The humanist who wrote The Praise of Folly is Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, a Dutch Renaissance Christian humanist and scholar.

Quick Scoop

Who was this humanist?

  • Name: Desiderius Erasmus (often just “Erasmus”).
  • Lived: Late 15th–early 16th century (Renaissance period).
  • Background: Dutch Christian humanist , theologian, and classical scholar known for his critical editions of the New Testament and his sharp social commentary.

About The Praise of Folly

  • Original title: Moriae Encomium (Latin for “In Praise of Folly”), also a pun on his friend Thomas More’s name.
  • Written: 1509, during a stay with Thomas More in England.
  • Nature of the work: A satirical mock-encomium where the character “Folly” gives a playful speech praising herself, exposing the absurdities and vanities of human life, especially among scholars, churchmen, and rulers.
  • First printed: 1511.

Why it matters now

  • It’s still discussed in humanities courses , book forums, and blogs as a classic of Renaissance humanism and religious satire.
  • Modern readers see it as an early critique of corruption and empty ritual, relevant to ongoing debates about institutions, hypocrisy, and “performative” wisdom.

TL;DR: The “humanist who wrote The Praise of Folly ” is Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch Renaissance Christian humanist whose witty 1509 satire remains a staple of humanist thought and literary study today.

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