Research Paper on:
Heloise and Peter Abelard Letters

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
for modern empiricism, and has been called the "first modern thinker" (Chronicles...Gans). Heloise (1101-1164) was 22 years his junior, and she was also an unusually well-educated woman for that day  and age. The correspondence that connected these two separate lovers provides the modern student with a great deal about women in the medieval periods, what options were open to an  intelligent women, such as Heloise, and how such a woman related to her equally intelligent, though absent, husband. The student researching this topic is undoubtedly aware of the  love story of Abelard and Heloise. Briefly, Abelard was attracted to Heloise, and used his reputation to persuade her uncle to allow him to tutor her. With this  access to Heloise, he soon seduced her and they became passionate lovers. Heloise became pregnant, and birth to their son, Astrolabe. Abelard persuaded Heloise to marry him, but he kept  the marriage a secret, sending Helosie off to a convent, because it was about the time when a church career was becoming incompatible with marriage (Chronicles...Gans). Heloises uncle took this  move as a disgrace to the good name of his niece, who had already born Abelard a child. He took a vicious revenge by having his men sneak into Abelards  quarters and castrate him (Chronicles...Gans). Abelard removed himself from society, to a certain extent, by becoming a monk, and - at his insistence - Heloise became a nun. The letters  begin years after all of this has occurred, but the pain of separation is still very clear in Heloises letters (Chronicles...Gans). In her letters, it is clear that Heloise  treats Abelard as her superior, in intellect, learning and years. Nevertheless, the regard and esteem appears to have been mutual, as Abelards letters indicate that he greatly respects Heloises ability