Microcosm of F. Béroalde De Verville (The Poem "A History of Silk-Producing Worms")
The poem "L’Histoire des Vers qui filent la Soye, 1600" ("A History of Silk-Producing Worms") is a lesser known work by François Béroalde de Verville, who is also the author of "Le Moyen de Parvenir" ("A Way to Success") - a glowing tribute to the Rabelaisian tradition in French literature. "L’Histoire des Vers qui filent la Soye, 1600" continues the Renaissance tradition - chiefly Italian - of composing the natural-science poetry. The poem is also a response to the political call of the day (the need to restore sericulture, which was almost ruined during the civil wars). The Renaissance motif of “microcosm” receives an alchemical reading here, and the poem's poetics anticipates the baroque style. At the same time, Béroalde de Verville occasionally turns to the gallant discourse of Mannerism. Thus, "L’Histoire des Vers qui filent la Soye, 1600" is a fine and characteristic literary monument to the transitional cultural period, which is also known as the "Autumn of the Renaissance" ("L’Automne de la Renaissance").