Written in Latin in 1509 and published in 1511, “Praise of Folly” by Dutch humanist and scholar Desiderius Erasmus is considered one of the most important works of literature in Western Civilization. The essay is a classic satirical work in the style of Lucian, the ancient Greek satirist, in which the Goddess of Folly extols the virtues of frivolousness and indulgence of one’s passions, then moves to a darker praise of delusion and madness, and finally turns to a satirical examination of...
Considered one of the most important works of literature in Western Civilization, Desiderius Erasmus's essay, «Praise of Folly», is a classic satirical work in the style of Lucian, the ancient Greek, in which the Goddess of Folly extols the virtues of frivolousness and indulgence of ones passions and then turns to a satirical examination of Christian piousness. In a humorously satirical way, «Praise of Folly» examines the abuses of power of the Roman Catholic Church at the time and is seen...
