# 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature

The 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to the Irish author Samuel Beckett (1906–1989) "for his writing, which - in new forms for the novel and drama - in the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation".

## Laureate

Samuel Beckett produced his most important works – four novels, two dramas, a collection of short stories, essays, and art criticism – during an intensely creative period in the late 1940s. He had settled in France and wrote in both French and English. His experiences during World War II – insecurity, confusion, exile, hunger, deprivation – came to shape his writing. In his most famous work, the drama En attendant Godot (Waiting for Godot, 1952), he examines the most basic foundations of our lives with strikingly dark humor. Among his other famous literary works include Krapp's Last Tape (1958), Happy Days (1961) and The Molloy Trilogy (1955–58).

## Deliberations
### Nominations

In total, the Swedish Academy received 184 nominations for 103 writers. Samuel Beckett was nominated in 26 occasions since 1957, and received 5 nominations for the 1969 prize with which he was awarded afterwards.
Nominees included were André Malraux, Simone de Beauvoir, Jorge Luis Borges, Pablo Neruda (awarded in 1971), Heinrich Böll (awarded in 1972), Eugenio Montale (awarded in 1975), Günter Grass (awarded in 1999), Jorge Amado, Louis Aragon, Witold Gombrowicz, Vladimir Nabokov, Alberto Moravia, Robert Graves, W. H. Auden and Graham Greene. 30 of the nominees were nominated first-time, among them Aimé Césaire, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (awarded in 1970), Arthur Miller, Jacques Maritain, Tawfiq al-Hakim, Edward Albee, Yasushi Inoue and Elias Canetti (awarded in 1981). The nominees who were with the highest number of nominations received – 8 nominations each – were André Malraux, Giuseppe Ungaretti and Tarjei Vesaas. The oldest nominee was Belgian writer Stijn Streuvels (aged 98) and the youngest were Ivan Drach and Hannu Salama (both aged 33 at the time). Five of the nominees were women: Anna Seghers, Nathalie Sarraute, Simone de Beauvoir, Marie Under and Elisaveta Bagryana. The 1951 Nobel laureate Swedish author Pär Lagerkvist nominated his countrymen and colleagues in the Swedish Academy, authors Eyvind Johnson and Harry Martinson who would share the prize in 1974.
The authors Alejandro G. Abadilla, Giovanni Comisso, Ivy Compton-Burnett, Richmal Crompton, Floyd Dell, Harry Emerson Fosdick, Emilio Frugoni, Jack Kerouac, Eugenia Kielland, Norman Lindsay, Erika Mann, Elizaveta Polonskaya, Phraya Anuman Rajadhon, Zoila Ugarte de Landivar, and John Wyndham died in 1969 without having been nominated the prize. The Polish playwright Witold Gombrowicz and Belgian writer Stijn Streuvels died months before the announcement.
Official list of nominees and their nominators for the prize :
| No. | Nominee | Country | Genre(s) | Nominator(s) |
| 1 | Tawfiq al-Hakim (1898–1987) | Egypt | novel, drama, essays, short story, biography | Shawqi Daif (1910–2005) |
| 2 | Edward Albee (1928–2016) | United States | drama | Hanspeter Schelp (?) |
| 3 | Jorge Amado (1912–2001) | Brazil | novel, short story | Laurent Versini (1932–2021)Jean Subirats (?)Joracy Camargo (1898–1973)Antônio Olinto (1919–2009)Vitorino Nemésio (1901–1978) |
