Last October, the Noble Prize committee named songwriter Bob Dylan as its winner in the field of literature for his essential embodiment of lyrics and poetry. However, he has been apprehensive to publicly recognize the award.
Due to the singer's quiet take on the honor accorded to him, a member of the Nobel circle has called him arrogant. Shortly after the Academy's declaration, a message noting him as an awardee has been taken off the web.
In a recent development, Dylan has informed the committee that he will not participate in the ceremony which will be held in Sweden.
The acceptance of a call about the accolade from Sara Danius, the Nobel's permanent secretary, has taken a couple of weeks. The blatantly-disturbed artist said that he has been too dumbstruck to react. In an interview later, he announced that he will be attending if circumstances permit.
In a letter to the Nobel organization, Dylan expressed regret that he will not be able to go to Sweden due to other commitments. He, however, has been hoping to personally accept the prize. More importantly, he has been incredibly esteemed to be rewarded.
Although Sweden's Nobel Academy respected the songwriter's decision, it has pointed out that not accepting the diadem in person is somewhat odd.
Dylan joined a list of artists who did not participated in the ceremony at Stockholm. Novelist Doris Lessing is too old to go. Writer Elfriede Jelinek is too afraid to join due to social phobia. Playwright Harold Pinter has been admitted in a hospital.
Their absence, however, has never been used against them. The Academy has declared that the prizes are still theirs.
As a Nobel awardee for 2016, Bob Dylan is supposed to provide a lecture on a topic that is associated with his prize. His presentation should be done within six months prior to the ceremony in December.
The singer's works have been compared to the achievements of timeless Greek scribblers Homer and Sappho. Dylan agrees that a few of his songs like Blind Willie, The Ballad of Hollis Brown, Joey, A Hard Rain and Hurricane contain Homeric values.
Dylan's Nobel award is not without strife. French Moroccan writer Pierre Assouline has reacted that the committee's decision as contemptuous while Trainspotting author and self-confessed Dylan fan has also commented that the accolade is just emotionally misplaced especially for an old hippy individual.
Despite all the negative reception, Dylan's late peer Leonard Cohen exemplified his friend's accomplishments best when he said that no plums were needed to recognize the singer's records.
