While Heloise is living with her uncle, a Canon of the church, she becomes the pupil of the well renowned Notre Dame teacher, Abelard, who is 20 years her senior. Abelard is described by others as arrogant, self centered and hard to get along with. Canon Fulbert is intent on finding a good match for Heloise along with a substantial dowry, but he invites Abelard to lodge in their home. A romance between teacher and pupil results in a pregnancy. This where I wonder about the love between the two and whether it is one sided on Heloise's part, as Abelard wants to marry in secret to avoid damaging his reputation and takes Heloise to his sister where their child is born. The uncle is furious and engages a group of thugs to castrate Abelard. Rather than let Heloise go on to bring up their child and perhaps remarry, because of the scandal Abelard decides that he should become a monk, but also selfishly persuades Heloise to join a convent. In fact he waits until she has taken "the veil" before he commits his life to Christ. There isn't much known about what happened to their child except that he was left with Abelard's sister. Even though Heloise and Abelard are eventually buried together they came into little contact during the years and when he writes a soulful letter to a friend Heloise is hurt when she finds a copy that has been circulating where he talks of all his sorrows. Apparently letters were often copied by hand and passed on to others.
Part of a Letter from Heloise to Abelard:
You know, beloved - indeed, the whole world knows - all that I have lost in you, you know how lamentably you and I were together snatched from the world by the infamous act of betrayal which was inflicted on you; you know, too, that the manner in which I lost you was a far greater source of sorrow to me than the plain fact of losing you. . . I have blindly carried out all your wishes. Powerless to resist you in any way, I did not shrink from abandoning myself when asked to do so. . . . At your bidding I assume a new habit, and a new heart to match, as a way of showing you that you were undisputed master of my heart as well as of my body. . . . it was you alone I loved.
Tell me, if you can, why after the two of us embraced the religious life - a decision which was yours alone - I had neither your presence to fortify me . . . it was lust rather than true feeling that bound you to me, sensuality rather than love - which is why, as soon as your desires were extinguished, all the outward displays which they used to inspire vanished too.
She goes on to say that this is not just her opinion but a common belief. She asks if his presence be denied to her could he at least send a letter with soft words.
Dr. Greg Salyer gives a detailed review of the letters below.
Stealing Heaven is both a fictional book and movie about Heloise and Abelard (note: there is quite a bit of full nudity)
