Bob Dylan, Nobel Prize 2016: Twitter Reactions You Must See

For the first time in the history of the Nobel Prize for Literature, the award was given to a singer-songwriter, American Bob Dylan, originally known as Robert Allen Zimmerman. The Swedish Academy announced Dylan as the winner, citing in a press release that he is being recognized “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”.

The announcement seemed to have taken the literary world by surprise, with various opinion makers saying that Dylan’s work is not strictly under the confines of literature. In her announcement, Sara Danius, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy cited that Homer and Sappho “wrote poetic texts which were meant to be performed, and it’s the same way for Bob Dylan.”

Twitter reactions You must See

It also elicited many reactions on social media, particularly on Twitter and here are just a few of them, as compiled by The Guardian.

Salman Rushdie, novelist is among those who lauded the choice of the Nobel Prize.

From Orpheus to Faiz,song & poetry have been closely linked. Dylan is the brilliant inheritor of the bardic tradition.Great choice. #Nobel

— Salman Rushdie (@SalmanRushdie) October 13, 2016

Another apparent supporter, Naomi Klein tweeted the win was “awesome.”

This is awesome: Bob Dylan wins Nobel prize in literature 2016 https://t.co/Dvq580cDEa

— Naomi Klein (@NaomiAKlein) October 13, 2016

Journalist Joan Bakewell praised the choice as well, saying that Dylan helped shape a generation and beyond.

Dylan! Wow! That's a great choice…his voice, his lyrics, his take on the world shaped a generation and beyond.

— Joan Bakewell (@JDBakewell) October 13, 2016

On the negative side of the fence, there were a few who thought that the choice was “lame” and “absurd.”

Jason Pinter, writer and publisher tweeted:

If Bob Dylan can win the Nobel Prize for literature then I think @StephenKing should get elected to the Rock N' Roll hall of fame.

— Jason Pinter (@jasonpinter) October 13, 2016

The music journalism website, Rock’s Back Pages also called Dylan more a “song versifier” rather than a writer.

The idea that Dylan is a greater writer (rather than song versifier) than Philip Roth is, frankly, absurd. https://t.co/jLCaBBd3Nf

— Rock's Backpages (@rocksbackpages) October 13, 2016

Another writer, Jodi Picoult even joked about whether this means that she can win a Grammy.

I'm happy for Bob Dylan. #ButDoesThisMeanICanWinAGrammy?

— Jodi Picoult (@jodipicoult) October 13, 2016

More About Bob Dylan

Dylan was born in Minnesota on May 24, 1941. At a young age, he started performing in bands and according to the New York Times, he counts as his influences Woody Guthrie, a folk musician and the beat poets. In a biographical note released by the Academy, they also noted that he has recorded a large number of albums revolving around topics like the social conditions of man, religion, politics and love.” He is also a versatile artist, having been “active as a painter, actor and scriptwriter.”

Dylan bested other favorites to win the prize, which included Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, American novelist Don DeLillo, Kenyan playwright Ngugi wa Thiong’ o, and Syrian poet Adonis. He also wins the eight million Swedish kronor, equivalent to about US $ 930,000. Last year, Belarussian journalist Svetlana Alexievich won the prize for her work in non-fiction.

The Literature prize is the last Nobel Prize to be awarded for the year. Read about the other prizes and winners here: Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Peace and Economics.