Summary
Folie: FOLly and the feminine in the RenaissancE
A woman rhetor, vituperating society’s vices and errors, destined to be misunderstood, self-ironic and suave, then harsh and
moralizing, at last ecstatic and preaching: Erasmus’ Folly is an imposing figure, who has interrogated scholars for centuries with her
unfathomable speech, presented as a joke but of a momentous relevance. The orator’s gender, which has received very little
attention by scientific literature, is, instead, crucial in answering from a new perspective the construction of the feminine in Christian
literature and theology and revealing a possible expressive outlet and role for women writers and theologians. The fool’s mask, as
donned by Erasmus’ protagonist and by many actual female writers of the Renaissance, is at the same time revelation and refuge,
epiphany and hiding place; a symbol, in its insignificance and ridicule, of the very same scandal of the Christian religion, in Pauline
terms.
My project will therefore study how Erasmus and other key figures of the Renaissance- influenced by Erasmus' writings and located in the
same theological tradition, such as Marguerite of Navarre, Louise Labé, and others- used the mask of the fool as a tool to express and reveal
truths, such as the scandalous announcement of the Gospel, and to allow women’s expression. This approach will redefine the
construction of the “feminine” in Renaissance Europe, focusing on the French-Italian context, by reflecting on the revelatory, positive
value of “folly”, intended theologically as the language of simple, scandalous truths. My project will thus contribute to the
definition of the representation and self-representation of the feminine in the Renaissance and, through the permanence in the USA and the according supervision, I will be able to present an innovative and much-needed profile of expert.
A woman rhetor, vituperating society’s vices and errors, destined to be misunderstood, self-ironic and suave, then harsh and
moralizing, at last ecstatic and preaching: Erasmus’ Folly is an imposing figure, who has interrogated scholars for centuries with her
unfathomable speech, presented as a joke but of a momentous relevance. The orator’s gender, which has received very little
attention by scientific literature, is, instead, crucial in answering from a new perspective the construction of the feminine in Christian
literature and theology and revealing a possible expressive outlet and role for women writers and theologians. The fool’s mask, as
donned by Erasmus’ protagonist and by many actual female writers of the Renaissance, is at the same time revelation and refuge,
epiphany and hiding place; a symbol, in its insignificance and ridicule, of the very same scandal of the Christian religion, in Pauline
terms.
My project will therefore study how Erasmus and other key figures of the Renaissance- influenced by Erasmus' writings and located in the
same theological tradition, such as Marguerite of Navarre, Louise Labé, and others- used the mask of the fool as a tool to express and reveal
truths, such as the scandalous announcement of the Gospel, and to allow women’s expression. This approach will redefine the
construction of the “feminine” in Renaissance Europe, focusing on the French-Italian context, by reflecting on the revelatory, positive
value of “folly”, intended theologically as the language of simple, scandalous truths. My project will thus contribute to the
definition of the representation and self-representation of the feminine in the Renaissance and, through the permanence in the USA and the according supervision, I will be able to present an innovative and much-needed profile of expert.
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More information & hyperlinks
| Web resources: | https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101105789 |
| Start date: | 01-05-2023 |
| End date: | 30-04-2026 |
| Total budget - Public funding: | - 265 099,00 Euro |
Cordis data
Original description
Folie: FOLly and the feminine in the RenaissancEA woman rhetor, vituperating society’s vices and errors, destined to be misunderstood, self-ironic and suave, then harsh and
moralizing, at last ecstatic and preaching: Erasmus’ Folly is an imposing figure, who has interrogated scholars for centuries with her
unfathomable speech, presented as a joke but of a momentous relevance. The orator’s gender, which has received very little
attention by scientific literature, is, instead, crucial in answering from a new perspective the construction of the feminine in Christian
literature and theology and revealing a possible expressive outlet and role for women writers and theologians. The fool’s mask, as
donned by Erasmus’ protagonist and by many actual female writers of the Renaissance, is at the same time revelation and refuge,
epiphany and hiding place; a symbol, in its insignificance and ridicule, of the very same scandal of the Christian religion, in Pauline
terms.
My project will therefore study how Erasmus and other key figures of the Renaissance- influenced by Erasmus' writings and located in the
same theological tradition, such as Marguerite of Navarre, Louise Labé, and others- used the mask of the fool as a tool to express and reveal
truths, such as the scandalous announcement of the Gospel, and to allow women’s expression. This approach will redefine the
construction of the “feminine” in Renaissance Europe, focusing on the French-Italian context, by reflecting on the revelatory, positive
value of “folly”, intended theologically as the language of simple, scandalous truths. My project will thus contribute to the
definition of the representation and self-representation of the feminine in the Renaissance and, through the permanence in the USA and the according supervision, I will be able to present an innovative and much-needed profile of expert.
Status
SIGNEDCall topic
HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01-01Update Date
31-07-2023
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