What do you think?
Rate this book
Peter Abelard
Peter Abelard is Waddell's evocation of medieval Paris, and gripping account of this tragic love story, set amidst theological disputations.
This historical novel was first published in 1933. It was critically well received then and became an instant bestseller.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
This historical novel was first published in 1933. It was critically well received then and became an instant bestseller.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1933
32 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Helen Waddell
53 books12 followersHelen Jane Waddell was an Irish poet, translator and playwright.
She was born in Tokyo, the tenth and youngest child of Hugh Waddell, a Presbyterian minister and missionary who was lecturing in the Imperial University. She spent the first eleven years of her life in Japan before her family returned to Belfast. Her mother died shortly afterwards, and her father remarried. Hugh Waddell himself died and left his younger children in the care of their stepmother. Following the marriage of her elder sister Meg, Helen was left at home to care for Mrs Waddell, whose health was deteriorating.
Waddell was educated at Victoria College for Girls and Queen's University Belfast, where she studied under Professor Gregory Smith, graduating in 1911. She followed her BA with first class honours in English with a master's degree, and in 1919 enrolled in Somerville College, Oxford, to study for her doctorate. A travelling scholarship from Lady Margaret Hall in 1923 allowed her to conduct research in Paris. It was at this time that she met her life-long friend, Maude Clarke.
She is best known for bringing to light the history of the medieval goliards in her 1927 book The Wandering Scholars, and translating their Latin poetry in the companion volume Medieval Latin Lyrics. A second anthology, More Latin Lyrics, was compiled in the 1940s but not published until after her death. Her other works range widely in subject matter. For example, she also wrote plays. Her first play was The Spoiled Buddha, which was performed at the Opera House, Belfast, by the Ulster Literary Society. Her The Abbe Prevost was staged in 1935. Her historical novel Peter Abelard was published in 1933. It was critically well received and became a bestseller.
She was born in Tokyo, the tenth and youngest child of Hugh Waddell, a Presbyterian minister and missionary who was lecturing in the Imperial University. She spent the first eleven years of her life in Japan before her family returned to Belfast. Her mother died shortly afterwards, and her father remarried. Hugh Waddell himself died and left his younger children in the care of their stepmother. Following the marriage of her elder sister Meg, Helen was left at home to care for Mrs Waddell, whose health was deteriorating.
Waddell was educated at Victoria College for Girls and Queen's University Belfast, where she studied under Professor Gregory Smith, graduating in 1911. She followed her BA with first class honours in English with a master's degree, and in 1919 enrolled in Somerville College, Oxford, to study for her doctorate. A travelling scholarship from Lady Margaret Hall in 1923 allowed her to conduct research in Paris. It was at this time that she met her life-long friend, Maude Clarke.
She is best known for bringing to light the history of the medieval goliards in her 1927 book The Wandering Scholars, and translating their Latin poetry in the companion volume Medieval Latin Lyrics. A second anthology, More Latin Lyrics, was compiled in the 1940s but not published until after her death. Her other works range widely in subject matter. For example, she also wrote plays. Her first play was The Spoiled Buddha, which was performed at the Opera House, Belfast, by the Ulster Literary Society. Her The Abbe Prevost was staged in 1935. Her historical novel Peter Abelard was published in 1933. It was critically well received and became a bestseller.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 10, 2024
THE ROAD TO GLORY MUST BE FOLLOWED WITHOUT TOO MUCH BAGGAGE.
General Richard S. Ewell
Peter Abelard was already slated for glory when his star fell.
He tried to lug the onerous suitcases of passion to that destination: but stumbled and fell flat on his face when his baggage sprung open en route.
There tumbled out all his personal dirty laundry...
But by making a clean breast of it in sorrowful lifetime penance, his star rose anew.
Waddell - also - has similarly fallen on account of TOO MANY DETAILS, for her emotional baggage is top-heavy.
Sure, the atmosphere of 13th century Paris she painstakingly builds with loving word tropes truly gives you a sure sense, smell and taste of Medieval France. The writing’s very good.
But it gets entirely bogged down in atmospheric and affective detail.
And again, the hail-fellow-well-met type of characters one encounters here are straight out of 30’s Hollywood Costume potboilers.
