Erasmus Montanus
Encyclopedia
Erasmus Montanus is a satirical play about academic
conceit in rural Norway, written by Ludvig Holberg
in 1722. The script was first published in 1723 and performed in 1747.
, and when he returns, he speaks Latin to his parents, and Latinises his name as Erasmus Montanus. He wants to "dispute", and goes on to "prove" a number of absurdities, such as that his mother is a rock. He is contrasted to his brother Jacob who is only interested in knowledge which of practical application.
His persistent arguing gets him into trouble with the parents of his fiancée Lisbed, who refuses the marriage until he stops claiming that the Earth is round
. His fiancée begs him to retract his statements that the Earth revolves around the sun, but he refuses. After a village plot tricks him to enlist for military service and leave the city, he reconsiders and makes the retractions, allowing him to marry Lisbed.
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
conceit in rural Norway, written by Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian double monarchy, who spent most of his adult life in Denmark. He was influenced by Humanism, the Enlightenment and the Baroque...
in 1722. The script was first published in 1723 and performed in 1747.
Plot summary
Danish farmer's son Rasmus Berg has been given a costly education in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, and when he returns, he speaks Latin to his parents, and Latinises his name as Erasmus Montanus. He wants to "dispute", and goes on to "prove" a number of absurdities, such as that his mother is a rock. He is contrasted to his brother Jacob who is only interested in knowledge which of practical application.
His persistent arguing gets him into trouble with the parents of his fiancée Lisbed, who refuses the marriage until he stops claiming that the Earth is round
Spherical Earth
The concept of a spherical Earth dates back to ancient Greek philosophy from around the 6th century BC, but remained a matter of philosophical speculation until the 3rd century BC when Hellenistic astronomy established the spherical shape of the earth as a physical given...
. His fiancée begs him to retract his statements that the Earth revolves around the sun, but he refuses. After a village plot tricks him to enlist for military service and leave the city, he reconsiders and makes the retractions, allowing him to marry Lisbed.