Anne Carson Becomes 19th Woman to Win Nobel Prize in Literature

Canadian poet, essayist and classicist Anne Carson has become the 19th woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature since the award was first presented in 1901. The Swedish Academy named the 76-year-old writer the 2026 laureate, adding her to a relatively small group of women recognised during the prize's 125-year history.

Carson is also the second Canadian woman to win the literature prize. Alice Munro, who received the award in 2013, was the first. The Academy credited Carson's body of work for combining experimentation with influences from classical literature and for developing distinctive contemporary literary forms.

The history of women receiving the prize began with Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf in 1909. She was followed by Grazia Deledda of Italy in 1926 and Norwegian writer Sigrid Undset in 1928. Pearl Buck of the United States received the award in 1938, while Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral became the fifth woman laureate in 1945.

Nelly Sachs, associated with Sweden and Germany, shared the 1966 prize with Shmuel Yosef Agnon. After Sachs, another woman did not receive the award until South African novelist Nadine Gordimer was recognised in 1991. Toni Morrison followed in 1993, with Polish poet Wisława Szymborska receiving the prize in 1996.

The number of women laureates increased more frequently in the 21st century. Elfriede Jelinek won in 2004, Doris Lessing in 2007 and Herta Müller in 2009. Munro received the honour in 2013, followed by Svetlana Alexievich in 2015 and Olga Tokarczuk in 2018. Louise Glück won in 2020, Annie Ernaux in 2022 and South Korean writer Han Kang in 2024 before Carson joined the list in 2026.

Despite the more regular recognition of women in recent decades, the gender gap remains substantial. Following Carson's selection, women account for 19 of the 123 individual Literature laureates recorded through 2026, while 104 have been men.

The Literature Nobel has been awarded 119 times, with no prize presented in 1914, 1918, 1935 and from 1940 through 1943. Only four editions have produced two joint laureates: 1904, 1917, 1966 and 1974.

The award's age records also remain unchanged following Carson's selection. Rudyard Kipling was 41 when he became the youngest Literature laureate in 1907, while Doris Lessing was 87 when she received the prize in 2007, making her the oldest winner in the category.

Carson's award extends a history that now includes women from a range of countries and literary traditions, spanning from Lagerlöf's breakthrough in 1909 to the Canadian writer's recognition 117 years later.