View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. In what way did Abelard establish his reputation and earn a following?

2. What does Abelard say motivated him to tell Heloise the things that filled her with despair?

3. What does Heloise doubt about Abelard?

4. What else does Abelard ask Heloise to do pray for?

5. Why did Abelard originally send Heloise away?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Letter 7, what examples of women in the church does Abelard use from antiquity?

2. What does Abelard say he wants Heloise to do in case of his death?

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

4. What does Abelard ask Heloise to stop doing in the future?

5. How is Letter 7 organized?

6. What caused the author of Letter 9to write the letter?

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

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

9. What does Heloise say about virtue?

10. How does Peter the Venerable greet Heloise in Letter 10?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Make an annotated map of the places where Abelard and Heloise's story unfolded, including Abelard's late travels. What does the map show us about the story? How did the landscape and geography affect the story?

Essay Topic 2

Evaluate the opposition Abelard and Heloise faced throughout their marriage. How would you characterize their enemies? What were they bent on, and why did they oppose Abelard and Heloise? Why did they take the tactics they took, in opposing them? What made harsher or more lenient tactics less preferable?

Essay Topic 3

Reading the text closely, describe Abelard and Heloise. What do we know about them based not only on what they tell us, but their style of writing as well?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 694 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample