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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did Abelard seduce Heloise?

2. What was Abelard and Heloise's son named?

3. What does Abelard say is a danger to Heloise's body?

4. What does Heloise say she feels in Abelard's absence?

5. What does Heloise say about herself?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Heloise surprise Abelard in Letter 4, and what does he do in response in Letter 5?

2. What does Heloise say about her burdens in Letter 6?

3. What is Heloise's response to Peter the Venerable?

4. What contrast does Abelard draw with women's practices and men's?

5. What does Heloise say she did on Abelard's sake?

6. Who was Anselm of Laon and how did he figure in Abelard's career?

7. What does Peter the Venerable send to Heloise in the final letter?

8. In what way does Heloise say Abelard is in debt to her?

9. Why does Abelard say in Letter 5 he filled Heloise with distress in his previous letter?

10. Describe Abelard's relationship with William of Champeaux.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does The Letters of Abelard and Heloise tell us about being male or female? How does the text represent masculinity and femininity? What are the roles appropriate to either gender? How do Abelard and Heloise define the differences? Where do they overlap?

Essay Topic 2

What does 'love' mean to Abelard and Heloise? How do their letters--and their actions--define it?

Essay Topic 3

Describe who would find this work interesting and useful, and describe as well what uses this book could be put to? What questions does it answer? Are the letters of Abelard and Heloise artwork, philosophy, church history, or personal correspondence? Which predominates?

(see the answer keys)

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