Pokondirena tikva

The Pocondirena Tikva is one of the most famous comedies by Jovan Sterija Popović and a classic work of 19th-century Serbian literature. The plot centers on Fema, a widow who, after gaining some wealth and social standing, decides to abandon her bourgeois lifestyle and present herself as a “madam” of the upper class.

Fema despises everything that reminds her of her humble origins – village speech, clothes, and even her relatives. In her desire to rise above her origins, she begins to behave pretentiously and unnaturally, adopting French expressions and mannerisms that she does not understand. This leads to a series of comic situations, and her vain pursuit of elegance ends in ridicule and humiliation.

Sterija Popović, through humor and irony, depicts the social flaws of her time – superficiality, hypocrisy, and the pursuit of other people’s brilliance, while criticizing the loss of authenticity and folk simplicity.

The comedy, with its universal message, remains relevant today: a man who renounces himself and his identity for the sake of the illusion of someone else's greatness becomes ridiculous and empty. The Pumpkin Pie is a sharp but warm satire on human vanity and the need for recognition.

In addition to the title play, the following works by Sterija are included in the book:

• A Novel without a Novel
• Tvrdica or Kir Janja
• Rodoljupci

The afterword to this collection, entitled "Sterija as a Comedian", was written by Petar Prpić.