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The novel was published to critical acclaim in 1949 and remains one of Eyvind Johnson's most widely read books.[2] It has been published in many Swedish editions and translated into over a dozen languages.[3] An English translation of the novel was published in 1984.[4]
Plot
In 1617, the handsome and eloquent Urbain Grainier comes to the city as a new catholic priest. He soon gets enemies among the citizens, who are envious of his arrogance and success with women. Another reason for the conflict is Cardinal Richelieu's decision to demolish the city walls built by the Huguenots, which some citizens including Grainier oppose. A group of nuns settles in the city and is haunted by strange dreams. Their confessor suspects that the nuns are possessed with demons and calls for an exorcist. The exorcist make the nuns confess that Grainier is responsible for the dreams. The enemies of Grainier take the opportunity to have the priest convicted for witchcraft. He refuses to confess and his denunciators have him burned at the stake as a heretic on the city square.
Translations
The novel has been translated into at least twelve languages including Danish, German, French, Dutch and English:
Diana Aminoff Sandström En häxprocess på Richelieus tid : en jämförelse mellan Eyvind Johnsons roman "Drömmar om rosor och eld" och Aldous Huxleys "The devils of Loudun", Stockholms universitet litteraturvetenskapliga institionen 1985 (in Swedish)
Anders Cullhed "Sova, kanske drömma: kring drömtemat i Eyvind Johnsons historiska romaner" chapter in Samlaren, Svenska litteratursällskapet 1996 (in Swedish) ISSN 0348-6133
Yrjö Hirn En fransk häxeriprocess år 1634 : några bibliografiska randanteckningar utomkring Eyvind Johnsons senaste roman, Stockholm 1950 (in Swedish)
Ole Meyer Eyvind Johnsons historiska romaner: analyser av språksyn och världssyn i fem romaner Akad. Forlag 1976 (in Swedish) ISBN 8750016865