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

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Abelard do right before he died?

2. What contrast does Abelard describe between early practice and current practice?

3. What promise does Peter the Venerable make to Heloise in the last letter?

4. When was Abelard with Peter the Venerable?

5. What does Letter 7 describe to Heloise?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the God to whom Abelard and Heloise show their devotion. What does he want, how does he behave, and what kind of behavior does he encourage in human beings? Does he ever respond to their prayers? How, or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the benefits of the Rules Abelard prescribes for Heloise and her nuns. What are the direct and indirect benefits of the Rules? Who benefits by them? How are the benefits reckoned, and are there other ways to look at the virtues of the Rules?

Essay Topic 3

How would the letters of Abelard and Heloise be written today? How would modern communication technology change the emotional tenor of this correspondence? What parts would remain trenchant? What parts would be lost?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 299 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample