Bob Dylan has always gone down his own path, forging his own legacy and creating a body of work that has stood the test of time — in this case, a true American original. Dylan was awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature back in October, and since then the award has been shrouded, much like the artist himself, in mystery.
Rolling Stone reports, “For weeks and weeks there was nothing but silence from the Dylan camp, and (the) Nobel Committee told the press nobody was returning their calls.”
“‘One can say that it is impolite and arrogant,'” said Per Wastberg, a member of the Nobel Committee. “‘He is who he is.'”
In November, Dylan let the Nobel committee know that due to prior commitments, he wouldn’t be able to attend. Fair enough; when you’re Bob Dylan you can pretty much call the shots. He gave the committee a speech to be read on his behalf at the Stockholm ceremony on Saturday, where the nine other Nobel laureates were on hand to receive their prize from King Carl XVI Gustaf, in front of a VIP audience.
MSN says the musician should receive his Nobel prize in person sometime next year. Via Rolling Stone, Dylan’s speech was read by United States Ambassador to Sweden Azita Raji.
The legendary musician’s humility was clear throughout the speech: “I’m sorry I can’t be with you in person, but please know that I am most definitely with you in spirit and honored to be receiving such a prestigious prize. Being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature is something I never could have imagined or seen coming,” Dylan’s speech read. “If someone had ever told me that I had the slightest chance of winning the Nobel Prize, I would have to think that I’d have about the same odds as standing on the moon.”
“In fact, during the year I was born and for a few years after, there wasn’t anyone in the world who was considered good enough to win this Nobel Prize,” Dylan’s speech continued. “So, I recognize that I am in very rare company, to say the least.”
