The Letters of Abelard & Heloise: the Attitude of Marriage in the Story and Letters - Essay Example

Their originality and individualism are revealed in each sentence and in every their action. They stand on a higher point compared to the people of their generation, following their ideal and following the way they consider being correct, even it is not supported by the common meaning and traditions. Abelard started to perform his individualism in his early youth, choosing his own way of living, and when he grew older, he continued to seek for his own individual path. Abelard's father was a military man and he decided his son would continue his career.

Abelard, on the contrary, chooses educational direction, a life of a teacher and philosopher, full of reflections and new findings. Abelard is almost occupied by getting new knowledge and seeking wisdom. He finds himself in dialectic, a way of thinking in the form of questions and answers. He travels, trying to get as much knowledge as possible and in the end he appears in Paris. In the Abbey of St. Denis Abelard starts to protest against the behavior of the monks who lived there and he insisted on changing their lives for more virtual behavior.

He is assured in his rightfulness and he isn't afraid to be pressed. Once he decides to establish his own school and he continues to do his best to succeed "It ended by my setting my heart on founding a school of my own, young as I was and estimating my capacities too high"(qtd in Gans).Abelard enters the school near Notre-dame, where he is appreciated for his excellent knowledge and sharp brain. An old professor, the director of the school, chooses Abelard from among many students and regards him as his potential successor.

Soon professor decided that a young student is ready to head the school, so he retires and Abelard becomes the school director. Soon he is appointed to be a Notre-dame's canon, and ordained. Thus, he has to wear black dresses as a cleric, although he can get married. But possible marriage can spoil his career, because some time before the resolution about obligatory celibate was made. It was done to prevent the clerics from the family care and worries, thus directing all their thoughts and activity towards religion.

During his childhood and youth Abelard is portrayed as a person who knows his mind, who is self-confident and assured that he is special. His experience, the events of his life and his writings make us think that he seen himself as of unique philosopher and, later, unique lover. According to his own words, he didn't fear to be rejected by any woman he might choose for affair. But the events that followed showed him from the opposite side - he appeared to be a tender lover who lost his mind due to love and passion.

He is no longer a scientist and philosopher; he stays together with Heloise, with his thoughts full of love to her, forgetting himself, his self-assurance and his plans for future (Steele).Abelard and Heloise thought of each other as of the lovers long before their affair began. Abelard later confessed that he wanted to seduce Heloise, Heloise later described her pride in charming a man who managed to resist women's charming all his life.Abelard was a nominalist, a founder of the modern nominalism, thus being the first modern thinker.

He was appreciated as the brightest student of his time, students gathered to hear his lectures. Heloise was 22 years junior of him, she was a girl that her