Praise Of Folly

Erasmus fills his text with references to classical Greco-Roman literature and mythology with which most modern readers will not be familiar. In your opinion, does this weaken the book’s effectiveness for present-day readers? Why or why not?

Folly refers in a few places to her “friend Erasmus.” Do you think that Folly always speaks for Erasmus’ own views?

Erasmus states in his “Letter to Maarten Van Dorp” that he refrained from attacking individuals in his book. Does the lack of specifics and the recourse to generalities make the satire more or less effective, in your view?