José Saramago is the Only Lusophone Nobel Laureate
No Nobel Prize in Literature is won simply by telling a story on pages, but by living it. It is a fact that the literary canon is defined by ideology (and I won’t explain this now as it’s too complex), and the Nobel follows the same line, awarding the entire body of work of an author who represents something significant. In 1953, the laureate was Churchill, who needs no introduction; today, the most recent laureate is the French Annie Ernaux, a feminist, pro-abortion, communist.
I contextualized this issue just to get to my point: why was José Saramago the only Portuguese-speaking Nobel laureate? The most obvious answer is that Portuguese is a peripheral language, and it truly is. Portugal is the only developed Lusophone country.
Lusofonia is the term given to the community formed by people and nations that share the Portuguese language. Many complain that, in modern times, Lusofonia is like a silent and reimagined colonization. It is the bond that still ties the Portuguese to the imperial fantasy. Starting in the 1960s, Portugal’s break with the Atlantic became apparent when, after losing Brazil, its imperial jewel, it found itself confined to the borders of a small nation and began to contemplate new horizons, the greatest of which is Lusofonia.
It is a fact that Portugal cannot even prevent its children from adopting the Carioca accent of influencers like Luccas Neto. The absence of a clear imposition by Brazil within the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) allows Portugal to fantasize about Brazil as if it were still one of its colonies. To the eyes of many Portuguese, we are as small as Timor-Leste; we are seen as savages.
And where does Saramago fit in? The Nobel was awarded to the author in 1998, two years after the creation of the CPLP. As I said before, no one wins a Nobel just because they write well, and in Saramago’s case, he won to be the “poster boy” of the CPLP. Why Saramago and not another? Firstly, Saramago was a highly international writer. This is due to his previous work as a translator, his frequent travels, and his familiarity with the foreign publishing market.
Secondly, Saramago wrote about Lusofonia, criticized British colonialism, and even made some critiques of Lusofonia itself, but he supported the dissemination of the Portuguese language in African countries like Mozambique. He was the perfect author to represent Portugal’s stance, which wished to maintain Lusofonia, highlighting the benefits of this union (as also demonstrated by the CPLP inauguration in Angola) and trying to mitigate the criticisms of opposing thinkers.
The awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to José Saramago was not only a recognition of his literary talent but also a strategic choice that reflected the complex dynamics of Lusofonia. Saramago, with his critical and international perspective, embodied Portugal’s attempt to maintain its cultural and linguistic influence in the Lusophone world while addressing the inherent challenges and criticisms of this position. Saramago’s uniqueness in the Lusophone literary panorama and his ability to navigate between critiques and support made him the ideal ambassador for the Portuguese language in a globalized context.
I often say that Brazil will only become developed when we win a Nobel, because I believe we need to claim our rightful place in the CPLP, as we are the largest Lusophone country (though not the most developed). International recognition through such a prestigious award would help reinforce the cultural and intellectual importance of Brazil on the global stage, promoting the value of our literary and scientific production.
Not only that, but we would also cease to be stereotyped as a peripheral country and reaffirm Brazil’s potential as a nation capable of producing globally valuable knowledge and culture. This transformation would contribute to a new perception of the country, not only as an emerging giant but as a respected and influential leader in the international community. The Nobel Prize in Literature is important for our nation because we should be boasting one of Brazil’s greatest soft powers: the language.
