Han Kang Wins Nobel Prize in Literature 2024

October 11, 2024

GS Paper I Art and Culture

South Korean author Han Kang has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature for her “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life”.

More on the news: This comes after two consecutive years of awarding European authors (Jon Fosse in 2023, Annie Ernaux in 2022).

The Nobel Committee emphasised that Han Kang’s writing crosses the boundaries between art forms, blending prose, poetry, music, and visual art.
- It noted her unique style, which challenges the conventions of contemporary literature.

Notable recognition from India

Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, becoming the first non-European to receive the honour.
He was recognized for Gitanjali (“Song Offerings”), a collection of deeply spiritual poems.

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Notable Works of Han Kang

The Vegetarian: This novel brought Han Kang international fame and won the Man Booker International Prize in 2016.
Human Acts: A powerful novel about the Gwangju Uprising and the traumatic experiences of individuals affected by the historical event.
The White Book: A poetic reflection on grief and loss, where the narrator explores the memory of a sister who died in infancy.
Greek Lessons: A story about the intimacy between a woman losing her ability to speak and a man losing his sight, focusing on themes of language, loss, and human connection.
We Do Not Part: A historical fiction novel about two friends coping with the trauma of a massacre that impacted their families decades earlier.

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