Sunday, February 11, 2018

THE CRIME OF LOVE, LUST, AND WRITING: Heloise and Christine de Pizan




Heloise and Abelard (Pinterest)


“Art is my crime, and my genius.” This is a line from a poem by an unknown female poet of the 12th century. The author claimed that she has been exiled by ignorant rulers because she is a woman who writes. 

Like many other occupations, centuries ago, being a writer was not something that society saw fit for a woman. There was a time where some would take it as a moral offense if a woman would dare to write. Imagine that…

This however did not stop female Italian-French poet and writer Christine de Pizan (1364–1430) to publish over forty major works in the late 14th and 15th century. She is the first professional Western female writer, who after the death of her husband, supported herself, children, and other family members by becoming an author. Christine is definitely an inspiration to me.

At least today we live in an era where although not all, but most women are no longer refrained from writing. And today, I think the blogosphere has become a refuge for many women amateur writers like myself. Tonight, as I am writing and trying to inspire myself in the hustle bustle of the city at night, I’m thinking I wish I could quit my day job to be a full-time writer. As the sound of the train 18 stories down and the cool breeze of the wind creeping through my bedroom window keep me tranquil in my writing, I am on a journey back in history… I find myself caught up in the tragic story of two medieval lovers—Heloise and Abelard.

Medieval Love and Lust 

Way before Kate Millett’s critical analysis in Sexual Politics (1970) of the works of prominent male authors, in The Tale of the Rose (1402), Christine de Pizan had criticized the misogyny found in a very popular medieval book by Jean de Meun, The Romance of the Rose. To Christine, the book characterizes women as seducers.


Christine de Pizan (Pinterest)


In Roman de la Rose, as the book was originally titled, de Meun translated some of the love letters of the famous medieval lovers, Heloise and Abelard. Although highly disputed, some scholars have attributed the quote at the top to Heloise d’ Argenteuil (1090(?)–1164)—a well-known scholar, abbess, and writer who lived in Paris during the Middle Ages. At a time when most women were denied an education, to enhance her knowledge and skill, Heloise was tutored at her uncle’s home. She was an exceptional and passionate student of the sciences and languages. However, history remembers Heloise not for her scholarly talent, but for her tragic love affair with the man who tutored her—the famous philosopher and theologian of the 12th century, Peter Abelard (1079–1142).

Their famous romance is a story of a medieval scandalous affair, erotic love, and rebellion. The climax of the story is when Abelard was castrated by men sent by Heloise’s uncle who feared that Abelard plans to divorce his niece. For those who are familiar with medieval history knows how the story ends—with Abelard becoming a monk and Heloise a nun. Not much is known about their love child. 

Their letters to each other after they were separated for life in their respective convents have created different interpretations of the affair. Some see it as the most beautiful romance of the century, while some see the affair as one of enticement. Moreover, others see this romance as one that advocates free love.

Far from being the typical femme fatale, Heloise was a rebel, critical of the conventions of her time. And far ahead of her time, Heloise rejected the marriage institution. Her view that marriage is contractual prostitution resonates only centuries later with second wave feminism. In her view, marriage functions as a means for women to secure wealth rather than love. This is maybe why a pregnant Heloise initially turned down Abelard’s offer for a secret marriage. Secret so that it would not ruin his career. In her letter to Abelard, she wrote that rather then become an empress she would find it more honorable to be called his whore. Sounds a bit radical even today.


Heloise and Abelard (Pinterest)
 
But Abelard was able to persuade her to agree to a secret marriage and it was also Abelard who later persuaded Heloise to become a nun, despite her lack of interest. Although she wore a nun’s outfit, she never wore the veil. It was during this time apart that they corresponded and their letters became the famous love letters of Heloise and Abelard. Abelard, being the genius he was, was also an ardent composer and he wrote a number of love songs for Heloise, adding to the lament in the legend of their tragic romance.

It seems that the tragedy downplayed Heloise’s scholarship and she was seldom remembered as a scholar. She already had an academic life before her relationship with Abelard but her career for the remaining part of her life was in the convent. She became a prioress and later abbess. Abelard on the other hand, was able to regain his reputation and continued his teaching career and had a wide follower. If things turned out differently, Heloise would have wanted to continue her academic and single life. As she once wrote:
 “What woman will be able to bear the constant filth and squalor of babies?”


Medieval Rebels

Christine de Pizan’s objection to The Rose, as interpreted by scholars, was due to its conception of human nature as being male and its representation of women as a different race, a race less than human. Heloise certainly did not fit nicely into this framework. Although she gave in to Abelard’s insistence to marriage and the convent, in contrary to most women of her time, she would rather live the life of a scholar and stay in a relationship, unmarried, but based on love.

As with most women of her time, Christine condemned relationships outside marriage as being un-Christian and was by no way an advocate of free love. But nonetheless, all through her writing career, she continued to be an advocate of women’s position in society and was a critique of how women were depicted in literature. One of her major works, The Book of the City of Ladies (1410), is considered to be the first feminist text by a Western woman. Christine consistently defended women against the abusive treatment in literature, which led Simone de Beauvoir to comment that in Christine’s work, “it was the first time we see a woman take up her pen in defense of her sex.”

Christine and Heloise were rebels of their day and may well be the prototype of Western feminist writers. However, they contributed to the critical analysis that feminism in general later developed about the fundamental institutions in society and misogyny.

Christine and Heloise are just two of the many women throughout history and all over the world who in the most difficult circumstances, where the comfort of writing was not their privilege, took the pen and dared to write! 

I find myself back from my medieval time travel. Awakening from my tranquil state of writing, I get up to gaze at the city lights penetrating through my window; the moonlight sparkle the darkness… I am inspired. Yes, I will take my pen.


Sources

Biography.com (2014) Christine de Pisan [online] <https://www.biography.com/people/christine-de-pisan-9247589> [4 February 2018].

Medieval Manuscript Blogs (2016) Justifying Women Writers: A Medieval Poet Speaks Out. British Library [online] <http://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2016/03/justifying-women-writers-a-medieval-poet-speaks-out.html > [3 February 2018].

Middle Ages Women (n.d.) [online] <http://www.lordsandladies.org/middle-ages-women.htm> [6 January 2018].

Nehring, Cristina (2005) Heloise and Abelard: Love Hurts. New York Times [online] <http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/13/books/review/heloise-abelard-love-hurts.html> [29 January 2018].

Newman, Barbara (2014) Astonishing Heloise [online] <https://www.lrb.co.uk/v36/n02/barbara-newman/astonishing-heloise London Review of Books> [3 February 2018].

Wikipedia


Last edited 13 February 2018