The Letters of Abelard and Heloise

by Peter Abelard, Héloïse, Betty Radice (Translator), Betty Radice (Introduction), Betty Radice (Noted by)

Overview

Through the letters between Abelard and Heloise, we follow the path of their 12th-century romance, from its reckless and ecstatic beginnings when Heloise became Abelard's pupil, through the suffering of public scandal and enforced secret marriage, to their eventual separation.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780140448993
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/27/2004
Series:	Penguin Classics Series
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	197,481
Product dimensions:	7.54(w) x 5.06(h) x 0.92(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Peter Abelard was a French philosopher and the greatest logician of the 12th century. He taught in Paris, where Heloise was his pupil. After the tragic end of their marriage, she became a nun and he a monk.

Betty Radice was the editor of the Penguin Classics during the 1960s and 70s and an acclaimed translator from Latin, Greek & Italian.

Michael Clanchy researches at the Institute of Historical Research UCL and the Warburg Institute.

Table of Contents

The Letters of Abelard and HeloiseAcknowledgments
Preface to the Revised Edition
Chronology
Introduction
The Letters of Abelard and Heloise in Today's Scholarship
Further Reading

Letter 1. Historia calamitatum: Abelard to a Friend: The Story of His Misfortunes

The Personal Letters
Letter 2. Heloise to Abelard
Letter 3. Abelard to Heloise
Letter 4. Heloise to Abelard
Letter 5. Abelard to Heloise

The Letters of Direction
Letter 6. Heloise to Abelard
Letter 7. Abelard to Heloise (summarized)
Letter 8. Abelard to Heloise

Abelard's Confession of Faith

Letters of Peter the Venerable and Heloise
Peter the Venerable: Letter (98) to Pope Innocent II
Peter the Venerable: Letter (115) to Heloise
Heloise: Letter (167) to Peter the Venerable
Peter the Venerable: Letter (168) to Heloise

Two Hymns by Abelard
Sabbato ad Vesperas
In Parasceve Domini: III. Nocturno

Appendix: An Excerpt from the 'Lost Love Letter' of Heloise and Abelard

Maps
The Kingdom of France in the time of Abelard
Paris in the time of Abelard

Notes
Index

Editorial Reviews

The joint tomb of Peter and Heloise Abelard remains one of the most visited sites in Paris even though they died long ago, in the twelfth century. Their story of a love that endured despite the opposition of her family and the Church, and despite his mutilation, has been retold many times, and every version is based on the authentic documents in this audiobook. Of the nine letters between the lovers, Peter’s are narrated by Gunnar Cauthery and Heloise's by Alison Pettitt. A few additional missives fill out the story. Almost all of the text is couched in the deeply pious vocabulary of medieval Christianity. The formality of the material limits the emotional range available to the highly skilled narrators, but they make the most of the nuances they find. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2018 - AudioFile

The joint tomb of Peter and Heloise Abelard remains one of the most visited sites in Paris even though they died long ago, in the twelfth century. Their story of a love that endured despite the opposition of her family and the Church, and despite his mutilation, has been retold many times, and every version is based on the authentic documents in this audiobook. Of the nine letters between the lovers, Peter’s are narrated by Gunnar Cauthery and Heloise's by Alison Pettitt. A few additional missives fill out the story. Almost all of the text is couched in the deeply pious vocabulary of medieval Christianity. The formality of the material limits the emotional range available to the highly skilled narrators, but they make the most of the nuances they find. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2018 - AudioFile