Week 5 Letters of Abelard and Heloise

General theme: conflicts between
                          1) clerical culture and lay culture
                          2) social roles and individual desires, passion

Abelard’s career:
Academic setting of Paris, intellectual milieu of debate, scholarship
                 How does he get along with other scholars?

History of My Calamaties:  why is he writing this, and to whom?

What is the sequence of events in his affair with Heloise?
How does Abelard describe his motives and attraction to Heloise?
What is the motivation of Heloise’s uncle?

What image of women and of Heloise does Abelard present?

Heloise:
What is Heloise’s view of their affair and of her motivation?
Why is she opposed to marrying Abelard?
Does she feel guilty about the affair?
What happened to their son?

Overall question:
How do Abelard’s and Heloise’s views of their affair differ?
Which is more surprising?