Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Here is yet another portrait of Erasmus, this one a woodcut by Albrecht Durer. I'm going to give you some things to think about from the textbook, and then post the presenter and homework questions.
- What was the importance of Italy to intellectuals from north of the Alps through the medieval and Renaissance periods?
- What was the effect of the printing press? Was it sudden or more gradual?
- What kinds of improvements did Erasmus seek to make in educating the young?
- philosophia Christi
- What was Erasmus's attitude toward war?
- Thomas More's Utopia
- Juan Luis Vives
Presenter and Homework Questions:
- In his dedicatory letter to Thomas More, Erasmus points out that jokes are frequently a better way to get one's point across than logical argument. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Do you think there is a serious message underlying the part of Folly you've read so far? In answering this question, try to unpack the allegory surrounding Folly's birth and heritage; i.e., the meaning of the mythological figures that are associated with her.
- In praising herself, Folly puts in a good word or two for drunkenness and lust. She also manages to define the female of our species as a creature that is totally foolish. First, give a sense of the substance of the argument, and then, try to evaluate what Erasmus's message might be. Do you think his manner of speaking is potentially dangerous because of the inevitability of misreadings?
Laurel Carrington carringt@stolaf.edu
Most recent update: January 24, 2008
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