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1964 Nobel Prize in Literature

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1964 Nobel Prize in Literature
Jean-Paul Sartre
"for his work, which rich in ideas and filled with the spirit of freedom and the quest for truth, has exerted a far-reaching influence on our age."
Date
  • 22 October 1964 (announcement)
  • 10 December 1964
    (ceremony)
LocationStockholm, Sweden
Presented bySwedish Academy
First awarded1901
WebsiteOfficial website
← 1963 · Nobel Prize in Literature · 1965 →

The 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded the French writer Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980) "for his work which, rich in ideas and filled with the spirit of freedom and the quest for truth, has exerted a far-reaching influence on our age".[1]

Sartre declined the prize, saying that he never accepted any official honours and that he did not want the writer to become an institution. Furthermore, regarding the political grounds for his action, Sartre declared about the Nobel prize that it is one that goes only to Westerners "or to rebels of the East". "It is regrettable that the only Soviet work honored was one that was published abroad and forbidden in its own country."[2] The Swedish Academy said in announcement:

"It will be recalled that the laureate has made it known that he did not wish to accept the prize. The fact that he has declined this distinction does not in the least modify the validity of the award. Under the circumstances, however, the Academy can only state that the presentation of the prize cannot take place."[1]

It is the only known occasion when a Laureate has voluntarily declined to accept the Nobel Prize in Literature.[3]

Laureate

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Main article: Jean-Paul Sartre

Sartre was a philosopher – formulated and popularized the philosophy existentialism largely formed[dubious – discuss] in his Being and Nothingness ("L'Être et le néant", 1943) – and playwright but also wrote novels and short stories. Through the protagonist Antoine Roquentin, his first novel La Nausée ("Nausea", 1938) articulates the existentialist themes of alienation, devotion and loneliness.

Sartre's essay published in October 1945.

His play Huis Clos ("No Exit", 1944) depicts hell as a perpetual co-existence with other people, while Les Mouches ("The Flies", 1943) is an adaptation of the ancient Electra myth. His autobiography Les Mots ("The Words", 1964), in which the author tries to distance himself from his writing and reconstruct his childhood, was received with great acclaim when it came out.[4]

Deliberations

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Nominations

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Sartre had received 16 nominations since 1957. In 1964, the Swedish Academy received two nominations for him with which he was eventually awarded. He was nominated by the Swedish PEN-Club and a professor of German language from the University of Strasbourg. Sartre was included in the shortlisted nominees together with Russian novelist Mikhail Sholokhov (awarded in 1965) and British writer W. H. Auden.

There were 76 authors nominated in 1964. Nineteen of them were nominated first-time, among them Eugène Ionesco, Paul Celan, José María Pemán, Hossein Ghods-Nakhai, James T. Farrell, Camilo José Cela (awarded in 1989), Harry Martinson (awarded in 1974), Hugh MacDiarmid, and Miguel Ángel Asturias (awarded in 1967). The highest number of nominations – 3 nominations each – were for Väinö Linna, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, André Malraux, and Mikhail Sholokhov (awarded in 1965). Four of the nominees were women: Judith Wright, Ina Seidel, Nelly Sachs (awarded in 1966), and Katherine Anne Porter.

The authors Halide Edib Adıvar, Abbas Mahmoud al-Aqqad, Brendan Behan, Angel Cruchaga Santa María, J. Frank Dobie, Wenceslao Fernández Flórez, Ian Fleming, Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, Vassily Grossman, Ben Hecht, Thakin Kodaw Hmaing, Samuil Marshak, Moa Martinson, Flannery O'Connor, Karl Polanyi, Davíð Stefánsson, Păstorel Teodoreanu, Ion Vinea, Felix Weltsch, T. H. White, María Wiesse Romero, Helen Wodehouse, and Madeleva Wolff all died in 1964 without having been nominated for the prize.