| 4 | Jerzy Andrzejewski (1909–1983) | Poland | novel, short story | Kristine Heltberg (1924–2003) |
| 5 | Louis Aragon (1897–1982) | France | novel, short story, poetry, essays | Michel Arrivé (1936–2017)Jean Gaudon (1926–2019)André-Marc Vial (1917–1987)Robert Ricatte (1913–1995) |
| 6 | Wystan Hugh Auden (1907–1973) | United Kingdom United States | poetry, essays, screenplay | Francis Scarfe (1911–1986)Hermann Fischer (1932–2018)Douglas Grant (1921–1969) |
| 7 | Elisaveta Bagryana (1893–1991) | Bulgaria | poetry, translation | Anna Kamenova (1894–1982) |
| 8 | Agustí Bartra (1908–1982) | Spain | poetry, songwriting, translation | Manuel Durán (1925–2020) |
| 9 | Samuel Beckett (1906–1989) | Ireland | novel, drama, poetry | Helmut Kreuzer (1927–2004)Martin Price (1920–2010)Wolfgang Clemen (1909–1990)Jan Kott (1914–2001)Christopher Ricks (born 1933) |
| 10 | Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) | Argentina | poetry, essays, translation, short story | Arnold Chapman (1902–1974)Helmut Kreuzer (1927–2004)Manuel Durán (1925–2020)Helen Gardner (1908–1986) |
| 11 | Emil Boyson (1897–1979) | Norway | poetry, novel, translation | Asbjørn Aarnes (1923–2013) |
| 12 | Heinrich Böll (1917–1985) | West Germany | novel, short story | Hans Schwerte (1909–1999)Karl Theodor Hyldgaard-Jensen (1917–1997)Herbert Morgan Waidson (1916–1988) |
| 13 | Michel Butor (1926–2016) | France | poetry, novel, essays, translation | Lars Gyllensten (1921–2006) |
| 14 | Elias Canetti (1905–1994) | Bulgaria United Kingdom | novel, drama, memoir, essays | Keith Spalding (1913–2002) |
| 15 | Josep Carner (1884–1970) | Spain | poetry, drama, translation | Manuel Durán (1925–2020) |
| 16 | Jean Cassou (1897–1986) | France | novel, essays, literary criticism, poetry, translation | Giannēs Koutsocheras (1904–1994) |
| 17 | Paul Celan (1920–1970) | Romania France | poetry, translation | Ernst Wilhelm Meyer (1892–1969)Dietrich Jöns (1924–2011)Gerhart Baumann (1920–2006)Heinz Politzer (1910–1978) |
| 18 | Aimé Césaire (1913–2008) | Martinique | poetry, drama, essays | Union of Finnish Writers |
| 19 | André Chamson (1900–1983) | France | novel, essays | Yves Gandon (1899–1975)French Centre – PEN International |
| 20 | René Char (1907–1988) | France | poetry | Henri Peyre (1901–1988) |
| 21 | Simone de Beauvoir (1908–1986) | France | novel, drama, memoir, philosophy, essays, short story | Henning Fenger (1921–1985) |
| 22 | Joseph Delteil (1894–1978) | France | poetry, novel, short story, essays | Charles Camproux (1908–1994) |
| 23 | Ivan Drach (1936–2018) | Soviet Union | poetry, literary criticism, drama | Omeljan Pritsak (1919–2006) |
| 24 | Carlos Drummond de Andrade (1902–1987) | Brazil | poetry, essays | Artur Lundkvist (1906–1991) |
| 25 | Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990) | United Kingdom | novel, short story, poetry, drama, essays | Haydn Trevor Mason (1929–2018) |
| 26 | Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–1990) | Switzerland | drama, novel, short story, essays | Ernst Wilhelm Meyer (1892–1969)Gustav Siebenmann (born 1923)Werner Betz (1912–1980) |
| 27 | Rabbe Enckell (1903–1974) | Finland | short story, poetry | Carl Fredrik Sandelin (born 1925) |
| 28 | José Maria Ferreira de Castro (1898–1978) | Portugal | novel | Joracy Camargo (1898–1973)Antônio Olinto (1919–2009)Vitorino Nemésio (1901–1978) |
