Bob Dylan winning Nobel literature prize for 2016 leaves Twitterati divided

Here's a look at the divide in Twitterverse on Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize for Literature.

New Delhi | Updated: October 14, 2016 04:49 PM IST

5 min read

As soon as the announcement was made, social media sites such as Twitter erupted with reactions ranging from euphoria to cynicism. (Source: AP)

In what has come as a surprise decision by the Nobel Academy, the 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature has been awarded to iconic singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. His songs such as ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’, ‘Masters of War’, ‘A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall’ and ‘The Times They Are a-Changin’ have captured a spirit of rebellion, dissent and independence. ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ and ‘The Times They Are a-Changin’ were regarded as anthems for the 1960s’ anti-war and civil rights movements.

Said to be the 259th American to have been awarded a Nobel prize, this is the second time in a row that the Nobel prize has not been awarded to a fiction author. Last year, Belarusian author Svetlana Alexievich had been awarded the prize. Sara Danius, Permanent Secretary of the Nobel Academy, told a news conference there was “great unity” in the panel’s decision to give Dylan the prize. “If you look far back, 5000 years, you discover Homer and Sappho. They wrote poetic texts which were meant to be performed, and it’s the same way for Bob Dylan. We still read Homer and Sappho, and we enjoy it,” she added.

Well, not taking away from Homer or Sappho, there Other poets who have been awared a Nobel for literature include our very own Rabindranath Tagore in 1913, Vicente Aleixandre in 1977, Seamus Heaney won in 1995 and, more recently, Tomas Tranströmer won in 2011. Dylan is reportedly the first American to have won a Nobel since Toni Morrison in 1993.

As soon as the announcement was made, social media sites such as Twitter erupted with reactions. While most celebrated the ‘bold and different’ choice made by the Academy, there were others who were more than surprised on Dylan winning a literature award. Novelist Hari Kunzru tweeted, “This feels like the lamest Nobel win since they gave it to Obama for not being Bush”, while publisher Jason Pinter said, “If Bob Dylan can win the Nobel Prize for literature then I think @StephenKing should get elected to the Rock N’ Roll hall of fame.”

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Here’s a look at the divide in Twitterverse on Dylan winning the Nobel.

Yay!!

https://twitter.com/Actor_Siddharth/status/786532231187607552

Really?!
https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/786529329148596224

https://twitter.com/toddpack/status/786546778942300160

Then there were those who questioned the award itself (not that others haven’t been doing it for ages now).

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Which side are you on? Tell us in the comments below.

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