Abelard and Heloise

Ronald Millar's magnificently powerful play narrates one of history's greatest love stories. In 1116 Peter Abelard, at 37, was Master of the Schools at Notre Dame and was considered one of the keenest minds in Europe. Full of philosophy about "the faith of reason" concerning love, women and marriage Abelard is persuaded by Canon Fulbert to tutor his intelligent 17 year old niece, the beautiful Heloise. The two fall in love and pursue a secretive affair that is discovered when Fulbert finds them in a naked embrace. Heloise retires to the country to bare a boy child and on her return to Paris secretly married Abelard. To "win him back to God" the Canon pays thugs to castarate Abelard and he becomes a monk. To be near him, if only spiritually, Heloise takes the veil. The questioning of her motives, her ordaining ceremony and her later reunion with Abelard, as Abbott and Abbess, elevate this play to theatrical heights.Historical fact: Some 650 years after the death of Heloise which followed Abelards by some 22 years the French Government ordered the mingling of their dust remains to be buried under a stone plinth in the Parisian cemetary of Pere Lachaise. On the plinth are the words: "Abelard : Heloise. Forever One."

Ronald Millar's magnificently powerful play narrates one of history's greatest love stories. In 1116 Peter Abelard, at 37, was Master of the Schools at Notre Dame and was considered one of the keenest minds in Europe. Full of philosophy about "the faith of reason" concerning love, women and marriage Abelard is persuaded by Canon Fulbert to tutor his intelligent 17 year old niece, the beautiful Heloise. The two fall in love and pursue a secretive affair that is discovered when Fulbert finds them in a naked embrace. Heloise retires to the country to bare a boy child and on her return to Paris secretly marries Abelard. To "win him back to God" the Canon pays thugs to castarate Abelard and he becomes a monk. To be near him, if only spiritually, Heloise takes the veil. The questioning of her motives, her ordaining ceremony and her later reunion with Abelard, as Abbott and Abbess, elevate this play to theatrical heights.Historical fact: Some 650 years after the death of Heloise which followed Abelards by some 22 years the French Government ordered the mingling of their dust remains to be buried under a stone plinth in the Parisian cemetary of Pere Lachaise. On the plinth are the words: "Abelard : Heloise. Forever One."