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''Eloisa to Abelard'' was a verse epistle by Alexander Pope that was based on a well-known Mediaeval story and published in 1717. Its immediate fame resulted in a large number of imitations throughout the rest of the century and other poems more loosely based on its themes thereafter. ==The poem and its background== Pope’s poem was published in 1717 in a small volume titled ''The Works of Mr Alexander Pope''. There were two other accompanying poems, the “Elegy to the memory of an unfortunate lady” and the original version of the “Ode on St Cecilia’s Day”. Such was the poem’s popularity that it was reissued in 1720 along with the retitled “Verses to the memory of an unfortunate lady'” and several other elegiac poems by different authors.〔(National library of Australia )〕 “Eloisa to Abelard” is an Ovidian heroic epistle inspired by the 12th-century story of Héloïse d'Argenteuil's illicit love for, and secret marriage to, her teacher Peter Abelard, a famous Parisian philosopher some twenty years her senior. After their affair and marriage, her family took brutal vengeance on Abelard and castrated him, following which he entered a monastery and compelled Héloïse to become a nun. Both then led comparatively successful monastic careers. Years later, Abelard completed the ''Historia Calamitatum'' (History of misfortunes), cast as a letter of consolation to a friend. When it fell into Heloise’s hands, her passion for him was reawakened and there was an exchange of four letters between them written in an ornate Latin style. In an effort to make sense of their personal tragedy, these explored the nature of human and divine love. However, their incompatible male and female perspectives made the dialogue painful for both.〔(''The Letters of Peter Abelard and Heloise'' ), Augusta State University.〕 In Pope's poem, Eloisa confesses to the suppressed love that his letter has reawakened. She recalls their former life together and its violent aftermath, comparing the happy state of “the blameless Vestal” with her own reliving of past passion and sorrow. The memory of it turns the landscape gloomy “and breathes a browner horror on the woods” (line 170). It disturbs the performance of her religious offices, where Abelard’s image “steals between my God and me” (line 267). But, since relations between them are now impossible, she advises him to distance himself from her memory and looks forward to the release of death when “one kind grave” will reunite them (line 343). Pope was born a Roman Catholic and so might be assumed to have an insight into, and a special interest in, the story. He had, however, a recently published source to inspire him and guide his readers. This was ''The Letters of Abelard and Heloise: with a particular account of their lives, amours, and misfortune'' by the poet John Hughes, which was first published in 1713 and was to go through many editions in the following century and more.〔(Google Books )〕 There are several instances of Pope’s direct dependence on Hughes’ version of the letters.〔Wright, p.519〕 As one example, where Heloise exclaims “Among those who are wedded to God I serve a man; among the heroic supporters of the cross I am a poor slave to a human passion; at the head of a religious community I am devoted to Abelard only”,〔Hughes, p.91〕 Pope’s Eloisa condenses this to the lines ::Ah, wretch! believed the spouse of God in vain, ::Confessed within the slave of love and man. (lines 177-78) 〔Robert Pohl Kalmey, (''The Christian vision of Pope’s Eloisa to Abelard'' ), University of Florida 1970〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Eloisa to Abelard」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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