Canadian poet and writer Anne Carson has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy announced.
In its announcement on Thursday, the Swedish Academy said Carson was chosen "for her bold and innovative body of work, which, through a playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature."
At 76, Carson is recognised for blurring the boundaries between poetry and prose and for bringing a fresh approach to translating ancient texts. She is also a professor of classical literature.
Carson has written more than 20 books, several of which have been adapted for the stage, and has received numerous literary awards.
The academy said: "Nearly all of her writing revolves around the intersection between the philologist's obsession with words and the poet's longing for new meaning."
According to the academy, Carson herself identifies the etymology of words as the starting point for all of her work. Her translations from ancient Greek can be read as works in their own right.
The academy's permanent secretary, Ingrid Carlberg, said Carson was "completely taken by surprise." The prize awarded by the academy is worth 12 million Swedish kronor (about $1.2 million).
"We did not have much time to talk, and the only thing she managed to tell me was that she is in Iceland, where she is listening to the wind," Carlberg said.
Shortly after the announcement, Carson responded to her win in an interview with Icelandic broadcaster RUV. "That's crazy. I think they're all crazy ... Well, you know, it's just crazy," she said.
Born in Toronto, Carson has also lived in Iceland and holds Icelandic citizenship.
Among her best-known works is The Beauty of the Husband, a book-length narrative poem — sorrowful and moving — that portrays a marriage in ruins.
The Trojan Women, published in 2021, is a graphic retelling of Euripides' ancient story that incorporates contemporary language.
In August 2024, writing in the London Review of Books, Carson revealed that she is living with Parkinson's disease.
The Nobel Prize in Literature, awarded by the Swedish Academy, is regarded as the most prestigious international literary award.
Last year, the prize went to Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai.
Established under the will of Swedish inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel, the prizes for achievement in literature, science and peace have been awarded since 1901.
Literature is the fourth Nobel Prize announced this week, following medicine, physics and chemistry. The Peace Prize will be announced in Oslo on Friday.
