Romeo and Juliet from Podaca
We are all familiar with Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, but did you know that little place Podaca, located in the south of the Makarska Riviera has its own characters Romeo and Juliet and, most importantly, that they really existed.
Dozens of students wrote a ballad about Rosanda Viskovic and Mladen Andrijaševic. Rose and Mladen lived in village Podaca, at the foot of the magnificent mountain Biokovo. Rose’s parents arranged her marriage with rural postman, although Rose was deeply in love with farmer Mladen, and wanted to marry him.
When Mladen was forced to join the army, Rose’s mother did not give her permission to write him love letters. When Mladen returned from the army, he went to look for Rose, but her mother, again, did not give them permission to marry. After that, Mladen invited Rose to meet him behind the white church.
Seeing no way out Mladen, in great despair, kills Rose and then himself. At the end of the tragedy mother curse herself for interference with the love of her daughter.
The tragedy occurred on March 12 (the Grgurevo) in 1939. After the death of two young people, Podace was surrounded by veil of sorrow and grief. Several people wanted to send a message to all parents so tragedy would not repeat ever again. Moved by this tragedy Dinko Bekavac composed verse 941. of the poem ’ Divno brdo Biokovo milo’.