| 29 | Edward Morgan Forster (1879–1970) | United Kingdom | novel, short story, drama, essays, biography, literary criticism | Ian Alexander (1911–1989)Leslie Poles Hartley (1895–1972) |
| 30 | Max Frisch (1911–1991) | Switzerland | novel, drama | John Stephenson Spink (1909–1985)Hans Fromm (1919–2008)Andri Peer (1921–1985) |
| 31 | Étienne Gilson (1884–1978) | France | philosophy | Pierre Courcelle (1912–1980) |
| 32 | Jean Giono (1895–1970) | France | novel, short story, essays, poetry, drama | Edmond Jarno (1905–1985) |
| 33 | Witold Gombrowicz (1904–1969) | Poland | short story, novel, drama | Jan Kott (1914–2001) |
| 34 | Günter Grass (1927–2015) | West Germany | novel, drama, poetry, essays | Hans Schwerte (1909–1999)Kauko Aatos Ojala (1919–1987)Hans Fromm (1919–2008)Henry Caraway Hatfield (1912–1995)Manfred Windfuhr (born 1930) |
| 35 | Robert Graves (1895–1985) | United Kingdom | history, novel, poetry, literary criticism, essays | Beatrice White (1908–1995)Sigfrid Siwertz (1882–1970) |
| 36 | Graham Greene (1904–1991) | United Kingdom | novel, short story, autobiography, essays | Yves Le Hir (1919–2005) |
| 37 | Jorge Guillén (1893–1984) | Spain | poetry, literary criticism | Hans Staub (1931–2022)Jean Bruneau (1921–2001)Manuel Durán (1925–2020)Victor Brombert (born 1923)Henri Peyre (1901–1988) |
| 38 | Louis Guilloux (1899–1980) | France | novel, short story, memoir | Jean-Bertrand Barrère (1914–1985) |
| 39 | Gunnar Gunnarsson (1889–1975) | Iceland | novel, short story, poetry | Johannes Brøndum-Nielsen (1881–1977)Þóroddur Guðmundsson (1904–1972) |
| 40 | Hồ Hữu Tường (1910–1980) | Vietnam | essays, short story, translation | Đông Hồ (1906–1969) |
| 41 | Vladimír Holan (1905–1980) | Czechoslovakia | poetry, essays | The Czech PEN-ClubArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991) |
| 42 | Taha Hussein (1889–1973) | Egypt | novel, short story, poetry, translation | Sheikh Mustafa Al-Amin (1889–1988)Abdel Hamid Gouda al-Sahhar (1913–1974) |
| 43 | Yasushi Inoue (1907–1991) | Japan | novel, poetry, short story, essays | Erich Ruprecht (1906–1997) |
| 44 | Eugène Ionesco (1909–1994) | Romania France | drama, essays | Eyvind Johnson (1900–1976) |
| 45 | Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz (1894–1980) | Poland | poetry, essays, drama, translation, short story, novel | Józef Trypućko (1910–1983) |
| 46 | Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh (1892–1997) | Iran | short story, translation | Jes Peter Asmussen (1928–2002) |
| 47 | Eyvind Johnson (1900–1976) | Sweden | novel, short story | Pär Lagerkvist (1891–1974) |
| 48 | Marcel Jouhandeau (1888–1979) | France | short story, novel | Jean Gaulmier (1905–1997) |
| 49 | Pierre Jean Jouve (1887–1976) | France | poetry, novel, literary criticism | Henry Bouillier (1924–2014) |
| 50 | Bernhard Karlgren (1889–1978) | Sweden | history, philology, translation | Walter Fuchs (1914–1993) |
| 51 | Miroslav Krleža (1893–1981) | Yugoslavia | poetry, drama, short story, novel, essays | Mira Mihelič (1912–1985)Erih Koš (1913–2010)Marijan Matković (1915–1985)Grga Novak (1888–1978) |
| 52 | Karl Krolow (1915–1999) | West Germany | poetry, essays, translation | Emil Ernst Ploss (1925–1972) |
| 53 | Siegfried Lenz (1926–2014) | West Germany | novel, short story, essays, drama | Ernst Wilhelm Meyer (1892–1969) |
| 54 | Claude Lévi-Strauss (1908–2008) | Belgium France | philosophy, essays | Jean Dubois (1920–2015)Gérard Emmanuel Weil (1926–1986) |
