Erasmus' "Shipwreck"

Theology in Comedy: A Response to “The Shipwreck”

by Jeremy Weaver '24

Comedy is not generally associated with theology. It appears to be light-hearted and fun, using words or actions to fetch a laugh from the audience. Nevertheless, Erasmus in “The Shipwreck” utilizes comedy as a means to emphasize serious points about religion. Though presented as a jest, the author challenges the reader to think about the problems displayed in the story. The scene is a ship on the verge of sinking amid a debilitating storm. The passengers and crew prepare for the cold waves of the sea and perhaps their death. The reality of death looms at the forefront of everyone's mind; yet, their actions reveal their hearts' actual religious state. Erasmus employs comedy as a means to challenge the reader on the actual religious state of his heart.

One of the first examples is the threat of materialism. A passenger who assisted as a deputy general to Scotland's King had acquired a chest brimmed with valuable treasures. In the perils of the storm, the crew threw over all cargo to not burden the ship with extraneous weight. The passenger refused to part with his chest, desiring to either perish or survive with his treasure. In the end, the crew coerced him into relinquishing the chest. The passenger failed to realize that greediness depreciates the value of life. Instead of surrender, he would rather cling to the object that might hasten his death. Is this not yet true in the context of our spiritual lives? In reading “The Shipwreck,” we may laugh at the passenger and call him a fool, yet the same problem persists today in our spiritual lives. We must investigate the threat of materialism. Are we giving value to extraneous weight such as earthly valuables or selfish desires and thus complementing the decline in our life's value?

While one passenger reacted to the possibility of death with greediness, others acted with desperation, viewing religion as a commodity, meaning religion was used as needed. Many of the passengers and crew turned to vows to enlist the saint’s help in abating the storm or at least saving their lives. Many vows were made to several saints, but most notable was a man who promised “a wax taper as big as himself to the Christopher in the tallest church in Paris.”[1] When warned that he could not afford such a vow, the man replied that he had no intention of fulfilling the vow if saved. This irreverence shows that religion was a tool for hard times, used in situations beyond one’s control. It is as one of the characters states, “How devout men are made by suffering! In prosperity the thought of God or saint never enters their heads.”[2] While we may sneer at the idiotic response of that man who had no intention of fulfilling his vow, the author calls upon us to investigate our own lives. Are we invested in our spiritual journey, or is God a tool for hard times?

While some passengers used vows to invoke the aid of the saints, others prayed directly to the saints. Various saints, for various reasons, were called upon for aid in the many oratory prayers offered. One priest was called foolish for chucking his sacred cowl, for fear that the saints would no longer recognize him. Nonetheless, most notable is the character who refused to pray to the saints but prayed directly to the Father. This act was a shock-filled terror because no one in their sinful humanness addressed the Father directly. For a sinful human to beseech the holy Father was an act fraught with fear. However, the reason given for such boldness was twofold. First, the man believed that saints were not speedy enough for the storm. By the time the saint heard the prayer and defended the cause before the Father, the man thought he might already be dead. Secondly, the man viewed the Father as a father who would save his children from a precarious situation and not angrily leave them to their death. Here we are called to question what our view of the Father is. Do we view Him as a loving Father, or is He a just judge?

It is relatively easy to judge others. The reader may judge each of the characters for their response to death. Why were some greedy? Why did others bargain for salvation from the storm? Why were some concerned about calling just the right saint? Could they not see that it was futile? It is easy to judge others for their reactions, but now is the time to investigate one’s reaction. While the reader may laugh, he is the one called to investigate his own heart in case of a shipwreck.

[1] Erasmus, “The Shipwreck,” 7.

[2] Ibid.