Kletva 3

The Curse 3 is the third part of the great historical novel by August Šenoa, one of the most ambitious works of Croatian literature of the 19th century. The plot continues in the dramatic 14th century, during a time of deep conflicts between the Zagreb Kaptol and the bourgeois Grič, the rebellion of Croatian nobles against the Hungarian-Croatian king Sigismund, and the severe consequences of the curse that Bishop Pavao cast on the citizens.

In this part, Šenoa develops complex characters, political intrigues, and personal dramas even more strongly. Ambitions, religious and secular interests clash, and the fates of individuals are inextricably linked to major historical events. The novel paints a broad fresco of medieval life – from noblemen's courts and church palaces to city streets and peasant huts – with rich descriptions, tense dialogues, and dynamic plots. Although Šenoa did not complete the work (it was continued by Josip Eugen Tomić), his style remains recognizable: lively, picturesque and full of passion for the Croatian past.

This edition is part of the popular and visually extremely attractive edition of the Collected Works of August Šenoa published by Naklada knjižare Preporod in Zagreb in 1942–1943. The third volume of The Curse, like the others, is equipped with expressive drawings by Andrija Maurović, which perfectly evoke the dramatic atmosphere of the Middle Ages, battles, intrigue and everyday life of that turbulent period. Maurović's illustrations give the book a special artistic charm and make it a true collector's item.

The Curse is considered one of Šenoa's most important novels due to its epic scope, national enthusiasm and topicality of the themes of power, betrayal and the fight for freedom. The third part brings the climax of tension and further deepens the characters, making the reading exciting and emotionally intense.