| 55 | Väinö Linna (1920–1992) | Finland | novel | Iiro Ilkka Kajanto (1925–1997) |
| 56 | Robert Lowell (1917–1977) | United States | poetry, translation | William Alfred (1922–1999) |
| 57 | Hugh MacLennan (1907–1990) | Canada | novel, essays | Lawrence Lande (1906–1998) |
| 58 | André Malraux (1901–1976) | France | novel, essays, literary criticism | Olov Janse (1892–1985)Émile Benveniste (1902–1976)Georges Matoré (1908–1998)André Lanly (1911–2007)Raymond Weil (1923–1995)Lloyd James Austin (1915–1994)Henry Caraway Hatfield (1912–1995)Henri Peyre (1901–1988) |
| 59 | Jacques Maritain (1882–1973) | France | philosophy | Charles Dédéyan (1910–2003) |
| 60 | Gustave Lucien Martin-Saint-René (1888–1973) | France | poetry, novel, essays, literary criticism, drama, songwriting, short story | Javier del Granado (1913–1996)René Spaeth (1890–1972)Henri Guiter (1909–1994) |
| 61 | Harry Martinson (1904–1978) | Sweden | poetry, novel, drama, essays | Arthur Arnholtz (1901–1973)Pär Lagerkvist (1891–1974) |
| 62 | László Mécs (1895–1978) | Hungary | poetry, essays | Watson Kirkconnell (1895–1977) |
| 63 | Arthur Miller (1915–2005) | United States | drama, screenplay, essays | Robert Ernest Spiller (1896–1988) |
| 64 | Vilhelm Moberg (1898–1973) | Sweden | novel, drama, history | Gunnar Tilander (1894–1973) |
| 65 | Eugenio Montale (1896–1981) | Italy | poetry, translation | Egon Huber (1907–1986)Paul Renucci (1915–1976)Frederick Jones (1925–2011)Elie Poulenard (1901–1985)Uberto Limentani (1913–1989) |
| 66 | Alberto Moravia (1907–1990) | Italy | novel, literary criticism, essays, drama | Jacques Robichez (1914–1999) |
| 67 | Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977) | Russia United States | novel, short story, poetry, drama, translation, literary criticism, memoir | Simon Karlinsky (1924–2009) |
| 68 | Pablo Neruda (1904–1973) | Chile | poetry | Noël Salomon (1917–1977)Einar Bragi (1921–2005)The Chilean PEN-Club |
| 69 | Germán Pardo García (1902–1991) | Colombia Mexico | poetry | James Willis Robb (1918–2010) |
| 70 | José María Pemán (1897–1981) | Spain | poetry, drama, novel, essays, screenplay | Manuel Halcón (1900–1989)Francisco Sánchez-Castañer (1908–1981) |
| 71 | Robert Pinget (1919–1997) | France | novel, drama | Artur Lundkvist (1906–1991) |
| 72 | Ezra Pound (1885–1972) | United States | poetry, essays | Hans Galinsky (1909–1991) |
| 73 | Anthony Powell (1905–2000) | United Kingdom | novel, drama, essays, memoir | Jean Hamard (1920-2012). |
| 74 | Raymond Queneau (1903–1976) | France | novel, poetry, essays | T. van den Heuvel (?) |
| 75 | Jean Rateau-Landeville (1894–1972) | France | essays | Pierre Flottes (1895–1994) |
| 76 | Alain Robbe-Grillet (1922–2008) | France | novel, short story, essays, screenplays | Henry Olsson (1896–1985) |
| 77 | Gustave Roud (1897–1976) | Switzerland | poetry, translation | Henri Perrochon (1899–1990) |
| 78 | Hans Ruin (1891–1980) | Finland Sweden | philosophy | Arthur Arnholtz (1901–1973) |
| 79 | Hannu Salama (born 1936) | Finland | novel, short story, poetry | Osmo Hormia (1926–1983) |
| 80 | Nathalie Sarraute (1900–1999) | Russia France | novel, drama, essays | Lars Gyllensten (1921–2006) |
| 81 | Anna Seghers (1900–1983) | East Germany | novel, short story | Heinz Kamnitzer (1917–2001) |
| 82 | Jaroslav Seifert (1901–1986) | Czechoslovakia | poetry, memoir, translation | Roman Jacobson (1896–1982) |
