The Nobel Prize in Literature 1979

Odysseus Elytis

Photo from the Nobel Foundation archive.

Prize share: 1/1

The Nobel Prize in Literature 1979 was awarded to Odysseus Elytis "for his poetry, which, against the background of Greek tradition, depicts with sensuous strength and intellectual clear-sightedness modern man's struggle for freedom and creativeness."

To cite this section
MLA style: The Nobel Prize in Literature 1979. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB 2020. Fri. 18 Sep 2020. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1979/summary/>

Back to top Back To Top Takes users back to the top of the page

COMING UP

Don't miss the Nobel Prize announcements starting with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday 5 October, 11:30 CEST at the earliest.

Watch the live stream of the announcements.
Livestream announcements

Explore prizes and laureates

Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize.