Praise of Folly

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Praise of Folly

work by Erasmus

Also known as: “In Praise of Folly”, “Moriae encomium”, “Praise of Folie”(Show More)

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July 13, 2026

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Praise of Folly is a satirical work by Desiderius Erasmus, published in 1511. The book uses satire, a literary form that employs ridicule to expose and criticize human vices, follies, and shortcomings. In Praise of Folly, Erasmus personifies Folly as a character who delivers a lengthy oration, praising herself and her influence on various aspects of human life and society.12

The work satirizes a wide range of institutions and individuals, including the church, theologians, monks, and rulers, highlighting their hypocrisy, ignorance, and corruption. Erasmus's use of satire was a powerful tool for social commentary, encouraging readers to question established norms and authorities. The book's playful yet critical tone, combined with its exploration of "folly" as a concept, made it a significant and influential work of Renaissance humanism.213

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Erasmus
The wandering scholar
The celebrated Moriae encomium, or Praise of Folly, conceived as Erasmus crossed the Alps on his way back to England and written at Thomas More’s house, expresses a very different mood. For the first time the earnest scholar saw his own efforts along with everyone else’s as bathed in a…
Read More
The celebrated Moriae encomium, or Praise of Folly, conceived as Erasmus crossed the Alps on his way back to England and written at Thomas More’s house, expresses a very different mood. For the first time the earnest scholar saw his own efforts along with everyone else’s as bathed in a…
Read More

Thomas More
Early life and career
Erasmus wrote his In Praise of Folly while staying there.
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Erasmus wrote his In Praise of Folly while staying there.
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caricature and cartoon
Individual satire
Desiderius Erasmus’ In Praise of Folly was both a Renaissance effort at satire and a carryover of medieval mockeries; the marginal drawings made in one copy of it by early 16th-century members of the German-Swiss Holbein family are neither caricature nor cartoon in the modern sense, but…
Read More
Desiderius Erasmus’ In Praise of Folly was both a Renaissance effort at satire and a carryover of medieval mockeries; the marginal drawings made in one copy of it by early 16th-century members of the German-Swiss Holbein family are neither caricature nor cartoon in the modern sense, but…
Read More

humanism
Desiderius Erasmus
Praise of Folly is a case in point: a book-length set of variations on the idea of folly. In applying the copia strategy to human affairs, Erasmus found not only an attractive literary device but also a powerful medium of discovery. Praise of Folly is…
Read More
Praise of Folly is a case in point: a book-length set of variations on the idea of folly. In applying the copia strategy to human affairs, Erasmus found not only an attractive literary device but also a powerful medium of discovery. Praise of Folly is…
Read More