Yes, of course it’s good writing - Waddell was an accomplished Oxbridge Medievalist who hobnobbed with Depression-era literary nabobs - and many readers may quite enjoy being transported back to these early times at such a low cost.
But to me, the Yellow Fog of Prufrock’s decaying emotions is all too apparent here.
It rubbed me THE WRONG WAY. I turned up my nose at it at once.
But you know what?
Let him who is sinless cast the first stone.
So, at only three and a half stars, it’s a decent and rewarding budget read -
And, to be honest - after all - I enjoyed its ambience.
And - yes - I loved its passionate love story.
General Richard S. Ewell
Peter Abelard was already slated for glory when his star fell.
He tried to lug the onerous suitcases of passion to that destination: but stumbled and fell flat on his face when his baggage sprung open en route.
There tumbled out all his personal dirty laundry...
But by making a clean breast of it in sorrowful lifetime penance, his star rose anew.
Waddell - also - has similarly fallen on account of TOO MANY DETAILS, for her emotional baggage is top-heavy.
Sure, the atmosphere of 13th century Paris she painstakingly builds with loving word tropes truly gives you a sure sense, smell and taste of Medieval France. The writing’s very good.
But it gets entirely bogged down in atmospheric and affective detail.
And again, the hail-fellow-well-met type of characters one encounters here are straight out of 30’s Hollywood Costume potboilers.
Yes, of course it’s good writing - Waddell was an accomplished Oxbridge Medievalist who hobnobbed with Depression-era literary nabobs - and many readers may quite enjoy being transported back to these early times at such a low cost.
But to me, the Yellow Fog of Prufrock’s decaying emotions is all too apparent here.
It rubbed me THE WRONG WAY. I turned up my nose at it at once.
But you know what?
Let him who is sinless cast the first stone.
So, at only three and a half stars, it’s a decent and rewarding budget read -
And, to be honest - after all - I enjoyed its ambience.
And - yes - I loved its passionate love story.
November 17, 2025
Helen Waddell's "Peter Abelard"
I read Helen Waddell's 1933 novel, "Peter Abelard" after a recent visit to a Washington, D.C. public library outside my neighborhood. I learned that the book would be featured in a discussion and lecture series titled "Heroes and Demigods: Their Rise and Fall" to be lead by a highly distinguished professor, Ori Z. Soltes, Professorial Lecturer in the Department of Theology at Georgetown University. The coming event rekindled an old interest in Abelard which I had never pursued. The library provided me a copy of the book.
Helen Waddell (1889 -- 1965) was a scholar of medieval life. "Peter Abelard", her only novel, was a great critical and commercial success when it was published but unfortunately is currently out of print. The novel is a historically informed retelling of the romance between Abelard and Heloise. It also explores the philosophy and theology of Abelard and weaves together thought and romance.
Abelard (1079 -- 1142) was a famed, brilliant teacher and logician. At the age of 37, while teaching in Paris, he met and fell in love with the beautiful and intellectually-gifted 17-year old Heloise. Waddell's novel begins at this point in Abelard's life with references back to his earlier years. The two lovers have a passionate affair, and Heloise bears a son, named Astrolabe. Abelard and Heloise secretly marry, but the marriage soon comes out. Heloise reluctantly joins a convent and leaves Paris to protect Abelard's career. Heloise's uncle has Abelard brutally castrated. These events are narrated well, if elliptically, in the book.
In what is essentially the second part of the novel, Abelard is tried and convicted of heresy for one of his writings and is forced to throw it in the fire. While sentenced to imprisonment, the sentence is commuted and he retreats to life in an isolated rural area as a near-hermit. His retreat is ultimately named Paraclete for the Holy Spirit of the Trinity. While living alone Abelard has an insight into the nature of evil and into the doctrine of Atonement. Waddell's novel ends with the communication of this insight by a third party to Heloise, who is still unhappy as a nun and still deeply in love with Abelard. Heloise will go on to establish a convent at Paraclete and she and Abelard will exchange a famous series of letters.
