (I'm a Democrat living in the Deep South, so it's a position I'm used to) but I am tickled pink about Dylan. Several poets before him have been winners. There is an excellent article by the professor of English from Washington and Lee University who nominated him and why. https://www.washingtonpost.com/postev.... It's worth a read.
I'm just interested in why so many people see Dylan as a poet. Why don't we see Irving Berlin as a poet. Or Rogers and Hammerstein? Also I thought there were a lot of Democrats in the Deep South. Didn't they run the place for years? HOPFULLY THIS WILL end this topic.,I went to war with a number of people about this one on FB.
Gerald wrote: "I'm just interested in why so many people see Dylan as a poet. Why don't we see Irving Berlin as a poet. Or Rogers and Hammerstein? Also I thought there were a lot of Democrats in the Deep South. D..."Sorry to upset you so, but the original post asked for thoughts, and I simply shared mine. Yes, I believe all lyricists are essentially poets. Hope you will read the article.
Janet I'm not upset and I welcome your comments. I asked the question for the comments.There seems to be universal support for Dylan except for me. I like Dylan especially the small country era. I have two albums. Thank you for the comment.
The difference between Rodgers and Hart (although we should only be talking Hart here as he wrote the lyrics, Rodgers did the melodies) is that they were writing for other people to perform, primarily in either a Broadway show or a movie. Dylan on the other hand wrote most of his music for himself to sing, though others have recorded it as well. You can probably make the same comparison to most of the other song-writers of that era, although Noel Coward did perform most of the material he wrote at one time or another.
"I take the award of the Nobel Prize in Literature, when it is given to a poet, to be primarily an assertion of the supra-national value of poetry. To make that affirmation, it is necessary from time to time to designate a poet: and I stand before you, not on my own merits, but as a symbol, for a time, of the significance of poetry." Part of T.S. Elliot's acceptance speech. And remember, his work inspired one of the most famous musicals of all time. And yes, I am an avowed poetry lover. Just sayin'.
Janet wrote: "I guess I'm in the minority here (I'm a Democrat living in the Deep South, so it's a position I'm used to) but I am tickled pink about Dylan. Several poets before him have been winners. There is an..."Thanks for posting that article Janet. Interesting reading. And no not late getting to it. Only somewhat after 9 am here in Lotusland.
I should point out that according to the last thing I read there might not be a prize this year. Some problems with the selectors. Too bad.
From what I have rreeaad the future of that award is in doubt..
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