Letter 3, Abelard to Heloise Summary and Analysis

Abelard maintains that he has avoided contacting her not because he does not care, but rather to avoid causing them more suffering. He feels that the perils he faces are due to their sins and asks her to pray for forgiveness for them to free him from pain. He then encourages her to consider the great power of prayer and tries to prove it from Scripture. Abelard is particularly concerned to have Heloise and the nuns pray for him so that he will survive and not be killed.

Then focusing on Heloise, Abelard maintains that he is still totally bound to her in love and that his fear is all the more great in her absences and continues to beg her for prayer and asks that if he is killed that she and the nuns...