Waddell's book is beautifully if densely written. She orders her novel to make the points she deems important. Thus, the book describes the romance between Abelard and Heloise, but Waddell focuses on the development of Abelard's philosophical and religious thought and its relationship to the romance. Her book offers a realistic portrayal of 12th century medieval life in Paris. It shows the life of the schools, the Church, and of the ever-present bars and taverns. Waddell quotes extensively from medieval poetry, some of which is by Abelard, that she collected and translated in her other writings. The poems offer a commentary on the events in the novel. For example, here is a little poem by the love-struck Abelard, sung during a scene in a tavern.
"So by my singing am I comforted
Even as the swan by singing makes death sweet,
For from my face is gone the wholesome red
And sorrow in my heart is sunken deep.
For sorrow still increasing,
And travail unreleasing,
And strength from me fast flying
And I for sorrow dying,
Dying, dying, dying,
Since she I love cares nothing for my sighing."
Waddell also introduces and develops well many secondary characters in the story. The many characters make the book move slowly for readers without a basic familiarity with Abelard or the Paris of his day. The writing is by turns witty, ironic, and full of romantic and philosophical insight. Waddell's book develops by focusing more on Abelard and his intellectual insights than on the love story. Abelard is a philosophical rationalist who objects to the traditionalism and appeals to authority of the theologians of his day. He becomes a hero by his growth in understanding which gradually displaces his early egoism and shabby treatment of Heloise. Abelard's theological insights transform the character of his relationship to Heloise.
Waddell's book moved me to read Henry Adams' chapter on Abelard in his "Mount Saint Michael and Chartres" which discusses Abelard's life and philosophy at some length. I am looking forward to participating in a discussion of this fascinating book with other interested readers at the library in the lecture-discussion series led by Professor Soltes. Although Waddell's book has fallen into some obscurity, it is deeply worth reading for readers interested in the Abelard-Heloise romance, in varied understandings of religion and sexuality, or in the philosophy of religion.
Robin Friedman
I read Helen Waddell's 1933 novel, "Peter Abelard" after a recent visit to a Washington, D.C. public library outside my neighborhood. I learned that the book would be featured in a discussion and lecture series titled "Heroes and Demigods: Their Rise and Fall" to be lead by a highly distinguished professor, Ori Z. Soltes, Professorial Lecturer in the Department of Theology at Georgetown University. The coming event rekindled an old interest in Abelard which I had never pursued. The library provided me a copy of the book.
Helen Waddell (1889 -- 1965) was a scholar of medieval life. "Peter Abelard", her only novel, was a great critical and commercial success when it was published but unfortunately is currently out of print. The novel is a historically informed retelling of the romance between Abelard and Heloise. It also explores the philosophy and theology of Abelard and weaves together thought and romance.
Abelard (1079 -- 1142) was a famed, brilliant teacher and logician. At the age of 37, while teaching in Paris, he met and fell in love with the beautiful and intellectually-gifted 17-year old Heloise. Waddell's novel begins at this point in Abelard's life with references back to his earlier years. The two lovers have a passionate affair, and Heloise bears a son, named Astrolabe. Abelard and Heloise secretly marry, but the marriage soon comes out. Heloise reluctantly joins a convent and leaves Paris to protect Abelard's career. Heloise's uncle has Abelard brutally castrated. These events are narrated well, if elliptically, in the book.
In what is essentially the second part of the novel, Abelard is tried and convicted of heresy for one of his writings and is forced to throw it in the fire. While sentenced to imprisonment, the sentence is commuted and he retreats to life in an isolated rural area as a near-hermit. His retreat is ultimately named Paraclete for the Holy Spirit of the Trinity. While living alone Abelard has an insight into the nature of evil and into the doctrine of Atonement. Waddell's novel ends with the communication of this insight by a third party to Heloise, who is still unhappy as a nun and still deeply in love with Abelard. Heloise will go on to establish a convent at Paraclete and she and Abelard will exchange a famous series of letters.
Waddell's book is beautifully if densely written. She orders her novel to make the points she deems important. Thus, the book describes the romance between Abelard and Heloise, but Waddell focuses on the development of Abelard's philosophical and religious thought and its relationship to the romance. Her book offers a realistic portrayal of 12th century medieval life in Paris. It shows the life of the schools, the Church, and of the ever-present bars and taverns. Waddell quotes extensively from medieval poetry, some of which is by Abelard, that she collected and translated in her other writings. The poems offer a commentary on the events in the novel. For example, here is a little poem by the love-struck Abelard, sung during a scene in a tavern.
"So by my singing am I comforted
Even as the swan by singing makes death sweet,
For from my face is gone the wholesome red
And sorrow in my heart is sunken deep.
For sorrow still increasing,
And travail unreleasing,
And strength from me fast flying
And I for sorrow dying,
Dying, dying, dying,
Since she I love cares nothing for my sighing."
Waddell also introduces and develops well many secondary characters in the story. The many characters make the book move slowly for readers without a basic familiarity with Abelard or the Paris of his day. The writing is by turns witty, ironic, and full of romantic and philosophical insight. Waddell's book develops by focusing more on Abelard and his intellectual insights than on the love story. Abelard is a philosophical rationalist who objects to the traditionalism and appeals to authority of the theologians of his day. He becomes a hero by his growth in understanding which gradually displaces his early egoism and shabby treatment of Heloise. Abelard's theological insights transform the character of his relationship to Heloise.
Waddell's book moved me to read Henry Adams' chapter on Abelard in his "Mount Saint Michael and Chartres" which discusses Abelard's life and philosophy at some length. I am looking forward to participating in a discussion of this fascinating book with other interested readers at the library in the lecture-discussion series led by Professor Soltes. Although Waddell's book has fallen into some obscurity, it is deeply worth reading for readers interested in the Abelard-Heloise romance, in varied understandings of religion and sexuality, or in the philosophy of religion.
Robin Friedman
February 24, 2021
This is by far the best--and most historically accurate--fictional portrayal, alongside the play by Millar (which is heavily based off of this novel). The clerical and humanistic aura of the high middle ages radiates from the pages. I'm a physics graduate student, but as a hobby something of an amateur expert on 12th c France and Abelard and Heloise (I've literally read almost everything academic written in English about them, and a fair amount of Latin and German works.) This witty and good-humored story is in keeping with the spirit of the couple disclosed best in the nonfictional works by Constant Mews, James Burge, William Levitan, and Etienne Gilson. Beautiful little story, although the sort of Mercutio of the story (Gilles de Vannes) kind of outshines everyone as best supporting actor.
July 24, 2011
Waddell's tale of the fabled love of the popular scholar Peter Abelard and young Heloise, his pupil, has the power to engage. Published in 1933, and consequently eschewing any detailed portrayal of the impassioned affair between the two, it nonetheless does not fail in its portrayal of their attachment and the struggles and heartache it precipitated. Waddell's theological sensitivity and and astuteness permit the reader to appreciate the depths of the tension the two lovers felt between their conflicted covenants.
February 14, 2016
Oh, what a marvelous read. Poetic, intuitive and as intellectually earnest as one might strive in weaving fragments of documented events into a tapestry of story. There exists the suspect anachronism a time or two, which elicits a minor pause, but is easily forgiven in the spirit and flow of intent. The supporting characters are given essential roles and bring their own critical layers and nuance to the story.
The greatest appreciation I have for this work (as I did for Antoine Audouard's, Adieu, Mon Unique), is that it does not insult the reader who holds a grounded familiarity with both Medieval cosmology and Abélard and Héloïse by falling prey to posterity's wont of romanticizing what was, in reality, a multi-layered catastrophe suffered by these two individuals.
The greatest appreciation I have for this work (as I did for Antoine Audouard's, Adieu, Mon Unique), is that it does not insult the reader who holds a grounded familiarity with both Medieval cosmology and Abélard and Héloïse by falling prey to posterity's wont of romanticizing what was, in reality, a multi-layered catastrophe suffered by these two individuals.
April 1, 2013
I have read thousands of books and hundreds of good books and a handful of exquisite narratives of which this is one. An absolute priceless gem.
January 2, 2019
This is not a novel to my taste, but I have certainly learnt a lot from reading it. I have learnt that even if the book is written by an expert in the field and a skilled word-weaver, it is not enough. If there are no convincing and evolving characters, if the plot is but an excuse to quote poetry, there is only so much that I can enjoy the beauty of elegantly arranged phrases alone. I need alive characters and dynamic twists of action, and this novel is lacking all of these.
