Folly (allegory)

Folly (Latin: Moria) was a common allegorical figure in medieval morality plays and in allegorical artwork through the Renaissance. The depiction is generally of a young man, often similar in appearance to a jester or the tarot card, The Fool.^[1] In contrast to the many obvious classical allusions in such works, the depictions owe little to the Greek goddess Atë.

A standard medieval allegory of Folly, painted by Giotto.

In drama, the character tempts the protagonist into foolish action, successfully or not. In an allegorical painting, the figure may be counterpoised to Prudence, representing a choice, or alone, representing the unwisdom of the actors in the painting.

Notes

1. ↑ Mackay, Constance D'Arcy (1915). Costumes and Scenery for Amateurs. Henry Holt and Company. p. 197. 

References

ed. A.W. Ward, A.R. Waller, W.P. Trent, J. Erskine, S.P. Sherman, and C. Van Doren. "Sir David Lyndsay". The Cambridge history of English and American literature: An encyclopedia in eighteen volumes III. 

See also

• In Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus.
• Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time, allegorical painting by Agnolo Bronzino
• "The Fool’s Pedagogy: Jesting for Liminal Learning", essay by Timothy McDonough

Morality plays of the Tudor period Interludes The Castle of Perseverance Mankind Everyman The World and the Child Interlude of Youth The Disobedient Child Liberality and Prodigality Horestes The Seven Deadly Sins The Play of the Weather Related works Medieval theatre Psychomachia Autos sacramentales Ordo Virtutum Elckerlijc A Satire of the Three Estates A Looking Glass for London Four Plays in One Pathomachia The Sun's Darling Characters Vice Folly Death Personification