The Letters Of Abelard And Heloise

The interplay between secular and religious education is another prominent theme in this work, and it influences the careers of both Abelard and Heloise. In 12th-century France, all education was in some way overseen by the Catholic Church, but cathedral schools began to rival monastic schools as places of learning. This was a part of “the intellectual ferment of the early twelfth century and the revolution in teaching,” and both Abelard and Heloise participated in and contributed to this ferment (xiv). Heloise was schooled privately and in a convent; Abelard wandered throughout France seeking out famed teachers. This was before both took religious vows and turned to theology.

Even as abbess, Heloise displays in her letters her classical as well as her religious knowledge, and she provides examples from Cicero with the same ease that she provides examples from Scripture and the writings of St. Jerome. In Abelard’s case, it was precisely his background in the secular arts, particularly logic, which led to accusations of and condemnation for heresy. Abelard believed that theology could and should be tackled through logic and made as intelligible as possible. He believed strongly in developing a deep understanding of religious texts before one could preach them to others. He seems to have thought that this education should not be confined to high religious authorities. In his mind, he was doing a service to the faith, and he remained deeply devoted to the Catholic Church. We have nothing to suggest that he recanted, and his letters are full of lamentations over the fact that he was targeted by his intellectual inferiors out of envy and ignorance.

What emerges is clear tension in this time period between higher education composed of the seven liberal arts and the intellectual freedom of the cathedral schools, which would develop into universities, and the traditional instruction of the monastic schools. Abelard was a champion of the first, whereas St. Bernard was a champion of the second, and this contributed to some of the tension between the two.

Throughout his letters, Abelard extols the supreme virtue of continence and abhors sinful lust. His strong feelings on the subject go beyond the Christian belief that lust is sinful and are deeply connected to his torrid love affair with Heloise. In his first letter, Abelard makes it plain that he was controlled by lust when he seduced Heloise. He admits that he got entirely carried away and so wrapped up in sexual love that he began to neglect his studies, his teaching, and his reputation. On one hand, he blames his lust and what came of it for his castration, but he is also grateful that castration solved the problem of his lust. He writes that, no longer plagued by lust, he is able to wholly devote himself to God and to his studies. He sees his castration as an act of divine mercy and rescue by God.

Heloise has a different relationship with lust. In her letters, she admits that she greatly enjoyed the love she and Abelard shared. In fact, this is her primary problem, as she is consistently plagued by thoughts of it. Though she is adamant that what she felt for Abelard was love, not simply lust, it is clear from her writing that she remained sexually frustrated and that this was troubling her greatly as a holy woman. She felt like an outwardly-pious hypocrite who was internally greatly troubled and sinful. We do not know from her letters whether she ever managed to resolve this issue, but we do know that she intended to try and control her thoughts.

Unlike Abelard, Heloise did not lose her sexual potency, but Abelard tells her that this is a blessing in its own right, because she has the goal of continence to continually strive towards. Despite the fact that he sees his castration as an act of divine mercy, he admits that it takes lust out of the equation, meaning that he has nothing left to strive for in that regard.