Canadian Anne Carson wins the 2026 Nobel Prize for Literature for her “daring and creative” works.

Canadian poet and writer Anne Carson won the Nobel Prize for Literature for the year 2026, according to what the Swedish Academy in Stockholm announced today, Thursday (October 8, 2026).

The Academy said that Carson received the award for her “daring and innovative” works, considering that she contributed to creating new forms in contemporary literature through her ongoing dialogue with classical literature and traditions.

Carson's work is characterized by a mixture of poetry, prose, dialogue, and translation. It also draws inspiration from ancient Greek texts and myths and re-presents them within modern literary contexts.

Who is Anne Carson?

Carson, born in Toronto in 1950, is a poet, essayist, translator, and specialist in classical studies. She also taught at a number of North American universities, in addition to her literary and translation activities.

Among her most prominent works is “Autobiography of Red,” in which she combines Greek myth and contemporary narrative, along with “Norma Jeane Baker of Troy,” in addition to her translations of works from ancient Greek literature.

The Swedish Academy said: “Most of its literary production revolved around the convergence between the linguistic researcher’s passion for words and the poet’s quest to invent new meanings.” She added: "She herself considered the origin of words to be the starting point for all her works. Her translations from Classical Greek can be viewed as independent works in their own right."

The value of the Nobel Prize for Literature this year is 12 million Swedish krona, equivalent to about 1.2 million dollars.

Carson is scheduled to receive the award during the traditional Nobel ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the death of prize founder Alfred Nobel.