Interesting how pleasures in life are labeled as evil/bad. Why does piety = non-pleasures and serving of an abstract idea (God)? Why is there not the view that embodied pleasures are a gift from God to rejoice in? This negative view of bodily pleasures seem to have carried forward into the 20th century in our 'war' against drugs and in some religious circles, the 'war' against sexual pleasure. Abelard appears to blame his libido as the source of all his troubles. Given his misfortunes, one can see why he had this view although I am not convinced that this was a rationale thought. Brilliant as he was, he did not seem to blame his downfall partly on his own arrogance.
"Since the beginning of the human race women had brought the noblest men to ruin" (13).
A very patriarchal thought. Even the relationship between Abelard and Heloise is very patriarchal. Abelard boasts of his conquest of Heloise. He beats her as part of his 'front' of merely being Heloise's teacher in front of her uncle, Fulbert. He later admits that he did not love her but lusted after her. In his letters, he alluded to the rape of Heloise on more than one occasion by violent force. Is this really a love story then? Or was this an abusive relationship with Heloise under the illusion that she was in love?
In the case of Heloise, she was a beautiful, intelligent young woman with libido. Jilted of her lover physically, mentally and sexually, she lives a religious life that she had no heart or desire for. She appears to be bitter about being jilted and 'forced' into a life she did not wish for. Interesting that she criticizes her piety as viewed by others and notes her own hypocrisy as a 'pious' woman and that she criticizes the role of marriage as a sham to socially control human sexuality yet she does not question in particular the patriarchal nature of her treatment, of women's treatment in society. She appeared to accept her 'natural' subordinate to Abelard despite his confession that he merely lusted after her.
II cannot help but feel sorry for Abelard, a seemingly broken man. Despite his initial inflated ego, he did not deserve the tragedies that befell him. Perhaps his piousness and simple monastic lifestyle was a way for him to reconcile the horrors he experienced. I am not convinced that he was atoning for his sins.. although it could be interpreted as such, rather, I saw an intelligent but mentally broken man who was doing was he needed for survival.
Despite his high intelligence, it was his perceived heresy and/or lack of faith that landed him many of the subsequent woes after the cruel castration inflicted on him. To lead a simple, monastic and pious life might alleviate some of these accusations, thus lessening his enemies and the dangers in his life and may have allowed him to attempt to his best ability make peace with his 'perpetual hell on earth' by various enemies.
On a more positive note, I appreciate Abelard's idea of understanding and intent in action and not just reading without understanding or action without heart (205, 209). Somewhat Mencian.
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