The Letters of Abelard and Heloise, Peter Abelard and Heloise
The Letters of Abelard and Heloise, Peter Abelard and Heloise
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The Letters of Abelard and Heloise

Author: Peter Abelard and Heloise

Narrator: Gunnar Cauthery

Unabridged: 9 hr 10 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Naxos

Published: 04/13/2018


Synopsis

The Letters of Abelard and Heloise is one of the most extraordinary correspondences in European history. Written in the 12th century, the letters document the love affair between Peter Abelard, a revolutionary philosopher and biblical scholar, and his beautiful and precocious student, Heloise. Eviscerated by his religious opponents and castrated by Heloise’s family, Abelard is haunted by ill fortune, and the star-crossed lovers are forced into separate lives, as monk and nun respectively, with letters being their only form of communication. What unfolds is tragic and heartbreaking, but also fascinating. The letters gave rise to compelling philosophical, theological and sociological discussions, and they provide a window into the medieval mind as the everyday lives of the two lovers are laid bare through their passionate discourse.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Justin

Despite my interest in the middle ages, I avoided H&A for a long time. I was under the impression that it was all moaning about love and so on; but no! These letters are actually fascinating. Two incredibly intelligent people, neither of whom I'd want to spend too much time with, write to each other......more

Goodreads review by Heidi

I hate Abelard, all his self-congratualtory narcissistic bemoaning of his persecution, his admission that he beat and raped Heloise, his vastly younger pupil, until she slept with him willingly, his intellectual arrogance, his cruelty and refusal to take responsibility for his own words or actions. A......more