Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Praise of Folly, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Folly vs. Wisdom
Power, Privilege, and Hypocrisy
Happiness, Delusion, and the Human Condition
Rhetoric
Summary
Analysis
Erasmus explains the origins of The Praise of Folly. He claims that, while riding on horseback and reflecting on past conversations he had with Thomas More, he was inspired to have some fun and write a eulogy of folly. Erasmus believes that More will receive the work favorably due to his learned disposition, and so he dedicates the work to him accordingly. He then expresses his wish that More defend the piece, as Erasmus believes that it will be divisive. He then defends the work himself against any potential critics, claiming that great authors like Homer, Virgil and Ovid wrote pieces that were similarly “light” and satirical.
Erasmus provides context and justification for his work. He gives credit to his friend, Thomas More, for inspiring him to produce the work, a gesture which is both generous and self-serving. It is generous because it shares credit for the piece, and self-serving in that Erasmus anticipates the work to be controversial. By implicating More in the origin of the work, then, Erasmus is not only offsetting a share of any future criticism, but he is also proactively protecting himself against it. As More was a well-respected and well-connected member of English society, his support would have gone a long way in giving Erasmus the benefit of the doubt.
Themes
Literary Devices
Erasmus continues to defend the “lightness” of his work, arguing that trivial topics can often be serious and instructive if handled well. Case in point, Erasmus claims that his own treatment of folly, while a light subject, is not entirely “foolish.” Erasmus further suggests that people of his time have become overly sensitive, and that if anyone feels slighted by his work, they should remember that Erasmus has been universal in his criticism. Erasmus clarifies that his goal in writing the eulogy was to produce pleasure, not to attack individuals. He expresses his hope that is work doesn’t offend anyone, and if it does, the offended should consider it a compliment to be slighted by Folly.
Here, Erasmus anticipates the arguments of his protagonist, Folly, arguing that smart ideas can emerge out of seemingly “foolish” topics. In this way, Erasmus aligns himself philosophically with Folly, diminishing the authorial divide between his writing and hers. Despite this, he makes sure to maintain enough critical distance between himself and Folly, never fully taking ownership for her words. He anticipates that people might be offended by his work and wants to maintain the guise that “Folly” is putting forth controversial claims, not him.
Themes
Literary Devices
