The letters of Abelard, a monk, and his student Heloise (about 1101-1164), who later became a...

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The letters of Abelard, a monk, and his student Heloise (about 1101-1164), who later became a nun, are still read because they offer glimpses into the hearts of lovers whose devotion transcends any historical period or social con- text. In this letter, Heloise writes to Abelard after they have been forced to separate. His scholarly reputation has been tainted, and, for his transgression, Abelard has been cas- trated by men in the hire of Fulbert, Heloise's uncle and protector. You know, beloved, as the whole world knows, how much I have lost in you, how at one wretched stroke of fortune that supreme act of flagrant treachery robbed me of my very self in robbing me of you, and how my sorrow for my loss is nothing compared with what I feel for the manner in which I lost you. Surely the greater the cause for grief the greater the need for the help of consolation, and this no one can bring but you; you are the sole cause of my sorrow, and you alone God knows can grant me the grace of consolation.. I never sought anything in you except yourself; 1 wanted simply you, nothing of yours. I looked for no marriage-bond, no marriage portion, and it was not my own pleasures and wishes I sought to gratify, as you well know, but yours. The name of wife may seem more sacred or more binding, but sweeter for me will always be the word mistress, or, if you will permit me, that of concubine or whore. I believed that the more I humbled myself on your account, the more gratitude I would win from you, and also the less damage I should do to the brightness of your reputation. Interpreting This Slice of Life 1. What are the relationships among Abelard, Helo- ise, and Fulbert? 2. What is the treachery to which Heloise refers in her letter? 3. In what ways does Heloise think Abelard can con- sole her? 4. How does Heloise describe her love and relationship to Abelard? 5. Why do we still read their correspondence and love letters? 6. Does this letter have a modern tone and message? Why or why not? The letters of Abelard, a monk, and his student Heloise (about 1101-1164), who later became a nun, are still read because they offer glimpses into the hearts of lovers whose devotion transcends any historical period or social con- text. In this letter, Heloise writes to Abelard after they have been forced to separate. His scholarly reputation has been tainted, and, for his transgression, Abelard has been cas- trated by men in the hire of Fulbert, Heloise's uncle and protector. You know, beloved, as the whole world knows, how much I have lost in you, how at one wretched stroke of fortune that supreme act of flagrant treachery robbed me of my very self in robbing me of you, and how my sorrow for my loss is nothing compared with what I feel for the manner in which I lost you. Surely the greater the cause for grief the greater the need for the help of consolation, and this no one can bring but you; you are the sole cause of my sorrow, and you alone God knows can grant me the grace of consolation.. I never sought anything in you except yourself; 1 wanted simply you, nothing of yours. I looked for no marriage-bond, no marriage portion, and it was not my own pleasures and wishes I sought to gratify, as you well know, but yours. The name of wife may seem more sacred or more binding, but sweeter for me will always be the word mistress, or, if you will permit me, that of concubine or whore. I believed that the more I humbled myself on your account, the more gratitude I would win from you, and also the less damage I should do to the brightness of your reputation. Interpreting This Slice of Life 1. What are the relationships among Abelard, Helo- ise, and Fulbert? 2. What is the treachery to which Heloise refers in her letter? 3. In what ways does Heloise think Abelard can con- sole her? 4. How does Heloise describe her love and relationship to Abelard? 5. Why do we still read their correspondence and love letters? 6. Does this letter have a modern tone and message? Why or why not?