Rewriting Contractual Ideas of Marriage: Abelard and Heloise, Pioneers of Courtly Love
The union of people in marriage has slowly evolved into the institution we recognize today. Many modern ideas of marriage derive from religious traditions that reinforce patriarchal views through their practices. Author Ruth Mazo Karras's book, Sexuality in Medieval Europe, analyses literature to decipher societies in the Middle Ages. She portrays discriminatory attitudes surrounding marriage in medieval society, in which women "were subordinated by legal enactments as well as by church teaching" (86), and "the man was the head of the household and the woman should obey him" (85). Christianity's power over its communities solidified as "church succeeded …show more content…
In the beginning of Historia Calamitatum, Abelard describes himself to be, "carried away by my love of learning that I renounced the glory of a military life" (3), emphasizing his main love towards education and non-violent disposition. His description of Heloise reinforces his love for learning by disregarding her low ranking looks for admiration of her supreme skills in learning and social status, (10). His views may seem insensitive but they were in accordance with those of medieval Europe. Through their teacher pupil relationship Abelard admits having being physically violent towards Heloise with permission from her brutal uncle, Fulbert. Abelard even says, "to avert suspicion I sometimes struck her, but these blows were prompted by love and tender feeling rather than anger and irritation, and were sweeter than any balm could be. In short, our desires left no stage of lovemaking untried" (11). His admission to strike Heloise to avert suspicion does not fit his non-violent disposition, but trying all types of lovemaking and introducing blows as a method of learning to love differently are indeed Abelard’s personality. Through his desire of learning he submerged himself into the subject of love for the first time, a subject he studied, "nights... sleepless with lovemaking" (11). Abelard opens a door away from the social …show more content…
Karras discloses that Heloise’s uncle, Fulbert, was “a canon in twelfth-century paris” (139), which explains his adherence to have retributions from Abelard’s adultery. Abelard’s first letter mentions the instructions given by Fulbert, “he gave me complete charge over the girl… if I found her idle I was to punish her severely” (10), and describes Fulbert’s strict attitudes towards Heloise. In attempts to appease Fulbert’s rage and make amends for his criminal actions, Abelard offers to marry Heloise in an agreement between him and Fulbert (13), without Heloise’s consent. Fulbert’s aggressive personality traits are obvious by his vindication for the transgression brought on to him. Abelard, the transgressor, writes “on his return her uncle went almost out of his mind - one could appreciate only by experience his transports of grief and mortification… he would not hesitate to assault me if he had the courage or the means” (12), further attesting Fulbert’s malicious characteristics. Canon law of the dark ages treated marriage as a legal contract in which women were passed on as property from father or caregiver onto a husband. Heloise gives insight to her personal convictions of marriage when she describes, “the name of wife may seem more sacred or more binding, but sweeter for me will always
The union of people in marriage has slowly evolved into the institution we recognize today. Many modern ideas of marriage derive from religious traditions that reinforce patriarchal views through their practices. Author Ruth Mazo Karras's book, Sexuality in Medieval Europe, analyses literature to decipher societies in the Middle Ages. She portrays discriminatory attitudes surrounding marriage in medieval society, in which women "were subordinated by legal enactments as well as by church teaching" (86), and "the man was the head of the household and the woman should obey him" (85). Christianity's power over its communities solidified as "church succeeded …show more content…
In the beginning of Historia Calamitatum, Abelard describes himself to be, "carried away by my love of learning that I renounced the glory of a military life" (3), emphasizing his main love towards education and non-violent disposition. His description of Heloise reinforces his love for learning by disregarding her low ranking looks for admiration of her supreme skills in learning and social status, (10). His views may seem insensitive but they were in accordance with those of medieval Europe. Through their teacher pupil relationship Abelard admits having being physically violent towards Heloise with permission from her brutal uncle, Fulbert. Abelard even says, "to avert suspicion I sometimes struck her, but these blows were prompted by love and tender feeling rather than anger and irritation, and were sweeter than any balm could be. In short, our desires left no stage of lovemaking untried" (11). His admission to strike Heloise to avert suspicion does not fit his non-violent disposition, but trying all types of lovemaking and introducing blows as a method of learning to love differently are indeed Abelard’s personality. Through his desire of learning he submerged himself into the subject of love for the first time, a subject he studied, "nights... sleepless with lovemaking" (11). Abelard opens a door away from the social …show more content…
Karras discloses that Heloise’s uncle, Fulbert, was “a canon in twelfth-century paris” (139), which explains his adherence to have retributions from Abelard’s adultery. Abelard’s first letter mentions the instructions given by Fulbert, “he gave me complete charge over the girl… if I found her idle I was to punish her severely” (10), and describes Fulbert’s strict attitudes towards Heloise. In attempts to appease Fulbert’s rage and make amends for his criminal actions, Abelard offers to marry Heloise in an agreement between him and Fulbert (13), without Heloise’s consent. Fulbert’s aggressive personality traits are obvious by his vindication for the transgression brought on to him. Abelard, the transgressor, writes “on his return her uncle went almost out of his mind - one could appreciate only by experience his transports of grief and mortification… he would not hesitate to assault me if he had the courage or the means” (12), further attesting Fulbert’s malicious characteristics. Canon law of the dark ages treated marriage as a legal contract in which women were passed on as property from father or caregiver onto a husband. Heloise gives insight to her personal convictions of marriage when she describes, “the name of wife may seem more sacred or more binding, but sweeter for me will always