RT Article
T1 The Praise of Folly and the Limits of Satiric Licence
JF Erasmus studies
VO 39
IS 2
SP 217
OP 241
A1 Blumberg, F. L.
LA English
PB Brill
YR 2019
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1685634052
AB  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.
K1 Juvenal
K1 The Praise of Folly
K1 biting
K1 Genre
K1 mordax
K1 Reception
K1 Satire
K1 Translation
DO 10.1163/18749275-03902001