Praise of Folly, the most popular and lively of all Erasmus's satirical works, is a cheerful pamphlet against what he perceived as the ills of humanity: superstition, fanaticism, ignorance, the violence of the world and power, and false and grotesque science.

Written at the beginning of the 16th century, it delivers a fatal blow to old ideas and concepts, in a world shaken by the winds of the Renaissance.

Praise of Folly starts with a satirical aspect and then takes on a darker tone, in a series of orations. Since folly appreciates self-deprecation, it proceeds to a satirical appreciation of the superstitious abuses of Catholic doctrine and the alleged corrupt practices of the Roman Catholic Church.

The essay concludes with a clear and sometimes moving testament to Christian ideals.