STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Austrian novelist, playwright and poet Elfriede Jelinek, 57, won the Nobel Prize in literature, the Swedish Academy said Thursday, citing her ability to reveal "the absurdity of society's cliches and their subjugating power."

The decision to award the prize to a woman - and a poet - was the first since 1996, when Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska won. Since the prize was first handed out in 1901, only nine women have won it.

Born in the Austrian town of Murzzuschlag in 1946, she made her literary debut with the collection "Lisas Schatten" in 1967. Her writing took a critical turn after her involvement with the student movements that were prevalent throughout Europe in the 1970s, coming out with her satirical novel "We Are Decoys, Baby!"

That was followed by other works, including "Wonderful, Wonderful Times" in 1990 and "The Piano Teacher" in 1988.

With special fervor, Jelinek has castigated Austria, depicting it as a realm of death in her phantasmagorical novel, "Die Kinder der Toten," the academy noted, adding that she remains a controversial figure in her homeland.

"Her writing builds on a lengthy Austrian tradition of linguistically sophisticated social criticism, with precursors such as Johann Nepomuk Nestroy, Karl Kraus, Odon von Horv Dath, Elias Canetti, Thomas Bernhard and the Wiener Group," the academy said in its citation.

"The nature of Jelinek's texts is often hard to define. They shift between prose and poetry, incantation and hymn, they contain theatrical scenes and filmic sequences."

Her recent works are variations on one of her basic themes: the seemingly inability of women to fully find themselves, and live out their lives in a world where they are glossed over by and as stereotypes.

The 18 lifetime members of the 218-year-old Swedish Academy, of whom only four are women, made the annual selection in deep secrecy last week.

For any writer, there could hardly be any greater honor than winning the Nobel Prize. But for an author whose work isn't widely translated, it opens doors to new markets, and sales.

The prize also brings a financial safety net, too: A check of $1.3 million.