Ageless Love

To others I address my words, to you my intention.
—Abelard

The most memorable tale from the Middle Ages, and perhaps one of the most moving love stories of all time, is based on entirely on two enduring collections of letters dating back more than 900 years. James Burge, in Heloise & Abelard: A New Biography, is the first biographer to present this timeless tale with the inclusion of 113 heretofore undiscovered letters between the couple.

About 100 years after the deaths of Heloise and Abelard, their love letters first made their way into the public consciousness of the Middle Ages. The couple was first immortalized in Jean de Meung’s poem Roman de la Rose, a work based on the original collection of eight letters exchanged in the early bloom of romance. Since this poem appeared in 1275, an extensive body of work has formed around the story of Heloise and Abelard’s tragic romance. The couple has been immortalized for generation after generation in poems, songs, plays, books, and more recently, films. The 1933 novel, Peter Abelard, by Helen Waddell brought the story into the limelight once again, and throughout the 1970s much academic attention was given to studying the original eight letters.

The distinguishing factor of Burge’s biography is that along with the original letters, vast body of folklore, and historical facts, there is a new collection of letters only identified in the last three years. Constant Mews, a scholar from New Zealand, came upon this collection while studying a 15th century Latin guide to letter writing. The author of the guide, Johannes de Vepria, copied excerpts of the letters to demonstrate proper writing skills. As he copied, he became intrigued with the story, resulting in more and more of the letters’ contents making their way into the writing guide. After studying these manuscripts for over ten years, Mews and other scholars have matched them, with very little room for doubt, to the style and chronology of Heloise and Abelard. This new discovery fleshes out the story of the lovers, making it possible for Burge (and quite likely other authors and filmmakers in the future) to present a moving and well-rounded account of the story.

Burge begins Heloise and Abelard with a complete timeline and contemporary and historical maps of France. Readers will notice almost immediately that the book, though recounting what is referred to as one of the most romantic and erotic love stories in history, has a distinctly academic bent. Personal emotions and societal circumstances are presented in meticulous balance, creating a complete account of the Heloise and Abelard’s relationship and the far-reaching effects it had from the Middle Ages on to contemporary times. Burge presents the lovelorn tale within a solid framework of incontrovertible facts, making the book a pleasure to read for romantics, history buffs, and academics alike.

Quite notable is the attention the author gives to the personalities of Heloise and Abelard. Their characters were developed to an impressive degree, a feature missing from many contemporary historical biographies. Rather than simply rehashing dramatic highlights, Burge obviously took great pains to explore the histories, desires, personalities, and even unique quirks of the two lovers. Outlying players were explored as well, making Heloise & Abelard a valuable resource on France’s government, religion, and society during the Middle Ages.

The story of Heloise and Abelard has been interpreted and presented in fashions ranging from religious cautionary tale to romantic instruction. Burge offers a presentation of Heloise and Abelard’s words and letters that brings together in one volume a multitude of heartrending quotes and a mini-library of love letters presented in English and the original Latin. Both the content and style of the letters are discussed in great detail, as much of the couples’ fame is credited to the quality of their writing. In referencing Heloise’s indisputable literary talent, Burge asserts that “on the strength of only three letters, her writing has become famous. Described as “intelligent, sexy, and stylish,” Heloise’s letters serve to emphasize the unique nature of her relationship with Abelard.

During Heloise and Abelard’s time, equality and sexual openness such as that described in the letters was nearly nonexistent in romantic relationships. Burge asserts that these exceptional characteristics are much of the driving force that keeps the story of unconventional, all-consuming love between Heloise and Abelard alive even today. Love was in company with wit and intelligence. Debates were as passionate as the romantic love shared.

Burge describes the letters between the two as “a sort of creation myth for their affair; the golden age upon which they would always look back, longing to return.” With his painstaking attention to historical detail and his tender treatment of the passion and tragedy that marked their relationship, Burge has created a glowing invitation into the epic story of Heloise and Abelard.