1901 Nobel Prize in Literature

20px 1901 Nobel Prize in Literature Sully Prudhomme Swedish Academy 1901 https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1901/summary/ 1901 laureate Sully-Prudhomme.jpg "in special recognition of his poetic composition, which gives evidence of lofty idealism, artistic perfection and a rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect." 14 November 1901 (announcement) 10 December 1901 (ceremony) Stockholm, Sweden Nobel Prize in Literature 1902 The 1901 Nobel Prize in Literature was the first awarded Nobel Prize in Literature. It was awarded to the French poet Sully Prudhomme (1839–1907) "in special recognition of his poetic composition, which gives evidence of lofty idealism, artistic perfection and a rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect."The Nobel Prize in Literature 1901 nobelprize.org Laureate Sully Prudhomme Sully Prudhomme belonged to a school of poets that wanted to write in a classic and formally elegant style. His poetry combined formal perfection with an interest in science and philosophy. According to the Swedish Academy, his elevated poetry fit in Alfred Nobel's formulation about works "in an ideal direction".Sully Prudhomme nobelprize.org Deliberations Nominations left|thumb|200px|Malwida von Meysenburg was the first woman ever nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. She was nominated by French historian Gabriel Monod for her magnum opus Memoirs of an Idealist Sully Prudhomme was nominated for the prize by 17 members of the Académie Française, of which Sully Prudhomme himself was a member. In total the Nobel committee received 37 nominations for 26 writers including Frédéric Mistral (five nominations) and Henryk Sienkiewicz (three nominations) who were subsequently both awarded the prize, and the only woman nominated, Malwida von Meysenburg.Nomination archive nobelprize.org The first name on their list of candidates was Émile Zola, but the campaign from the Académie Française proved to be successful and the Swedish Academy chose to award Sully Prudhomme.Helmer Lång Hundra nobelpris i litteratur 1901-2001 Bokförlag Symposion 2001, p. 24 (in Swedish) The notable authors R. D. Blackmore, Anne Beale, Victoire Léodile Béra, Stephen Crane, Ernest Dowson, José Maria de Eça de Queiroz, Carit Etlar, Naim Frashëri, Mary Kingsley, Max Müller, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigbjørn Obstfelder, Pyotr Lavrov, John Ruskin, Henry Sidgwick, Charles Dudley Warner, Oscar Wilde, Vladimir Solovyov and Gheorghe Dem Teodorescu all died in 1900, making them ineligible for the 1901 nominations. The nominated French theologian Louis Sabatier died months before the announcement, and authors Leopoldo Alas, Víctor Balaguer i Cirera, Walter Besant, Ada Christen, Ramón de Campoamor, Luis Mariano de Larra, Kate Greenaway, Julien Leclercq, William Cosmo Monkhouse, Frederic W. H. Myers, Johanna Spyri, Grigore Sturdza, Maurice Thompson, Vasile Alexandrescu Urechia, Brooke Foss Westcott and Charlotte Mary Yonge died in 1901 without having been nominated for the prize. Official list of nominees and their nominators for the prize No. Nominee Country Genre(s) Nominator(s)1Alexander Baumgartnernotes Baumgartner: Geschichte der Weltliteratur ("The History of World Literature", 1897—1901) (1841–1910)Switzerlandpoetry, historyKnud Karl Krogh-Tonning (1842–1911)2Charles Borgeaudnotes Borgeaud: Histoire de l'Université de Genève. L'académie de Calvin. 1559—1798 ("The History of the Geneva University: Calvin's Academy", 1900) (1861–1940)Switzerlandhistory, lawWilhelm Oechsli (1851–1919) Antoine Guilland (1861–1931) Paul Seippel (1858–1926)3João da Câmaranotes Câmara: Meia-Noite ("The Midnight", 1900) (1852–1908)Kingdom of Portugal Portugaldrama, essaysJoaquim José Coelho de Carvalho (1855–1934)4Louis Ducrosnotes Ducros: Les Encyclopédistes (Encyclopedists, 1900) (1846–1927)French Third Republic Franceliterary criticism, historyMichel Clerc (1857–1931)5Paul Duproixnotes Duproix: Kant et Fichte et le problème de l´éducation ("Kant, Fichte, and the Problem of Education", 1895) (1851–1912)French Third Republic FrancepedagogyÉmile Redard (1848–1913)6Carl Gustaf Estlandernotes Estlander: Vitterhetens utveckling hos de nyare folken i medeltiden: förra perioden (Witnesses of the Newer People's Development in the Middle Ages: The Last Period", 1900) (1834–1910)Russian Empire Russia(Finland)history, essayJohan Gustaf Frosterus (1826–1901)7Antonio Fogazzaronotes Fogazzaro: Malombra: romanzo ("Malombra: A Novel", 1881), Daniele Cortis (1885), Il mistero del poeta ("The Mystery of the Poet", 1888), and Ascensioni umane ("Human Ascensions", 1899) (1842–1911)Kingdom of Italy Italynovel, poetry, short storyHans Forssell (1843–1901)8Julius Gersdorffnotes Gersdorff: 600 bis 700 Lieder ("Songs 600-700") (1849–1907)German Empire Germanypoetry, songwritingCarl Heinrich Döring (1834–1916)9Oscar le Pinnotes Le Pin: La recherche de l'idéal ("Searching of the Ideal", 1900) (–)September 2025SwitzerlanddramaP. L. Bonnaviat (–)September 202510Ossip Louriénotes Lourié: La philosophie de Tolstoï ("The Philosophy of Tolstoy", 1899) and La philosophie sociale dans le théâtre d'Ibsen ("The Social Philosophy of Ibsen's Theatre", 1900) (1868–1955)French Third Republic Francehistory, philosophy, essaysKristian Birch-Reichenwald Aars (1868–1917)11Ferenc Keménynotes Kemény: Entwurf einer internationalen Gesammt-Academie: Weltakademie ("The Draft of an Total International Academy: World Academy", 1901) (1860–1944)Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria–Hungary(Kingdom of Hungary Hungary)essaysImre Rudolf Pauer (1845–1930)12Frédéric Mistralnotes Mistral: Mirèio and La Respelido (1900). (1830–1914)French Third Republic Francepoetry, philologyJulius Cornu (1849–1919) Lèon Clédat (1851–1930) Eduard Koschwitz (1851–1904) Jan Urban Jarník (1848–1923) Adolf Mussafia (1835–1905) Karl Vollmöller (1878–1948) Gottfried Baist (1853–1920) Karl Voretzsch (1867–1947) Heinrich Schneegans (1863–1914) Hermann Suchier (1848–1914) Fritz Neumann (1854–1934) Wilhelm Cloetta (1857–1911) Theodor Gartner (1843–1925) Albert Stimming (1846–1922) Hugo Schuchardt (1846–1927) Gustav Gröber (1844–1911) Léopold Eugène Constans (1845–1916) Paul Meyer (1840–1917) Carl Appel (1857–1934) André Dumas (1874–1943) Alfons Kissner (1844–1928) Matthias Friedwagner (1861–1940) Eduard Böhmer (1827–1906) Ernest Mérimée (1846–1924) Eugène Ritter (1836–1928)13Gaspar Núñez de Arcenotes Núñez de Arce: Gritos del combate: Poesías ("Cries of Combat: Poems", 1875), Obras dramáticas ("Dramatic Works", 1879), La selva oscura: Poema ("The Dark Forest: Poem", 1879), and Sursum Corda! ("Ascend the Heart!", 1900) (1832–1903)Restoration (Spain) Spainpoetry, drama, lawMariano Catalina Cobo (1842–1913)14Gaston Parisnotes Paris: La poésie du moyen âge ("The Poetry of the Middle Ages", 1885–95) Discours de réception ("Reception Speech", 1897), Penseurs et poètes ("Thinkers and Poets", 1896), Poèmes et légendes du moyen âge ("Poems and Legends of the Middle Ages", 1900), and François Villon (1901) (1839–1903)French Third Republic Francehistory, poetry, essaysFredrik Wulff (1845–1930)15Sully Prudhommenotes Prudhomme: Oeuvres ("Works", 1865–1888), Que sais-je? Examen de conscience ("What Do I Know? Examining Our Conscience", 1896), Testament poétique ("Poetic Testament", 1901.) (1839–1907)French Third Republic Francepoetry, essayPer Geijer (1886–1976) Michel Bréal (1832–1915) Gustave Lanson (1857–1934) Henri de Bornier (1825–1901) Gaston Paris (1839–1903) Paul Bourget (1852–1935) Octave Gréard (1828–1904) André Theuriet (1833–1907) Gaston Boissier (1823–1908) Ludovic Halévy (1837–1908) Henry Houssaye (1848–1911) François Coppée (1842–1908) José-Maria de Heredia (1842–1905) Jules Lemaître (1853–1914) Charles de Freycinet (1828–1923) Paul Deschanel (1855–1922) Émile Ollivier (1825–1913) Charles Costa de Beauregard (1835–1909) Émile Faguet (1847–1916) Guillaume Apollinaire (1880–1918)16Charles Renouviernotes Renouvier: La nouvelle monadologie ("The New Monadology", 1899) (1815–1903)French Third Republic FrancephilosophyAntoine Benoist (1846–1922)17Edmond Rostandnotes Rostand: Cyrano de Bergerac (1897) and L'Aiglon ("Eaglet, 1900) (1868–1918)French Third Republic Francepoetry, dramaGabriel Hanotaux (1853–1944) Paul Hervieu (1857–1915)18Auguste Sabatiernotes A. Sabatier: Esquisse d'une philosophie de la religion d'après la psychologie et l'histoire ("Outlines of a Philosophy of Religion based on Psychology and History", 1897) (1839–1901)French Third Republic Francehistory, essays, theologyGabriel Monod (1844–1912)19Paul Sabatiernotes P. Sabatier: Vie de S. François d'Assise ("The Life of St. Francis of Assisi", 1894) (1858–1928)French Third Republic Francehistory, theology, biographyCarl Bildt (1850–1931)20Henryk Sienkiewicznotes Sienkiewicz: Quo Vadis? (1896) and Ogniem i mieczem ("With Fire and Sword", 1884) (1846–1916)Russian Empire Russia(Poland 1815)novelHarald Hjärne (1848–1922) Hans Hildebrand (1842–1913) Stanisław Tarnowski (1837–1917)21Giacomo Stampanotes Stampa: Arcanum anima [sic!]. Gedanken eines Menschenfreundes ("Mysterious Soul: Thoughts of a Philanthropist") (?)Kingdom of Italy ItalyessaysÁrmin Vámbéry (1832–1913)22René Vallery-Radotnotes R. Valery-Radot: La Vie de Pasteur ("Life of Pasteur", 1900)http://libris.kb.se/bib/8345517 Nobelpriset i litteratur. Nomineringar och utlåtanden 1901–1950 Bo Svensén 2001 Svenska Akademien 978-91-1-301007-6 11 November 2020 (1853–1933)French Third Republic France essays, biographyEugène-Melchior de Vogüé (1848–1910) Sully Prudhomme (1839–1907) Henri Lavedan (1859–1940) Gabriel Hanotaux (1853–1944) Albert Sorel (1842–1906) Albert Vandal (1853–1910) Ernest Legouvé (1807–1903)23Malwida von Meysenbugnotes Meysenbug: Memoiren einer Idealistin ("Memoirs of an Idealist", 1869–76), Stimmungsbilder ("Shades of Mood", 1879), and Der Lebensabend einer Idealistin: Nachtrag zu den "Memoiren einer Idealistin" ("The Retirement of an Idealist: Addendum to the 'Memoirs of an Idealist'", 1898) (1816–1903)German Empire GermanymemoirsGabriel Monod (1844–1912)notes The nomination by Gabriel Monod was made through Björnstjerne Björnson.24Alexandru Dimitrie Xenopolnotes Xenopol: Les principes fondamentaux de l'histoire ("The Fundamental Principles of History", 1899) (1847–1920)Kingdom of Romania Romaniahistory, philosophy, essaysIon Găvănescu (1859–1949)25Émile Zolanotes Zola: "for his works in general." (1840–1902)French Third Republic Francenovel, drama, short storyMarcellin Berthelot (1827–1907) Prize decision Of the 25 nominated candidates, the Nobel committee dismissed six inferior writers as out of the question for the award. These were Julius Gersdorff, Oscar le Pin, Franz Kemény, Giacomo Stampa, Ossip Lourié and Malwida von Meysenburg. The remaining candidates were acknowledged for having written some excellent works, but most of them were also ruled out for various reasons. These included Émile Zola who were dismissed on the ground that his works was not