By Tirthankar Mitra
Anne Carson stands out among authors adhering to a single genre of writing. For Carson, this year’s recipient of Nobel prize for literature often blended verse, prose, dialogue and translation. Indeed it is a genre defying mix. Small wonder, Swedish Academy which awards the prize, called her “bold and inventive oeuvre”.
Conveyed the news of being awarded this coveted prize, the 76-year author did not quite jump with joy. She was listening to the wind in Iceland at that point of time. Her style is exemplified in “Norma Jean Baker of Troy”. It is a performance piece which mixes the story of Helen of Troy in Euripides play “Helen” with Marilyn Monroe.
“Autobiography of Red” is considered to be her greatest work. In it she re-examines the age-old question “what happens when you love someone who will ultimately destroy you”.
It demonstrates her ability to actualise the classical literary traditions.
Almost all her literary works have centres upon intersection between the philologist’s obsession with words and a poet’s desire for new meaning. She has herself identified the etymology of words as the starting point of all her work.
Tapping into modern inspirations, Carson reflected on the character of Albertine in her book “Albertine Workout”. This was one of the narrator Marcel’s love interest in Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time”.
Carson has spent seven years in reading Proust’s manuscript. She suffered from withdrawal syndrome after finishing it, leading her to write “Albertine Workout”. But this Nobel laureate for literature who is well versed in ancient Greek is no sombre don or an absent minded academic. She takes herself lightly.
“Crazy, I think they are all crazy” she replied when asked how she was feeling on being awarded the Nobel prize. “I’ll get a sticker in front of my book” she added.
A scholar and academic in her own right, Carson was trained as a classicist with an interest in comparative literature, anthropology, history and the arts. She fuses ideas and themes from many fields in her writing.
She has penned several books namely Eros-The Bittersweet, Men in The Off Hours to name a few. The first one examines eros as a simultaneous examination of pleasure and pain.
The second one is a collection of short poems, verse essays, epitaphs, commemorative prose and interviews. The pieces include diverse references to Antigone, Leo Tolstoy and Virginia Woolf.
Carson, a Canadian got her early recognition in the form of Quebec Writers Federation Award. Lannan Literary Award and Pushcart Award followed.
In 2005, she was appointed a .Member of the Order of Canada. She has been recognised as “a singular voice in the literature of her country”.
In 2020, she was awarded the Princess of the Asturias Award for literature. The jury noted she has” attained levels of intensity and intellectual standing that place her among the most outstanding present day writers”.
Carson began her teaching career in 1979 in the University of Calgary. She described teaching ancient Greek as “a total joy”.
She was awarded Nobel prize in literature ” for her bold and inventive oeuvre, playful dialogue and classical tradition’. “It has created new forms for contemporary literature ‘.it was further stated.
Carson took boxing lessons in her 70s when she was diagnosed with Parkinson disease. Boxing helps pay attention to hands-eye coordination and the sequencing of actions.
The Nobel laureate for Literature can laugh at herself. She said in an interview that she considers herself a visual artist as well as a literary one. (IPA Service)
