Desiderius Erasmus, Moriae encomium seu laus stultitiae [The Praise of Folly]

Gerhart Hoffmeister (University of California, Santa Barbara)

Ed. by Gerhard P. Knapp, University of Utah
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.5.1: Dutch and Flemish Writing and Culture, 800-present.

Domains

Moral Philosophy and Ethics

Dates

First circulation or publication 1511

Places

Netherlands (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Treatise

Resources

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Recommended Reading

Desiderius Erasmus’

The Praise of Folly

[translation of the original Neolatin title

Moriae encomium seu laus stultitiae

, 1511] is one of the most enduring works of the Northern Renaissance. A product of the humanist revival of ancient letters, it contributed a delightful piece to the literary fashion of

Narrenliteratur

(fool’s literature, especially since Sebastian Brant,

Das Narrenschiff

[

The Ship of Fools,

1494]), sounded a clarion call for significant changes in church and society on the eve of the Reformation, and provides valuable insights into the author’s character and the society of the period. Disillusioned at the dismal state of the Church, Erasmus of Rotterdam conceived the idea of an ironic encomium in the manner of Lucian’s (born ca. 120 A.D.) satires on his journey…

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1329 words

Citation: Hoffmeister, Gerhart. "Moriae encomium seu laus stultitiae". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 14 August 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=5372, accessed 24 April 2024.]

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