American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has compared the pressures he faces when penning a song to the writing experience of literary great William Shakespeare in his Nobel Prize for Literature acceptance speech.

Dylan, who cited “pre-existing commitments” when declining the invitation, wrote the thank-you speech, which was read by the US ambassador to Sweden at a gala banquet after the main event.

Dylan’s speech speculated Shakespeare’s feelings would have been similar to his own if he had won the prize.

“I would reckon he thought of himself as a dramatist,” Dylan wrote.

“The thought that he was writing literature couldn’t have entered his head.

“His words were written for the stage. Meant to be spoken not read.”

Dylan said when Shakespeare was writing Hamlet, he would have considered suitable actors, staging and setting, as well as “more mundane matters” like financing, seating and: “Where am I going to get a human skull?”

“I would bet that the farthest thing from Shakespeare’s mind was the question ‘Is this literature?’,” he said.

Many had questioned whether Dylan’s work qualified as literature, after the Swedish Academy announced their choice.

Dylan said matters including which musicians sung his songs, their key and recording studios occupied his own mind.

“Like Shakespeare, I too am often occupied with the pursuit of my creative endeavours and dealing with all aspects of life’s mundane matters.”

“Some things never change, even in 400 years.

“Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself ‘are my songs literature?'”

Dylan thanked the Swedish Academy “for taking the time to consider that very question and, ultimately, for providing such a wonderful answer”.

“I’m sorry I can’t be with you in person, but please know that I am most definitely with you in spirit and honoured to be receiving such a prestigious prize,” he wrote.

Read the Nobel Banquet speech by Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan, given by the US Ambassador to Sweden Azita Raji: https://t.co/MCPaAvVF5Q pic.twitter.com/dhE3nPdprP

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) December 10, 2016

At the ceremony, singer-songwriter Patti Smith performed a rendition of Dylan’s song A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, but at one point stumbled over the lyrics.

The audience delivered an applause after Smith apologetically said she was “so nervous”.