A major theme in The Praise of Folly is the folly of rhetoric, or the art of persuasive speaking. While rhetoric itself is not inherently malevolent or corrupt, Erasmus, through the voice of Folly, demonstrates how rhetoric, with its aim to persuade audiences through the manipulation of language, is another way that humans engage with folly in their daily life. In her speech, Folly begins her examination of rhetoric by focusing on its dangers. She argues that people in positions of power employ rhetoric to further their own self-serving agendas, disregarding the welfare of those beneath them. She particularly focuses on individuals within the Church who wield influence. By recounting numerous sermons delivered by monks and preachers, Folly exposes the manipulative techniques they employ, such as altering their vocal tones, resorting to emotional outbursts, or delving into intricate theological discussions, all aimed at impressing their less educated audiences. Folly considers these tactics akin to tyranny, as they deceive the listeners into perceiving these orators as paragons of piety, despite their fraudulent intentions.
Ironically, however, Folly herself employs rhetoric extensively throughout the work, raising questions of hypocrisy. While she initially declares her intention to be an honest orator, she often falls short of that ideal, delving into pedantic theological digressions, employing flawed reasoning and false equivocations in her arguments, and using humor and emotion to sway her audience—in other words, her speech is rife with the very linguistic tricks she criticizes. Like many of the work’s ironies, however, this one serves a useful purpose. By making Folly's rhetoric so conspicuous in its employment, Erasmus offers readers the chance to critically examine the complexities and pitfalls of rhetoric. More importantly, however, his ironic use of rhetoric shows the extent to which folly influences most aspects of the human experience—even down to the language we employ to communicate with others.
Related Themes from Other Texts
Rhetoric ThemeTracker
Rhetoric Quotes in The Praise of Folly
Nothing is more puerile, certainly, than to treat serious matters triflingly; but nothing is more graceful than to handle light subjects in such a way that you seem to have been anything but trifling. The judgement of others upon me will be what it will be. Yet unless self-love deceives me badly, I have praised folly in a way that is not wholly foolish.
But aside from the fact that I refrain throughout from using names, I have in addition tempered my style that the judicious reader will easily perceive that my end is pleasure rather than censure.
And now you shall hear from me an extemporaneous speech, unlabored, but so much truer for all that. I should not want you to think it is made to show off my wit, as is done by the common run of orators.
For do you not see that the austere fellows who are buried in the study of philosophy, or condemned to difficult and wracking business, grow old even before they have been young–and this because by cares and continual hard driving of their brains they insensibly exhaust their spirits and dry up their radical moisture. On the contrary, my morons are as plump and sleek as the hogs of Acarnania (as the saying is), with complexions well cared for, never feeling the touch of old age; unless as rarely happens, they catch something by contagion from the wise—so true it is that the life of man is not destined to be happy.
In sum, no society, no union in life, could be either pleasant or lasting without me. A people does not for long tolerate its prince, or a master tolerate his servant, a handmaiden her mistress, a teacher his student, a friend his friend, a wife her husband, a landlord his tenant, a partner his partner, or a boarder his fellow-boarder, except as they mutually or by turns are mistaken, on occasion flatter, on occasion wisely wink, and otherwise soothe themselves with the sweetness of folly.
If something is to be bought, or a contract made, if in short, any of those things without which our daily life could not be carried on must be done, you will say that this wiseacre is no man, but dead wood. Thus he can be of little use to himself, his country, or his family, and all because he is inexpert in everyday matters, and far out of step with general ways of thinking and modes of life among the folk; by the same token he is bound to fall into odium, through the great diversity between his and their lives and minds. For what that passes among mortals everywhere is not full of folly, done by fools in the presence of fools?
As nothing is more foolish than wisdom out of place, so nothing is more imprudent than unseasonable prudence.
In general, they allow this much to folly, that many times what cannot be refuted by arguments can be parried by laughter. But you may think that exciting laughter by witty remarks, and this by a set method, does not belong to Folly.
If a prince really laid his own life alongside these symbols, I believe he would have the grace to be ashamed of his finery. He would be afraid some nosy satirist might turn the whole spectacle, suited as it is for high tragedy, into laughter and derision.
Were wisdom to descend upon them, how it would inconvenience them! Wisdom, did I say? Nay, even a grain of salt would do it–a grain of that salt which is spoken of by Christ. It would lose them all that wealth and honor, all those possessions, triumphal progresses, offices, dispensations, tributes, and indulgences; it would lose them so many horses, mules, and retainers; so many pleasures.
To work miracles is primitive and old-fashioned, hardly suited it our times; to instruct the people is irksome; to interpret the Holy Scripture is pedantry; to pray is otiose; to shed tears is distressing and womanish; to live in poverty is sordid; to be beaten in war is dishonorable and less than worthy of one who will hardly admit kings, however great, to kiss his foot, and finally, to die is unpleasant, to die on the cross a disgrace.
And yet through a cloud, or as in a dream, they know one thing, that they were happiest while they were out of their wits. So they are sorry to come to themselves again and would prefer, of all good things, nothing but to be mad always with this madness. And this is a tiny little taste of that future happiness.
