Essay on Abelard and Heloise - 836 Words

Jeff HIST 101 11/11/13 Gender As Seen in Abelard and Heloise The gender views of European medieval society were largely built upon the views of Aristotle and others alike that degraded the status of women into a lower form of life, characterizing them as secondary to men. Many successive Christian intellects such as St. Augustine also contributed to establishing the idea of misogyny in the medieval views toward the female sexuality, which helped to create the gender stereotype that severely separated the role of men and women. One possible explanation for which created gender inequality in the society may be attributed to medieval education that regarded the Bible and Aristotle as unquestionable authority, as well as the limited†¦show more content†¦Therefore, they were not so much different from conventional medieval men and women. Throughout the letters, Abelard and Heloise’s perspectives on gender roles were strictly based upon the traditional views on sexuality. For instance, in the egotistical mind of Abelard, women in the medieval society were viewed as a weaker sex who need help of the a stronger male since there were certainly things that â€Å"cannot be carried out by women†5. Moreover, Heloise, despite her being a woman, did not seem to be shocked at the idea that men are superior to women. Instead, she instinctively acknowledged the weaker nature of women indicated by her discussion of her abbey which she called â€Å"feminine†; she also described it as weak, frail, and needing a more careful attention6. Throughout the first four letters from Abelard and Heloise, they both held congruent views regarding masculinity and femininity, and this dichotomous way of looking at gender indeed did not deviate much from the conventional thinking of the medieval society. Abelard and Heloise’s perspectives over the gender role in the society were also found in their discussions on the men-women relationship. As suggested by their agreement on the gender views, their reasoning over the relationship of lovers seemed to go no further from the notion that women are predestined to be an obstacleShow MoreRelatedThe Letters Of Abelard And Heloise1047 Words   |  5 PagesIn the book The Letters of Abelard and Heloise, Abelard and Heloise’s relationship changes dramatically as seen in their love letters. At first, their relationship was very sexual based while they were together. I feel that the shift in their relationship happened when they became physically separated. As soon as the separation occurred, their relationship became a primarily chaste relationship. My goal in this paper is to demonstrate why I feel that Abelard and Heloise’s relationship changed fromRead MoreThe Letters of Abelard and Heloise1200 Words   |  5 PagesIn T he Letters of Abelard and Heloise, Abelard and Heloise’s faith and morals are justified solely by the Church and society. 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He holds these separate for â€Å"to will and to fulfill the will are not the same, so to sin and to perform the sin are not the same†(2-511-L). Just as there is a difference between someone who intended to push someoneRead MoreThe Influence Of Abelard s And Heloise s Views On Marriage, Religion, And Sexuality944 Words   |  4 Pagestwelfth century Europe had a considerable impact on marriage, religion, and sexuality. The first two figures were classic romantics who wrote love letters to each other and made love in the kitchens of convents. These two influential figures are Heloise and Abelard. This teacher and student love affair knew no bounds and it eventually led to a dismal chain of events, but led to various revelations. The third figure is a religious visionary who took a secret vow of chastity in her young age. This prominentRead MoreEssay about A Comparison of Cleopatra and Heloise994 Words   |  4 PagesSex, manipulation, selfishness, obsession, and dramatic interactions are all present in Antony and Cleopatra and The Letters of Abelard and Heloise. The roles of women in society and conceptions of femininit y in the eras of Cleopatra and Heloise were limited compared to todays standards. In Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra and The Letters of Abelard and Heloise, there are recurring images of women as well as conceptions that are unique to each text. In comparing and contrasting the parallelRead More Heloise Essay example659 Words   |  3 PagesHeloise Early in the 12th century, two people were developing a relationship that not only showed them the true meaning of having to suffer the difficulties of a relationship that got off on the wrong foot, but they also documented it for the rest of the world to follow.These two people were none other than the French philosopher and theologian Peter Abelard (1079-1142?), and his wife, Heloise. To understand Heloise, first we must learn about her husband.Peter Abelard was born in Le Pallet