So disturbing. This is the patriarchy at its creepiest.

Interesting correspondence

Normally, I'd gag at lovey-dovey hogshit, but there's little bits like these that I liked a lot:

That writing may be no trouble to you, write always to me carelessly and without study

Oof. I hear you loud and clear, girl. Write to me. Humor me with a response. Just give me a sign --any sign at all, Abelard-- that I threw my life down ye olde toilet for a reason.

The real tragedy in these letters isn't how Abelard and Heloise were torn from each other. Its that a bright, sparkling mind like Heloise was locked away in a convent when she didn't even want to be a nun. Hell, she didn't even want to be MARRIED:

I despised the name of wife that I might live happy with that of mistress

The end of the letters is of course disappointing, A) because it's well known Abelard doesn't change his mind about abandoning their relationship, and B) There needs to be more letters, dammit! It's amazing to see the tiny duel between their letters, between the lines. These are two extremely well-educated writers, and both use suggestive language that the other sees right through. One bit in particular stuck out to me from Heloise:

I often told you even then that I was more pleased with possessing your heart than with any other happiness, and the man was the thing I least valued in you.

Honey, it's okay my uncle lopped off your dingdong. I'll manage.

I thought this was actually quite entertaining to read, and to study. Abelard is a class A asshole and studying him and Heloise’s relationship in my women’s literature class proved to be much more interesting than I was expecting!

Oh man, these poor people. It absolutely doesn't surprise me that their story still enthralls readers.

Also, the whole castration thing scandalized eighteen-year-old Casey...

I enjoyed this so much more in college when I was young and thought everything was very romantic hahahaha