The Nobel Prize   Selma Lagerlöf became both the first woman and the first Swede to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1909, followed in 1914 by her election, as the first woman to the prestigious Swedish Academy. Right: The Nobel Prize diploma. Water-colourd painting made by artist Agi Lindegren. Selma Lagerlöf's speech at the Nobel Banquet pdf 23 kb. Link to Prize Awarder for the Nobel Prize in Literature http://nobelprize.org/prize_awarders/literature/