Falk’s Reviews > Abelard: A Medieval Life > Status Update

“[T]hese points (that man has the authority over all other creatures and that he alone is distinguished by reason) continue to be the justification of claims to exploit nature to man’s advantage. To that extent, the book of Genesis remains the foundation of science.” (p. 179) -- I had to read that sentence a couple of times. Historians say the darndest things. Thankfully he used the term “to that extent” – since that doesn’t necessarily amount to much..

“He [Abelard] was not the Archpoet, but he may have been the original lord of misrule, ‘Bishop Golias’, who gave his name to the ‘Goliardic’ poetry of the Carmina Burana. [P.G. Walsh, ‘Golias and Goliardic Poetry (1983)] (The argument is that St Bernard’s comparison of Abelard with Goliath – Golias in Latin – was taken up by Abelard’s student followers, who were proud to call themselves ‘Gol-iardi’ in honour of their persecuted master, as they were the Abel-iardi’.)” (p. 133) -- While this may not be entirely convincing, it is also not impossible.

“She [Heloise] became a nun at Abelard’s command in order not to add insult to injury by being compelled by her family to marry someone else.” (p. 163) – Good point!

“[H]is admission that the castration was not physically painful confirms that it was an exaggeration to call it the “cruellest” penalty” (p. 200) - Ouch! Really?!? It seems to me that Clanchy here is considering the matter in a much too celebral manner. I suppose he may have wanted reconsider that statement if he had happened to be violently parted from his own testicles!

As I see it, Clanchy too often takes Abelard on his word, and I much prefer Peter Godman’s reading of the Historia Calamitatum (in “Paradoxes of Conscience in the High Middle Ages: Abelard, Heloise and the Archpoet”, 2009), but on the other hand, Abelard wrote plenty more books and in this area Clanchy has provided much useful insight this far, and there’s also plenty of interesting information both on Abelard and the many other individuals in his life – as well as on the contemporary medieval world in general.