considered to be of the "ideal direction" outlined in Alfred Nobel's will.Nobelpriset i litteratur. Nomineringar och utlåtanden 1901-1920 1901 Svensén, Bo Svenska Akademien 2001 The Nobel committee found the French poets Frédéric Mistral (subsequently awarded in 1904) and Sully Prudhomme, Polish novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz (awarded in 1905) and Italian writer Antonio Fogazzaro as worthy recipients of the award, with a special recommendation of Mistral and Prudhomme in their report to the Swedish Academy. The Nobel committee argued that the two poets were equally prominent, but that Prudhomme "more than most others" represented an "ideal direction" in literature, and that the French Academy's recommendation of Sully Prudhomme should be decisive in awarding him the prize.Gustav Källstrand Andens olympiska spel. Nobelprisets historia Fri Tanke 2021, p. 184 On 14 November 1901 the Swedish Academy decided that that year's Nobel Prize in Literature should be awarded to Sully Prudhomme "in special recognition of his poetic composition, which gives evidence of lofty idealism, artistic perfection and a rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect.". Reactions The Swedish Academy's decision to award Sully Prudhomme the first Nobel Prize in Literature was intensely covered by the French newspaper Le Figaro, who appeared to acknowledge the literature prize as the most interesting and important of the five Nobel prizes. On the day the prizes were awarded Le Figaro dedicated two front-page articles on Sully Prudhomme, one report on the prize itself and one interview with the poet, followed by another lengthy front-page article the next day presenting all the laureates, and a second article describing the idea of the Nobel prize.The Nobel Prize and the Formation of Contemporary World Literature Early Breakthroughs and setbacks (1901-13) 21–22 Tenngart, Paul Bloomsbury Publishing 2023 Elsewhere, particularly Swedish reactions were heavily critical and caused a domestic scandal. The choice of Sully Prudhomme was interpreted as a politeness towards the Académie Française, model to the Swedish Academy. Many believed that Lev Tolstoy should have been awarded the first Nobel Prize in literature. The Swedish author August Strindberg angrily reacted saying that Prudhomme is "hardly a poet although he writes in verse", and that it was scandalous that he was awarded the prize just because he was a member of an academy that the Swedish Academy wanted to impress. The leading representatives of the contemporary Swedish cultural elite including August Strindberg, Selma Lagerlöf, Verner von Heidenstam, Oscar Levertin, Bruno Liljefors, Anders Zorn and Albert Engström protested against the Academy and sent a letter to Tolstoy saying he was the most worthy recipient of the prize and that the Swedish Academy did not represent the majority of Swedish cultural persons. Critical reactions also came from the German newspaper Berliner Zeitung who described Prudhomme as a poet who was respected but not read. An English newspaper said that Sully Prudhomme was a second rate poet who had not achieved anything in many years. Many said Tolstoy was the superior candidate and should have been awarded the prize. The Swedish Academy defended themselves from the criticism by saying that Tolstoy had not been nominated for the prize, and could thus not be awarded.Helmer Lång Hundra nobelpris i litteratur 1901-2001 Bokförlag Symposion 2001, p. 23-24 (in Swedish)Gustav Källstrand Andens olympiska spel. Nobelprisets historia Fri Tanke 2021, p. 185 Notes References External links Award ceremony speech by C.D. af Wirsén nobelprize.org 1901 Nobel