| 83 | Léopold Sédar Senghor (1906–2001) | Senegal | poetry, essays | Henri Peyre (1901–1988)Jacqueline Duchemin (1910–1988) |
| 84 | Ignazio Silone (1900–1978) | Italy | novel, short story, essays, drama | Arthur Ernest Gordon (1902–1989) |
| 85 | Claude Simon (1913–2005) | France | novel, essays | Eyvind Johnson (1900–1976) |
| 86 | Ton Smerdel (1904–1970) | Croatia | philology, poetry, essays, literary criticism, translation | Christiaan Alphonsus van den Berk (1919–1979) |
| 87 | Aleksandr Solzjenitsyn (1918–2008) | Soviet Union | novel, short story, essays | Denzel Carr (1900–1983)Yakov Malkiel (1914–1998)The Swedish PEN-Club |
| 88 | Zaharia Stancu (1902–1974) | Romania | poetry, novel, philosophy, essays | Alexandru Philippide (1900–1979)Șerban Cioculescu (1902–1988)Andrei Oțetea (1894–1977)George Ivașcu (1911–1988)Marin Preda (1922–1980)Virgil Teodorescu (1909–1987)Aurel Baranga (1913–1979)Ovid Crohmălniceanu (1921–2000)Dumitru Panaitescu-Perpessicius (1891–1971)Demostene Botez (1893–1973)George Macovescu (1913–2002) |
| 89 | Stijn Streuvels (1871–1969) | Belgium | novel, short story | Maurice Gilliams (1900–1982) |
| 90 | John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892–1973) | United Kingdom | novel, short story, poetry, philology, essays, literary criticism | Richard Ernest Wycherley (1909–1985) |
| 91 | Friedebert Tuglas (1886–1971) | Soviet Union | short story, literary criticism | Union of Finnish Writers |
| 92 | Pietro Ubaldi (1886–1972) | Italy | philosophy, essays | Academia Santista de Letras |
| 93 | Marie Under (1883–1980) | Estonia | poetry | Union of Finnish Writers |
| 94 | Giuseppe Ungaretti (1888–1970) | Italy | poetry, essays, literary criticism | Maria Bellonci (1902–1986)Egon Huber (1907–1986)Carlo Bo (1911–2001)Marco Scovazzi (1923–1971)Marcello Gigante (1923–2001)Gianfranco Contini (1912–1990)Oreste Macri (1913–1998)Piero Bigongiari (1914–1997)Giacomo Devoto (1897–1974)Lanfranco Caretti (1915–1995)Domenico De Robertis (1921–2011) |
| 95 | Tarjei Vesaas (1897–1970) | Norway | poetry, novel | Carl-Eric Thors (1920–1986)Erik Frykman (1905–1980)Karl-Hampus Dahlstedt (1917–1996)Bror Åkerblom (1908–1984)Sigmund Skard (1903–1995)Elie Poulenard (1901–1985)Harald Noreng (1913–2006)Odd Bang-Hansen (1908–1984) |
| 96 | Simon Vestdijk (1898–1971) | Netherlands | novel, poetry, essays, translation | Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and WritersCentre Neerlandais – PEN InternationalHarry Martinson (1904–1978) |
| 97 | Gerard Walschap (1898–1989) | Belgium | novel, drama, essays | Marcel Coole (1913–2000)Richard Declerck (1899–1986) |
| 98 | Mika Waltari (1908–1979) | Finland | short story, novel, poetry, drama, essays, screenplay | Esko Pennanen (1912–1990) |
| 99 | Arnold Wesker (1932–2016) | United Kingdom | drama, novel, essays | Claude Albert Mayer (1918–1998) |
| 100 | Patrick White (1912–1990) | Australia | novel, short story, drama, poetry, autobiography | Leslie Rees (1905–2000)Stanley Brogden (1913–2008) |
| 101 | Thornton Wilder (1897–1975) | United States | drama, novel, short story | Ernest Lee Tuveson (1915–1996)Robert Halsband (1914–1989) |
| 102 | Edmund Wilson (1895–1972) | United States | essays, literary criticism, short story, drama | Robert Brustein (1927–2023) |
| 103 | Carl Zuckmayer (1896–1977) | West Germany | drama, screenplay | Herbert Penzl (1910–1995)Karl Hoppe (1892–1973) |