March 3, 2022
MARCH
33.
by
Helen WaddellFinish date: March 02 2022
Genre: Novel (210 pg...almost a novella)
Rating: D-
Review:
Bad news: Ms Waddell was a well known writer in Ireland and her book Peter Abelard was a best-seller. I think one must remember the time when this book was published 1933. I was ground-breaking, shocking description of the lust/love between Heloise and Abelard. The book quietly circulated among convent schooled girls and women longing for a passionate love story. The book was considered explicit. Unfortunately…times have changed. Peter Abelard has fallen between the cracks….for a reason.
Bad news: First lesson in writing...draw the reader in....create a hook. Well, I read chapter 1 but I felt nothing...a word salad without the dressing! It must be me…so I re-read ch 1.
Bad news: The reader is thrown into ‘the unknown’ in chapter 1. It took me so much time to finally figure out who’s who…and what's what? Where are we actually? If I wasn’t determined to finish this book…I would have stopped after the first pages. The style is too coldly academic to allow the characters to escape from the words and become living breathing beings.
Abelard (1079–1142) is now 37 yr (start book 1116) - around 1115, he became master of the cathedral school of Notre-Dame.
William of Champeaux - was Abelard’s teacher- Abelard challenged some of his ideas, and William thought Abelard was too arrogant.
Goswin (1085-1165 ) (classmate of Abelard at St Genevieve school)
Guibert - Abelard’s servant for the last 20 years
Gilles - canon (member religious community) at ND School
Gerbert - elected to succeed Gregory V as pope in 999. Gerbert took the name of Sylvester II.
Denise - Abelard’s sister
Well, now you can start chapter 1 of this book…without all the work I had to put into it!
Good news: Best thing I can think of....finished the book for #ReadingIrelandMonth22. Now time to read something completely different...no more historical fiction for me.
Personal: I took a chance on Helen Waddell and did not win the prize. In the biography of Patrick Kavanah learned that Ms Waddell was a well respected writer in her day. Alas, NOT my style of writing but I was determined to see how Ms Waddell writes this classic love story. Well, a yule log burning on your TV screen gives off more heat! If you are a dye in the wool historical fiction reader and want to feel how the first writers approached the genre…then read the book. This is an example of a very educated medieval scholar who thinks she's a novelist...it just did not work out for me.
April 19, 2021
At my book-club, someone mentioned this book as read decades ago before I joined, and everyone remembered it fondly. So I borrowed it and started with expectations of interesting medieval life and a great love-story. Well, the medieval life was well-done, although I think Ellis Peters did it just as well, and the love-story was OK but I couldn't forgive them for abandoning their child with apparently no regrets. And where were the letters? Every mention of this story I have seen (perhaps not the right ones) has talked about the letters exchanged by the lovers and yet there were no letters here at all!
Also, I found the theological discussions extra-ordinarily long drawn-out and boring. I did love the fat old guy who gave food, drink and good advice to everyone (sorry I have returned the book and forgotten his name) .
Also, I found the theological discussions extra-ordinarily long drawn-out and boring. I did love the fat old guy who gave food, drink and good advice to everyone (sorry I have returned the book and forgotten his name) .
January 20, 2022
So perplexing why a scholar like Helen Waddel is forgotten today. Waddel’s Peter Abelard was the type of historical fiction(although less of a fiction than history) didnt know i was looking for.
June 30, 2013
I have had this book on my shelves for years if not decades and it has been recommended to me by a number of people whom I really respect, but sadly it just didn't do it for me... It sticks fairly closely to the actual story of Abelard's adult life and career, but it runs out of steam shortly after his establishment of the Oratory of the Paraclete following his first heresy trial... But I had run out of enthusiasm long before. It may have been due to the era that it was written but the romance with Heloise was curiously bloodless, and, because it ignored Abelard's later life, unresolved. The narrative was also somewhat episodic in nature, with large chunks of time missing... and it wasn't helped by the fact it was peppered with significant historical characters who drifted in and out of the narrative without much explanation of their importance to the story. But what was most obviously missing was any serious engagement with the theological/philosophical drama that surrounded Abelard... Waddell's use of language is at times beautiful, but I often thought that within this flawed treatment is a truly engaging story bursting to get out... I know there have been other versions, including a couple of theatrical ones, but I have contrived to miss them all to date. I hope they are not as disappointing as this one ultimately was.
