In Praise of Folly

Considered one of the most important works of literature in Western Civilization, Desiderius Erasmus's essay In Praise of Folly is a classic satirical work in the style of the ancients, in which the Goddess of Folly extols the virtues of frivolousness and indulgence of one's passions and then turns to a satirical examination of Christian piousness. In a humorously satirical way, the work examines the abuses of power of the Roman Catholic Church at the time and is seen as one of the major catalysts for the Protestant Reformation. In Praise of Folly remains, in the words of the great Dutch historian John Huizinga, "a masterpiece of humor and wise irony ... something that no one else could have given to the world."