### Prize decision

The decision to award Samuel Beckett was controversial within the Swedish Academy. While some members of the Nobel committee was enthusiastic about the idea of awarding Beckett, the Nobel committee chairman Anders Österling had serious doubts that Beckett's writing was in the spirit of Alfred Nobel's will. In 1964 he had argued that he "would almost consider a Nobel prize for him as an absurdity in his own style". Beckett was a leading candidate for the 1968 prize along with André Malraux, W.H. Auden and the Japanese writer Yasunari Kawabata, but was rejected in favour of Kawabata.
The Nobel committee, which in 1969 consisted of Anders Österling, Karl Ragnar Gierow, Lars Gyllensten, Eyvind Johnson, Artur Lundkvist and Henry Olsson, disagreed on the candidates to the extent that no jointly proposal could be presented to the Swedish Academy. Österling proposed André Malraux, with Graham Greene as his second proposal and Giuseppe Ungaretti (possibly shared with Eugenio Montale) as the third proposal. Johnson also proposed André Malraux, with Claude Simon as his second proposal and Patrick White as the third proposal. Gierow, Gyllensten, Lundkvist and Olsson jointly proposed Samuel Beckett, with Lundkvist adding the proposals Patrick White and Claude Simon. In his report Lundkvist opposed the candidacy of André Malraux, arguing that his major works was too far back in time and had lost some of its relevance. Lundkvist also regretted that the candidacies of the négritude-authors Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor had not been taken in consideration by the Nobel committee and recommended them for future consideration.
Despite Österling's reservations Beckett was awarded in 1969. The Nobel committee had received five nominations for Beckett that year, but was split as Österling and one other member supported a prize to André Malraux. Other nominations that year included Simone de Beauvoir, Jorge Luis Borges, Pablo Neruda and Graham Greene. While Österling acknowledged the possibility that behind Beckett's "depressing motives" might lie a "secret defence of humanity", he argued that in the eyes of most readers it "remains an artistically staged ghost poetry, characterised by a bottomless contempt for the human condition". Beckett's main supporter on the committee, Karl Ragnar Gierow, on the other hand, argued that Beckett's "black vision" was "not the expression of animosity and nihilism" but "portrays humanity as we have all seen it, at the moment of its most severe violation", and searches for the depths of degradation because even there, "there is the possibility of rehabilitation". Beckett was awarded and in his award ceremony speech Gierow expanded on his arguments, saying Beckett's work goes "to the depths" because "it is only there that pessimistic thought and poetry can work their miracles".

## Reactions

The awarding of the Nobel prize to Samuel Beckett was much noticed in the Irish press. The daily newspapers The Irish Times and The Irish Press both commented on it in editorials, and The Irish Independent recruited a literature professor from the University of Cork to comment on it. In The Irish Times Beckett was described as a literary innovator and a "Master of style in two languages" by writer Alec Reid. In France, the prize decision caused mixed reactions, The Irish Times reported. The Romanian-born playwright Eugene Ionesco said: "I am happy that Beckett has had this prize, because he deserve it." Marcel Archard, a member of the French Academy, said "I am wild with rage, the Swedish Academy has covered itself in ridicule and dishonoured itself through snobbism and the desire to be with-it. Now I understand why Sartre refused the Nobel Prize." Jean Chucenno, another member of the French Academy, said he would "personally have been happy had it been awarded to André Malraux." "However", he added, "the choice of Beckett is a very good choice."
At the time of the prize announcement on 23 October 1969 Beckett resorted in small fishing hamlet in Tunisia. Hearing the news that he had been awarded the Nobel prize, the reclusive Beckett booked another hotel room under a false name to avoid publicity. Beckett's French publisher told the Swedish Ministry for foreign affairs that Beckett refused to comment publicly, meet the press or let his whereabouts be known. Beckett however agreed to meet a team from Sveriges Television at a hotel in Nabeul, but under the premise "no questions". The short and uncommented clip showed a silent Beckett filmed at the hotel and some local surroundings.
In a letter correspondence with the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, Karl Ragnar Gierow, Beckett said that he was thankful for the honour, but that he would not come to Stockholm for the award ceremony, or be able to deliver a Nobel lecture. Beckett also declined an invitation from Gierow for a private lunch with the Academy, but that he hoped to meet Gierow in Paris at a later date.
While not rejecting the prize, Beckett did not attend the prize ceremony, nor did he deliver a Nobel lecture. His wife described his reaction to the news that he had been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature as a "catastrophe". He quickly donated the prize money, much of it to Trinity College Dublin.

## Award ceremony

At the award ceremony in Stockholm on 10 December 1969, Karl Ragnar Gierow, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy said:
   the degradation of humanity is a recurrent theme in Beckett’s writing and to this extent, his philosophy, simply accentuated by elements of the grotesque and of tragic farce, can be described as a negativism that cannot desist from descending to the depths. To the depths it must go because it is only there that pessimistic thought and poetry can work their miracles. (...) [Beckett’s pessimism] houses a love of mankind that grows in understanding as it plumbs further into the depths of abhorrence, a despair that has to reach the utmost bounds of suffering to discover that compassion has no bounds. From that position, in the realms of annihilation, rises the writing of Samuel Beckett like a miserere from all mankind, its muffled minor key sounding liberation to the oppressed, and comfort to those in need.
Gierow ended his speech saying that the Swedish Academy regretted that Beckett was not present at the ceremony and that Beckett had chosen his French publisher Jérôme Lindon to accept the award on his behalf. Lindon then received the award from the King of Sweden.