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

Short Answer Questions

1. What request of Heloise's does Abelard fail to fulfill in Letter 7?

2. What was the thing based on that Heloise asked Abelard to give her?

3. From whom was Abelard seeking refuge?

4. What does Abelard say in Letter 7 about the virtue of women?

5. What does Heloise say about her burden?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the letters between Abelard and Heloise and describe the degree to which Abelard and Heloise are French. What constitutes their Frenchness? Where is the site of their strongest identification? How do they express their relation to territory?

Essay Topic 2

Research the history of the letters of Abelard and Heloise. By what mechanisms were they transmitted to posterity? Who made sure that these letters survived? Were they ever in danger of being lost? What value do written texts have to Abelard and Heloise and their culture? What makes the written absolution important? What provision is made for the preservation of textual culture?

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)

This section contains 328 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample