The Praise of Folly (Greek title: Morias Enkomion (????a? ????µ???), Latin: Stultitiae Laus, sometimes translated as In Praise of Folly, Dutch title: Lof der Zotheid) is a satirical essay written in 1509 by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466/69-1536). It is considered one of the most influential works of literature in Western civilization and one of the catalysts of the Protestant Reformation. It starts off with a satirical learned encomium after the manner of the Greek satirist Lucian, a piece of virtuoso foolery; it then takes a darker tone in a series of orations, as Folly praises self-deception and madness and moves to a satirical examination of pious but superstitious abuses of Catholic doctrine and corrupt practices in parts of the Roman Catholic Church—to which Erasmus was ever faithful—and the folly of pedants (including Erasmus himself). Erasmus had recently returned, disappointed, from Rome, where he had turned down offers of advancement in the curia, and Folly increasingly takes on Erasmus’ own chastising voice. The essay ends with a straightforward statement of Christian ideals.

Explore

The Praise of Folly

-

Desiderius Erasmus

Synopsis

Read on the Bambooks mobile app

Related titles

Healing Her Heart

The Mysterious Affair At Styles

April's Fool

Love and Seasons

A Tale of Two Cities

Wuthering-Heights-Emily-Bronte

The Secret Adversary

Oliver Twist

The Call of the Wild

Glad Tidings

The Lost world

War and Peace

The Arabian Nights

Son of Tarzan

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Reviews

1 Rating(s) / 0 review(s)

All reviews

Welcome to Bambooks!

Sign in to your account