medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
From: "Marjorie Greene" <[log in to unmask]>
In any case, the reading-gets-you-into-trouble motif, as well as Heloise's
notion that intellectual men are hampered by romantic involvements,
persists in literature down to the present.
> MG
NO. Not romance but MARRIAGE, its commitment & consequences:
I append an edited chunk of Heloise's very verbose argument againt marriage.
She had NO objection to continuing as his mistress. It was marriage that she
saw as a disaster. And she was right.
Heloise's rejection of marriage *as reported by Abelard* in the "Historia
Calamitatum", taken from the Radice translation, Penguin Books, pp 70-72.
I set off at once for Brittany and brought back my mistress to make her my
wife. But she was strongly opposed to the proposal, and argued hotly against
it for two reasons: the risk involved and the disgrace to myself. .
What honour could she win, she protested, from a marriage which would
dishonour me and humiliate us both? .
Along with the loss to my reputation she put before me the difficulties of
marriage .
But if I would accept neither the advice of the Apostle nor the exhortations
of the Fathers on the heavy yoke of marriage, at least, she argued, I could
listen to the philosophers.
After Cicero had divorced Terentia and was asked by Hirtius to marry his
sister he firmly refused to do so, on the grounds that he could not devote
his attention to a wife and philosophy alike. He does not simply say "devote
attention", but adds "alike". not wishing to do anything which would be a
rival to his study of philosophy. .
But apart from the hindrances to such philosophic study, consider, she said,
the true conditions for a dignified way of life. "What harmony can there be
between pupils and nurse-maids, desks and cradles, books or tablets and
distafis, pen or stylus and spindles? Who can concentrate on thoughts of
Scripture or philosophy and be able to endure babies crying, nurses soothing
them with lullabies, and all the noisy coming and going of men and women
about the house? Will he put up with the constant muddle and squalor which
small children bring into the home? The wealthy can do so, you will say, for
their mansions and large houses can provide privacy and being rich, they do
not have to count the cost nor be tormented by daily cares. But philosophers
lead a very different life from rich men, and those who are concerned with
wealth or are involved in mundane matters will not have time for the claims
of Scripture or philosophy. Consequently, the great philosophers of the past
have despised the world, not renouncing it so much as escaping from it, and
have denied themselves every pleasure so as to find peace in the arms of
philosophy alone.
Further comment - Translate the social details into 21st century ones and
don't women academics have just these problems today ???? This most
certainly rang a bell with me when I first read it !!!
BMC
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|