On October 13, word came out that Bob Dylan, one of the most influential songwriters of the past century, had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Many magazines like Rolling Stone and The Guardian claim that Dylan deserves the prize without a doubt, but others seem to be on the fence about the whole situation.

There is no question that this is probably the most controversial Nobel Prize award since William Golding, author of Lord of the Flies, was awarded the honor. To be fair though, Lord of the Flies is a novel that had to wait a bit until it got the recognition it deserved. Anyways, the thing that people cannot get over is the fact that Bob Dylan is a songwriter and not necessarily a writer of something that would be considered literature.

But what limits can we place on the definition of literature? Does it strictly have to follow the norm that we associate with novels? If that was true, then why would should Edgar Allen Poe or Robert Frost’s poems be considered as works of literature? Though not novels, the poems of Poe and Frost have been revered and influential. So why should Bob Dylan, who is not what would be considered conventional in terms of literature, be any less deserving of this award? Dylan had a way with words that others try to imitate to this day. His writing can range from comical to truly incomprehensible to the point where analysts still have a hard time trying to figure out what he was trying to say. In his acceptance speech, which he was unable to give in person, Bob Dylan himself addressed this very issue:

“Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself, ‘Are my songs literature?’ So, I do thank the Swedish Academy, both for taking the time to consider that very question, and, ultimately, for providing such a wonderful answer.”
The point is that Bob Dylan’s words transcended from mere phrases to poetry that captivated audiences in a way that no other songwriter was able to accomplish, and I think that is what we should be celebrating–an artist who was able to transcend the musical art form to new heights. Yes, I know I am biased (Bob Dylan fanatic over here), but his discography is truly impeccable. Dylan was the kind of writer that could write what came to mind, play with it, and eventually turn it into something incredible. Many will disagree, and that is perfectly fine, but what cannot be denied is that this debacle will be talked about for years to come.