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The Emperor of Portugallia

by Selma LAGERLÖF (1858 - 1940)

07 - Agrippa - Forbidden Fruit

Selma Lagerlöf was born in Vaermland, Sweden, in 1858 and enjoyed a long and very successful career as a writer, receiving the Nobel-Prize in Literature in 1909. She died in Vaermland in 1940. The Emperor of Portugallia was first Published 1914 in Sweden, and 1916 in English, translated by Velma Swanston Howard. The Story i set in Vaermland around 1860 or 1870. In the centre is Jan of Ruffluck Croft. He loves his daughter more than anything, but when she moves to Stockholm and never sends a word home about her doings, he sinks into a dream-world where she is a noble Empress of Portugallia. And he believes himself to be Emperor too. His whole world and all his thoughts are dominated by the thoughts of her return and what will happen then. In the role of Emperor in the poor forest country where he lives he can question the social hierarchies around him, and dressed in his Royal regalia he sits in the frontbench in the Church, and he takes the place of honour at Parties etc. After 15 years his daughter returns home and is shocked to see what a mad clown her father has become and .... (Summary by Lars Rolander)

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Listen next episodes of The Emperor of Portugallia:
08 - Lars Gunnarson - The Red Dress , 09 - The New Master - On the Mountain-top , 10 - The Eve of Departure - At the Pier , 11 - The Letter - August Dar Nol , 12 - October the First - The Dream Begins , 13 - Heirlooms - Clothed in Satin , 14 - Stars - Waiting , 15 - The Empress - The Emperor , 16 - The Emperor's Song - The Seventeenth of August , 17 - Katrina and Jan - Bjorn Hindrickson's Funeral , 18 - The Dying Heart – Deposed , 19 - The Catechetical Meeting , 20 - An Old Troll , 21 - The Sunday after Midsummer , 22 - Summernight - The Emperor's Consort , 23 - The Welcome Greeting , 24 - The Flight , 25 - Held! - Jan's Last Words , 26 - The Passing of Katrina - The Burial of the Emperor