Peter Handke (born 6 Dec 1942) ended his Nobel Lecture (7 Dec 2019) in faltering Swedish (for which he apologized) with reading the poem: “Romanesque Arches” (For the Living and the Dead, 1989) of the Swedish Nobel laureate (2011) Tomas Tranströmer.YT video: Nobel Lecture: Peter Handke (poem at 30min 40sec)
Translations of the lecture (without Tranströmer’s poem):
(English translation of the poem by Robert Bly)
“One of his [Tomas Tranströmer] most admired poems, “Romanesque Arches” (For the Living and the Dead, 1989) dwells on the unknown room inside of us and our mission to continuously move towards it. This is an ongoing process, and we will never fully understand who we are. But if this fills us with anxiety and confusion, the anonymous angel will support us on our journey. “Don’t be ashamed to be a human being—be proud!” the angel whispers, and this line stroke a chord in the school children that Tranströmer met in connection with the Nobel Prize award ceremony. Consolation is important and is to be found within ourselves, even if it is often unknown to us.” (The Meditation Blog, Helena Kettner Rudberg)
“This poem has probably been written in connection with a trip Tranströmer made in 1987. He and his wife travelled to Venice and in a letter he writes as follows:: We went into the San Marco Cathedral. I have always believed that I felt most strongly for Gothic arches, but now I discovered that it was the Romans who stood closest to me. Nothing obvious, one space hiding behind the other, like human life itself - I was so moved that I had to be led out blinded by tears. It was truly a totally unexpected and in any way totally liberating experience in the midst of the tourist frenzy.”
Prize motivation: "for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the specificity of human experience." But the Swedish Academy has faced a barrage of criticism for choosing the 77-year-old Austrian author.
E.g. PEN International (11 Oct 2019) issues the following statement from International President Jennifer Clement in response to the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Peter Handke:
“The Nobel prize for literature does not only recognise the literary works and prowess of a writer, but also legitimises the entire body of a writer’s work, including any works which comment on current affairs. As PEN members we are dedicated to embodying the principles of our Charter. We work to ‘dispel all hatreds and to champion the ideal of one humanity living in peace and equality in one world.’ The Academy’s choice to recognise an author who has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of well-documented war crimes is highly regrettable, particularly as it will, no doubt, be distressing to the many victims. At a time when leaders and public figures sow division and intolerance, and court populism, we must celebrate the works and voices of those among us who seek to do the opposite.”
Angel at 1:00 - Dome of the Pentecost, Basilica of San Marco, Venice (dating from 1125)
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