The Praise of Folly and the Limits of Satiric Licence
In this essay, I reconsider the proposition that Erasmus' The Praise of Folly is a satire—an attribution of genre that has long been treated as a truism. I argue that greater attention to several key sources can adjust our understanding of both the text and its kind. The article examines the e...
| Published in: | Erasmus studies |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
[2019]
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| In: |
Erasmus studies
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| IxTheo Classification: | CD Christianity and Culture KAG Church history 1500-1648; Reformation; humanism; Renaissance |
| Further subjects: | B
Translation
B The Praise of Folly B Satire B mordax B Reception B Genre B Juvenal B biting |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | In this essay, I reconsider the proposition that Erasmus' The Praise of Folly is a satire—an attribution of genre that has long been treated as a truism. I argue that greater attention to several key sources can adjust our understanding of both the text and its kind. The article examines the early reception of Folly's speech; a pivotal passage in the text itself; crucial translation choices; and Erasmus' reflections on both his creation and the nature of satire. I investigate the idea of the Praise as a satire not to quibble about generic designations but to bring into relief Erasmus' contribution to questions of creative licence during the Renaissance; in particular, the permissible scope of social critique, or how to approach the darker side of epideixis. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Erasmus studies
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/18749275-03902001 |