The Praise of Folly is one of the most important books of Renaissance Humanism and one of the most perfect expressions of the sentiments and philosophy of its author, Desiderius Erasmus. The Praise of Folly was written in 1509 to amuse Sir Thomas More, Erasmus’s close friend and intellectual counterpart.

Originally written to amuse his friend Sir Thomas More, this satiric celebration of pleasure, youth, and intoxication irreverently pokes fun at the pieties of theologians and the foibles that make us all human, while ultimately reaffirming the value of Christian ideals.

Its dazzling mixture of fantasy and satire is narrated by a personification of Folly, dressed as a jester, who celebrates youth, pleasure, drunkenness and sexual desire, and goes on to lambast human pretensions, foibles and frailties, to mock theologians and monks and to praise the ‘folly’ of simple Christian piety.

It is not clear where she is speaking, but her audience appears to be all of European society. In order to make her argument, she proceeds in several parts. She begins with an exhortation and introduction, which is followed by an explanation of why she should praise herself and how she will give her speech.

The main argument of The Praise of Folly is that Folly deserves the praise of all. But what does this mean? Folly argues that she deserves the praise of all because she makes many of life’s good things possible and brings about happiness to many who could not otherwise have it.

Erasmus also used what he had learned about the past to criticize the present, especially the abuses of the Catholic Church that he wanted to reform his masterpiece, The Praise of Folly, published in 1511, was a popular, lighthearted satire written to criticize the pretentious, self-important behaviors and absurdities …

Folly says self-love and flattery is virtuous and helps mankind live out their lives and do great things.

Northern humanism, also known as Christian humanism, focused on the humanity of Jesus and the implications of this on how people lived life.

Erasmus, in full Desiderius Erasmus, (born October 27, 1469 [1466?], Rotterdam, Holland [now in the Netherlands]—died July 12, 1536, Basel, Switzerland), Dutch humanist who was the greatest scholar of the northern Renaissance, the first editor of the New Testament, and also an important figure in patristics and …

The Praise of Folly by Erasmus is a bold satire that pokes fun at the foolishness of mankind. Although Folly herself is a deity, she professes that the one with the ultimate wisdom and virtue is the Christian God. To Folly, some people are agreeable fools.

Many northern humanists tried to share their new ideas through a new medium of oil paints that were able to achieve realism in their work of arts. Who invented the printing press? Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press.

Main Ideas • The major goal of humanism in north- ern Europe was to reform Christendom. Martin Luther’s religious reforms led to the emergence of Protestantism. that divided the western Church into Catholic and Protestant groups.

Overview Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (c. 1466-1536) was one of the most influential Renaissance humanists, and his 1509 satire Praise of Folly has become his best-known and most popular work. Originally written in Latin, the book is presented as a long speech or “declamation” delivered by a personified Folly.

Lesson Summary. The Praise of Folly by Erasmus is a bold satire that pokes fun at the foolishness of mankind. Although Folly herself is a deity, she professes that the one with the ultimate wisdom and virtue is the Christian God. To Folly, some people are agreeable fools.

Erasmus widely criticized the Roman Catholic Church of his day but remained a member and often debated with early Protestant Reformers.

Folly believes that high leaders of the church, like theologians and monks, do work that divides the people. Yet, on the other hand, when she focuses on Christians, she compares their religious zeal to a pleasant form of madness. Moreover, she labels Jesus Christ as a divine fool for sacrificing himself for humanity.