Noble Prize Acceptance Speech - Bob Dylan: Lesson Summary

Bob Dylan expressed his warm greetings to the members of the Swedish Academy and all the distinguished guests present. He apologised for not being there in person but said he was honoured to be receiving such a prestigious prize. He expressed that it was something he had never imagined or seen coming. He mentioned that from an early age, he was familiar with the works of great authors such as Kipling, Shaw, Thomas Mann, Pearl Buck, Albert Camus and Hemingway, who were deemed worthy of such a distinction and that joining their names on such a list was truly beyond words.

Bob Dylan said that he believed anyone writing a book, poem or play anywhere in the world could have a secret dream about receiving the Nobel Prize, though they may not even know it is there. He expressed his surprise at being chosen for the award, as he considered his chances to be as good as standing on the moon. Furthermore, he noted that when he was born, no one was deemed worthy of the Nobel Prize. He thus remarked that he knew he was in very rare company.

Bob Dylan said that when he received the surprising news about the Nobel Prize, it took him some time to take it in and he started thinking about William Shakespeare, whom he thought of as a dramatist and not a literary figure, as the words were written for the stage and meant to be spoken, not read. He continued by saying that when Shakespeare was writing Hamlet, he was likely thinking of things such as which actors to cast, how to stage it, and if he wanted to set it in Denmark, and also of more mundane matters such as the financing, the seating arrangements and where to get a human skull. Dylan concluded that the last thing on Shakespeare's mind would have been whether what he was writing was literature or not.

Bob Dylan admitted that when he was a teenager, he only hoped that his songs would be heard in coffee houses or bars and perhaps later in places like Carnegie Hall and the London Palladium. He confessed that if he was dreaming big, he imagined getting to make a record and hearing his songs on the radio. He revealed that this was the biggest prize he had in mind. He acknowledged that this meant that he was reaching a big audience and would be able to do what he had set out to do.

He mentioned that he had been doing what he set out to do for a long time. He noted that he had made several records and performed numerous concerts around the world. He implied that his songs were at the centre of almost everything he does. He pointed out that his songs had found a place in the lives of many people in various cultures, for which he was thankful.

 Bob Dylan said he had performed for both 50,000 people and 50 people. He observed that playing for a smaller crowd was harder than playing for a large one. He commented that the audience of 50,000 had a singular persona. He communicated that individuals in a smaller audience had a world of their own. He remarked that playing for 50 people tested one's honesty and the depth of their talent. It was more challenging due to the individual identities present and were able to perceive things more clearly. He expressed that the small size of the Nobel committee was not lost on him.

Bob Dylan like Shakespeare was occupied with pursuing his creative endeavours and dealing with life's mundane matters, such as asking who the best musicians are for his songs if he was recording in the right studio and if the songs were in the right key. He noted that some things never change, even after 400 years. Bob Dylan has never taken the time to question whether his songs are considered literature but is thankful to the Swedish Academy for taking the time to consider it and for giving a great answer. He finally extends his best wishes to all.

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