Nobel literature laureate Krasznahorkai delivers rare lecture in Stockholm

Nobel Laureate Krasznahorkai Delivers Ethereal Lecture on “Angels” in Stockholm

Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, the 2024 Nobel Prize winner in literature, gave a rare public appearance Sunday in Stockholm, delivering a lecture that traversed themes of angels, human dignity, and existential despair with his characteristic surrealist prose.

The 71-year-old writer, known for his apocalyptic vision and distinctive style of long, winding sentences, spoke in Hungarian about what he called “new angels” who walk among us unrecognized. “They have no wings, but they also have no message, none whatsoever. They are merely here among us in their simple street clothes, unrecognizable if they so wish,” Krasznahorkai explained.

His lecture formed part of the annual Nobel Week celebrations underway in Stockholm and Oslo, where laureates participate in various events before the formal award ceremonies on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

Krasznahorkai, whose works are celebrated for combining bleak worldviews with mordant humor, initially planned to speak about hope. However, as he candidly admitted in his introduction, “as my stores of hope have definitely come to an end, I will now speak about angels.”

The Nobel Committee recognized Krasznahorkai in October for his “absurdism and grotesque excess,” describing him as “a great epic writer” whose work follows a Central European literary tradition marked by “pessimism and apocalypse, but also humor and unpredictability.” His acclaimed novels include “Satantango,” “The Melancholy of Resistance,” “War and War,” “Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming,” and “Herscht 07769.”

During his lecture, Krasznahorkai employed his signature style—sentences that flow without full stops, creating a mesmerizing rhythm as he explored profound philosophical territory. He spoke of new angels as “sacrifices, sacrifices: and not for us, but because of us,” and reflected on perpetual conflict: “there is war, war and only war, war in nature, war in society.”

Literary experts note that Krasznahorkai’s work has gained increasing international recognition over the past two decades, particularly through English translations by poet George Szirtes and more recently by translator Ottilie Mulzet. His collaborative work with filmmaker Béla Tarr, who adapted several of his novels to screen, has further cemented his artistic legacy.

Krasznahorkai follows in the footsteps of recent Nobel literature laureates South Korean author Han Kang, who won in 2023, and Norwegian writer Jon Fosse, recipient of the 2022 prize. Fosse gained particular attention for his seven-book epic composed of a single sentence, a stylistic choice that resonates with Krasznahorkai’s own challenging prose structures.

Meanwhile, the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo is generating significant anticipation with news that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, this year’s peace laureate, will attend in person to receive her award. Kristian Harpviken, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, confirmed to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK that Machado, who has been in hiding since January, will be present at Wednesday’s ceremony.

Machado, 58, was recognized for her ongoing struggle to achieve democratic transition in Venezuela, where political tensions remain high following contested election results earlier this year.

The Nobel Prize ceremonies will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the peace award presented in Oslo and the literature, physics, chemistry, medicine, and economics prizes awarded in Stockholm. Each prize includes a gold medal, diploma, and substantial monetary award that recognizes exceptional contributions to humanity.