Official list of nominees and their nominators for the prize
No. Nominee Country Genre(s) Nominator(s)
1 Jean Anouilh (1910–1987)  France drama, screenplay, translation Ragnar Josephson (1891–1966)
2 Miguel Ángel Asturias (1899–1974)  Guatemala novel, short story, poetry, essays, drama Erik Lindegren (1910–1968)
3 Wystan Hugh Auden (1907–1973)  United Kingdom
 United States 		poetry, essays, screenplay
4 Samuel Beckett (1906–1989)  Ireland novel, drama, poetry
  • Bengt Holmqvist (1924–2002)
  • William Stuart Maguinness (1903–1983)
5 Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986)  Argentina poetry, essays, translation, short story Henry Olsson (1896–1985)
6 André Breton (1896–1966)  France history, poetry, essays, literary criticism
7 Martin Buber (1878–1965)  Austria
 Israel 		philosophy André Neher (1914–1988)
8 Michel Butor (1926–2016)  France poetry, novel, essays, translation Félix Carrère (1911–1991)
9 Heinrich Böll (1917–1985)  West Germany novel, short story Gustav Korlén (1915–2014)
10 Josep Carner (1884–1970)  Spain
 Catalonia 		poetry, drama, translation
  • Jean Durry (b. 1936)
  • Marcel Ruff (1896–1993)
11 Jérôme Carcopino (1881–1970)  France history Pierre Grimal (1912–1996)
12 Camilo José Cela (1916–2002)  Spain novel, short story, essay, poetry, drama, memoir Daniel Poyán Díaz (1923–2007)
13 Paul Celan (1920–1970)  Romania
 France 		poetry, translation
14 Heimito von Doderer (1896–1966)  Austria novel, short story, poetry, essays Ernst Alker (1895–1972)
15 Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990)  United Kingdom novel, short story, poetry, drama, essays Georg Luck (1926–2013)
16 Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–1990)   Switzerland drama, novel, short story, essays
  • Friedrich Sengle (1909–1994)
  • Wolfgang Schmid (1913–1980)
  • Walter Spoerri (1927–2016)
17 Gunnar Ekelöf (1907–1968)  Sweden poetry, essays Gunnar Tideström (1906–1985)
18 Pierre Emmanuel (1916–1984)  France poetry Jacques Robichez (1914–1999)
19 James Thomas Farrell (1904–1979)  United States novel, short story, poetry Edgar Marquess Branch (1913–2006)
20 Edward Morgan Forster (1879–1970)  United Kingdom novel, short story, drama, essays, biography, literary criticism Pierre Legouis (1891–1980)
21 Max Frisch (1911–1991)   Switzerland novel, drama Hennig Brinkmann (1901–2000)
22 Christopher Fry (1907–2005)  United Kingdom poetry, drama, screenplay Carl Becker (1925–1973)
23 Rómulo Gallegos (1884–1969)  Venezuela novel, short story John Callan James Metford (1916–2007)
24 Hossein Ghods-Nakhai (1911–1977)  Iran poetry, essays Ahmad Matin-Daftari (1897–1971)
25 Étienne Gilson (1884–1978)  France philosophy Pierre Mesnard (1900–1969)
26 Jean Giono (1895–1970)  France novel, short story, essays, poetry, drama
27 Robert Graves (1895–1985)  United Kingdom history, novel, poetry, literary criticism, essays Sigfrid Siwertz (1882–1970)
28 Jean Guéhenno (1890–1978)  France essays, literary criticism Edmond Jarno (1905–1985)
29 Taha Hussein (1889–1973)  Egypt novel, short story, poetry, translation
30 Eugène Ionesco (1909–1994)  Romania
 France 		drama, essays Erik Lindegren (1910–1968)
31 Eyvind Johnson (1900–1976)  Sweden novel, short story Carl-Eric Thors (1920–1986)
32 Marcel Jouhandeau (1888–1979)  France short story, novel Jean Gaulmier (1905–1997)
33 Pierre Jean Jouve (1887–1976)  France poetry, novel, literary criticism Claude Pichois (1925–2005)
34 Ernst Jünger (1895–1998)  West Germany philosophy, novel, memoir Rudolf Till (1911–1979)
35 Yasunari Kawabata (1899–1972)  Japan novel, short story Harry Martinson (1904–1978)
36 Miroslav Krleža (1893–1981)  Yugoslavia poetry, drama, short story, novel, essays The Yugoslavian Writers Association
37 Väinö Linna (1920–1992)  Finland novel
  • Aarni Penttilä (1899–1971)
  • Kauko Aatos Ojala (1919–1987)
  • Henry Olsson (1896–1985)
38 Robert Lowell (1917–1977)  United States poetry, translation Erik Lindegren (1910–1968)
39 Karl Löwith (1897–1973)  West Germany philosophy Franz Dirlmeier (1904–1977)
40 Hugh MacDiarmid (1892–1978)  United Kingdom
 Scotland 		poetry, essays David Daiches (1912–2005)
41 André Malraux (1901–1976)  France novel, essays, literary criticism
  • Léon Cellier (1911–1976)
  • Pierre Mesnard (1900–1969)
  • John Martin Cocking (1914–1986)
42 Gabriel Marcel (1889–1973)  France philosophy, drama Yves Le Hir (1919–2005)
43 Harry Martinson (1904–1978)  Sweden poetry, novel, drama, essays Sigurd Erixon (1888–1968)
44 William Somerset Maugham (1874–1965)  United Kingdom novel, short story, drama, essays Richard Broxton Onians (1899–1986)
45 Ramón Menéndez Pidal (1869–1968)  Spain philology, history Gunnar Tilander (1894–1973)
46 Henri Michaux (1899–1984)  Belgium
 France 		poetry, essays Bengt Holmqvist (1924–2002)
47 Yukio Mishima (1925–1970)  Japan novel, short story, drama, literary criticism Harry Martinson (1904–1978)
48 Vilhelm Moberg (1898–1973)  Sweden novel, drama, history
  • Reginald John McClean (1899–1974)
  • Gösta Bergman (1894–1984)
49 Henry de Montherlant (1895–1972)  France essays, novel, drama Eugène Napoleon Tigerstedt (1907–1979)
50 Alberto Moravia (1907–1990)  Italy novel, literary criticism, essays, drama Uberto Limentani (1913–1989)
51 Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)  Russia
 United States 		novel, short story, poetry, drama, translation, literary criticism, memoir Elizabeth Hill (1900–1996)
52 Pablo Neruda (1904–1973)  Chile poetry
53 Junzaburō Nishiwaki (1894–1982)  Japan poetry, literary criticism Naoshirō Tsuji (1899–1979)
54 José María Pemán (1897–1981)  Spain poetry, drama, novel, essays, screenplay
55 Jacques Perret (1901–1992)  France novel, short story, memoir, essays Paul Pédech (1912–2005)
56 Jacques Pirenne (1891–1972)  Belgium history, law Pierre Nothomb (1887–1966)
57 Katherine Anne Porter (1890–1980)  United States short story, essays George Hendrick (1929–2021)
58 John Boynton Priestley (1894–1984)  United Kingdom novel, drama, screenplay, literary criticism, essays Hugh Sydney Hunt (1911–1993)
59 Nelly Sachs (1891–1970)  West Germany
 Sweden 		poetry, drama Walter Arthur Berendsohn (1884–1984)
60 Aksel Sandemose (1899–1965)  Denmark
 Norway 		novel, essays
61 Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980)  France philosophy, novel, drama, essays, screenplay
  • The Swedish PEN-Club
  • J. Clarier (?)
62 Jean Schlumberger (1877–1968)  France poetry, essays Pierre Legouis (1891–1973)
63 Ina Seidel (1885–1974)  West Germany poetry, novel Günther Jachmann (1887–1979)
64 Ramón Jose Sender (1901–1982)  Spain novel, essays Robert Graves (1895–1985)
65 Charles Percy Snow (1905–1980)  United Kingdom novel, essays Friedrich Schubel (1904–1991)
66 Mikhail Sholokhov (1905–1984)  Soviet Union novel
67 Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (1886–1965)  Japan novel, short story Harry Martinson (1904–1978)
68 Gustave Thibon (1903–2001)  France philosophy Édouard Delebecque (1910–1990)
69 Pietro Ubaldi (1886–1972)  Italy philosophy, essays João de Freitas Guimarães (d. 1996)
70 Giuseppe Ungaretti (1888–1970)  Italy poetry, essays, literary criticism Georges Poulet (1901–1991)
71 Arthur David Waley (1889–1966)  United Kingdom translation, essays David Hawkes (1923–2009)
72 Mika Waltari (1908–1979)  Finland short story, novel, poetry, drama, essays, screenplay Aapeli Saarisalo (1896–1986)
73 Tarjei Vesaas (1897–1970)  Norway poetry, novel Edvard Beyer (1920–2003)
74 Simon Vestdijk (1898–1971)  Netherlands novel, poetry, essays, translation Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
75 Thornton Wilder (1897–1975)  United States drama, novel, short story
76 Judith Wright (1915–2000)  Australia poetry, literary criticism, novel, essays
  • Greta Hort (1903–1967)
  • Torsten Dahl (1897–1968)
  • Henri Roddier (1898–1964)

Prize Decision

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On 17 September 1964 the Nobel committee proposed that the prize should be awarded to Jean-Paul Sartre. The second name on the list was Mikhail Sholokov (who was awarded the prize in 1965) and the third name was W.H. Auden. There was some ambivalence within the Swedish Academy to award Sartre. He had been nominated the first time in 1957, but his candidacy was postponed for the future as the Academy was not sure if Sartre's work would have any historical importance. His candidacy was considered and postponed again in 1962 for similar reasons. The publication of Les Mots in 1963 is believed to have strengthened Sartre's candidacy and in October 1964 the Academy decided to award Sartre, their decision was sealed with a final vote on 22 October 1964. A week earlier Sartre, knowing that he was a candidate for the prize, had sent a letter to the Swedish Academy saying he would not accept the award, but as the Academy had already made their decision before the formal final vote they disregarded the letter. The Academy's permanent secretary Karl Ragnar Gierow replied to Sartre's letter saying that the decision had already been made and urged Sartre to reconsider and accept the prize.[3]

Reactions

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In a text published in Le Figaro on 23 October 1964 Sartre wrote that he regretted that his refusal to accept the prize had caused a scandal. He explained that he never accepted any prizes or membership of institutions as he believed an author who accepted such things became forever associated with the prize or institution, and that the author should not allow himself to become an institution.[3]

Aftermath

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In his memoirs Lars Gyllensten claimed that someone, either Sartre himself or someone related to him, in 1975 had contacted the Swedish Academy and asked if the prize money was available.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Nobel Prize in Literature 1964 nobelprize.org
  2. ^ Sartre Explains Stand nytimes.com
  3. ^ a b c d Kaj Schueler Sartres brev kom försent till Akademien Svenska Dagbladet 2 January 2015 (in Swedish)
  4. ^ Jean-Paul Sartre nobelprize.org
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