The Swedish Academy announced on Thursday that the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Canadian poet and writer Anne Carson "for her bold and innovative creativity, which has forged new forms for contemporary literature while engaging in a playful dialogue with the classical tradition."
Ingrid Carlberg, the Permanent Secretary of the Academy—which awards the prize valued at 12 million Swedish kronor (US$1.2 million)—stated that Anne Carson was surprised when informed of the award.
Carson's works often blend poetry, prose, dialogue, and translation, transcending the boundaries of traditional literary genres. Born in Toronto, the 76-year-old has held Icelandic citizenship since 2022 and has spent significant time on that Arctic island in recent years. She is widely renowned for her translations of classical Greek literature—works that also deeply influence her own creative output, which ranges from opera libretti and literary criticism to novels in verse, such as Autobiography of Red (published in 1998).
"Almost all of her literary work is centered on the combination of a philologist's deep love for words and a poet's desire to discover new meaning," stated the Nobel Academy in its announcement of the award.