As in Augustine’s book, The Confessions, Augustine struggled with the concept over lust and love. Wanting lust is to want the actual physical intimacy with someone whereas love is a deep affection for someone physically and mentally. In the collection of writings, Abelard and Heloise: The Letters and other Writings, Peter Abelard becomes reconnected to Heloise after nearly twelve years of not being together. Although Abelard wanted lust in the beginning of his relationship with Heloise, through his letters it truly proves that Peter Abelard did love her in the end. Peter Abelard and Heloise had a weird beginning to their meeting. Peter Abelard was a very intelligent scholar who studied “mind” theology which was trying to prove certain things …show more content…
Through her letters it is clearly obvious she never really wanted to be a nun rather be a lover to Peter. Throughout Peter’s letters back to Heloise they are quite harsh. This harshness is equated to the fact these letters could eventually become public. As Peter Abelard was now the abbot of the convent and he was only allowed to have love for God and could not see to be messing around with one of the nuns. Although Peter writes very harsh things it is only to allow Heloise to move on. He does love her now and knows that they can never be together so he must drive her away. In the Third Letter from Abelard to Heloise he states, “...he joined us together i the bond of holy matrimony when I wanted to keep you forever for myself, beloved beyond measure”(97). Many may say that Peter lusted for Heloise, yet that was true in the beginning but his love grew over time. The extents Abelard went to save himself was selfish, yet he gave her a place that he had hoped would show his great love for her. Men drive their lovers away for idiotic reasons, yet Peter’s was to save her and himself from humiliation. His love for Heloise was true and significant enough to publicize it in the beginning and write to her in secret to help her get over the fact they could no longer be