Anne Carson, who honed her mastery of the classics at the University of Toronto before giving them new life in the modern age, has won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
A Canadian poet and essayist who earned three U of T degrees, Carson is the second Canadian woman - and first U of T alumna - to win the prestigious international prize, widely regarded as the world's highest literary honour. She was honoured for "her bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature," according to the Nobel committee.
"On behalf of the University of Toronto, I am absolutely delighted to congratulate alumna Anne Carson on winning the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature," said U of T President Melanie Woodin. "This is a very proud moment for our global alumni community and for the entire university."
Known for writing that resists categorization, Carson draws on the classical training she began at U of T to bring ancient Greek and Latin literature into conversation with the contemporary world, moving fluidly between verse and prose, translation and reimagination.
