Z Mickiewiczowskiego bestiariusza. Owady i robaki w wierszach z okresów wileńsko-kowieńskiego i rosyjskiego

Abstract

The work examines Adam Mickiewicz’s poems written during the Vilnius–Kaunas and Russian periods in an attempt to determine the frequency of occurrence and the function of insects as a motif. It also attempts to answer the question of whether there is a clear difference in the usage of insects between those periods in the poet’s work. The conducted analyses indicate that the presence of insects intensifies gradually and that during the second (Russian) period their numbers were significantly higher. The motifs, however, are never excessively exploited and it thus cannot be said whether the poet had any particular tendency in using them. Generally, Mickiewicz uses three terms of general nature (“insect” – four times, “worms” – twice and “worm” – twice) as well as a number of names indicating a more specific description of type or genus: butterfly, little butterfly (11); bee, little bee, drone or bee families (7); mosquito (4); fly or small fly (4); locust (3); ant (2); flea (2); bittern (1); beetle (1); grasshopper (1); wasp (1). The situations when the proper name can be identified from the context are exceptional, although sometimes the situation does allow it. Given that some of the analyzed poems are autographs and some are translations or studies of works by other authors, it should be noted that the numbers are not impressive. Many motifs are used for comparison. Sometimes insects serve as examples, illustrations or lessons (in which case several creatures are presented alongside each other). Sometimes interesting parallels occur, e.g. lovers described as “playful flies.” There is, however, only one work in which an insect plays the main role instead of being just decoration or illustration (i.e. the fable Pchła i rabin [The Flea and the Rabbi]).