November 4, 2012
Really good evocation of medieval Paris, & gripping account of this tragic love story, set amidst theological disputations. I first read it years ago, & was very pleased to revisit. I noted one anachronism - an organ thundering in Notre Dame as the procession of canons moved off. In 1118? - I don't think so. But still a must-read book.
April 5, 2016
Tragic, true love story from 12th Century between a philosopher and a nun.
July 23, 2023
I have been really happy with this op shop find. While I think I haven't gotten the full appreciation out of it given my only cursory knowledge of Abelard and Heloise and their time, I enjoyed the writing as well as how strongly embedded Christianity was in both the world and characters. Not out of any missionary fervour, but rather because it portrays the mindsets of the time more vividly (and in the process more accurately) than a lot of other historical novels about the Middle Ages out there (where religion is sometimes just an afterthought, except for the one stereotypical religious character).
July 2, 2025
It was a presumably faithful retelling of the story, but too much romance and not enough philosophy for my taste. Plus, it ended before the good part, which is how they exchanged letters and how Heloise influenced Abelard’s writing but tends not to be credited as a philosopher in her own right. Like Emilie du Chatelet or Harriet Taylor.
In summary, a little slow, ended without resolution (as the story indeed has), but overall a fine read.
In summary, a little slow, ended without resolution (as the story indeed has), but overall a fine read.
July 24, 2021
This started out as a sentimental love story - May December romance with the addition of breaking of religious vows. Much energy is spent railing against those who would defend the faith or purity. Saint Jerome, St. Bernard, and others are caricatured. Still, it was an interesting introduction to the tale of Abelard and Heloise.
March 11, 2020
Peter Abelard comes alive!
Knowing that this is a fictionalised account that try and stay as close as possible to what is known about Peter Abelard, it is excellent! Abelard comes alive, you feel like you understand his motives and choices. Excellent read!
Knowing that this is a fictionalised account that try and stay as close as possible to what is known about Peter Abelard, it is excellent! Abelard comes alive, you feel like you understand his motives and choices. Excellent read!
Want to read
December 28, 2024Dec 2024. Novel recommended in Kreeft's SOCRATES'S CHILDREN.
February 2, 2012
I can always remember the scene in this book where Heloise is feeding a flock of doves.They settle on her arms and flutter around her.She throws her arms up in the air probably throwing up the grain and the birds rise as a fountain.I thought this was one of the most beautiful things I had ever read.
I feel now as if my youthful reading of this was VERY uncritical, that I was more intent on the idea of this story than what I actually read.
Many years later I took up this much-treasured volume and wondered what I had ever seen in it. Now a search through my bookshelves for a re-read has failed to locate it. I can't believe I let it go. A good friend is lending me the copy I urged them to buy and try a few years ago.
This will be an interesting revisit to a younger self as well as a
re-evaluation and reread.
What did Bette Davis say in "All About Eve"??
"It's going to be a rocky ride!!!"
I feel now as if my youthful reading of this was VERY uncritical, that I was more intent on the idea of this story than what I actually read.
Many years later I took up this much-treasured volume and wondered what I had ever seen in it. Now a search through my bookshelves for a re-read has failed to locate it. I can't believe I let it go. A good friend is lending me the copy I urged them to buy and try a few years ago.
This will be an interesting revisit to a younger self as well as a
re-evaluation and reread.
What did Bette Davis say in "All About Eve"??
"It's going to be a rocky ride!!!"
Read
March 17, 2011http://nhw.livejournal.com/1087495.html[return][return]I have long been interested in Helen Waddell; although she was born in Japan, her father ended up in our part of County Down (and gets a mention in my PhD thesis because of his amateur clerical researches into local invertebrates), and I was always aware of her papers in the QUB Special Collections room. Here, she takes her expertise and interest in the great love story of Abelard and H
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews