Louise Gluck Wins Nobel Prize in Literature

Anya Ernst ‘23

Photo Credit: Gasper-Tringale from The Nobel Prize Academy

This October, acclaimed poet and essayist Louise Gluck was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for her poetry.

Gluck attended Sarah Lawrence as a part-time student taking poetry classes before attending a non-degree program at Columbia University.  

Yet despite her connection to the school, Sarah Lawrence has not made any statement about Gluck's recent accomplishment. Like other SLC alumni who did not leave with a degree, such as Yoko Ono, Carrie Fisher, or Jordan Peele, Gluck is not often mentioned by the College. 

Gluck is best known for her “unmistakable” strong poetic voice as well as her ability to take on different perspectives in her writing, said the Secretary of the Swedish Academy Mats Malm. The Nobel Prize committee praised Gluck's “humour and wit” in a recent press conference announcing her award.

Literary critics felt choosing Gluck as the winner was an important step in the right direction, as she was the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 27 years.

Despite some controversy over past winners and the Swedish academy, Gluck said in an interview with Adam Smith from the Nobel Prize Foundation That she feels it is a “great honor” despite the recipients that she does not admire. 

Gluck has written 12 books of poetry which have received high praises and recognitions, including the Pulitzer Prize and Bollingen Prize for Poetry.

Best known for her semi-autobiographical poetry books The Wild Iris and Triumph of Achilles, Gluck has compiled a diverse collection of writing throughout her career. Influenced by Robert Lowell and Emily Dickinson, Gluck has ultimately followed in her heroes’ footsteps, winning countless literary accolades.

Gluck’s lyrical poems are unique in their form and have captivated readers for over 50 years. Taking on themes such as mortality and human relationships, Gluck uses her own experience of radical rebirth and trauma to inform her writing. 

Gluck currently teaches writing and English at Yale University and serves as their Rosenkranz Writer-in-Residence.