Learn why eminent classic writers like William Somerset Maugham, James Joyce, and Graham Greene did not receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. What happened behind the scenes? Why were they denied the Prize in Literature? Are they not worth it? Here are the interesting facts dug out from the history of Nobel Prizes. Read on... they make good reading.
Why was it the famous classic writers William Somerset Maugham, Graham Greene and James Joyce were denied the Prize when they truly deserved it? Is it because their works are inferior and did not possess literary merits? Is it because they did not produce the most distinguished works of idealistic tendency, which Alfred Nobel clearly stipulated as a criterion in his will?
If one peeps behind the scenes and read between the lines, he will learn that the judges or members of the Selection Committee of the Nobel Prizes are mere mortals filled with high-flying vanities, prejudices, petty rivalries, frailties all mixed up with intelligence, honesty, wisdom and courage.
Hedin, one of the powerful judges on the Nobel Committee with his shortsightedness delivered his judgment on William Somerset Maugham as 'Too popular and undistinguished'. When questioned about James Joyce (1882-1941), Hedin reportedly remarked, 'Who is he'?
And William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) cannot be too popular and undistinguished at the same time. If he is popular he is distinguished, if he is unpopular he is undistinguished. William Somerset Maugham truly deserved the Nobel Prize for his 'Of Human Bondage'.
Such a soul-stirring semi-autobiographical classic 'Of Human Bondage' © 1915; the story revolves around a club-footed youth who genuinely falls in love with a beautiful girl. He then goes beyond his means to give anything in this world to win her. In return, he often finds himself being snubbed by her derisively and ruthlessly exploited suffering humiliation in the process. Yet he takes everything in his stride. And the way this club-footed youth reasons with his soul and justifies his actions and indulgences makes the novel a more moving classic. This is also in a way a semi-autobiography. Truly a masterpiece that is full of literary merit 'Of Human Bondage' that deserved the Prize.
In 1974 too, Graham Greene {1904-1991} of England, Vladimir Nabokov of Russia and Saul Bellow of United States were hot contenders for the Nobel Prize in Literature. But Eyvind Johnson and Harry Martinsonboth Sweden nationals and who are unknown outside their home country were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. But does anyone know that these two authors were Nobel Judges themselves. What an Irony!
The 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature
The 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Chinese author Mo Yan whose citation read as, "who with hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary". Mo Yan is a pen name while the real name is Guan Moye. "Mo Yan" in Chinese language means "don't speak".
This article is published in my personal blog http://writersden-jay.blogspot.in/ under the category of Human Interest Features. There are several more articles of such nature in my blog, which you will find them interesting to read on.
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