ks who were far more savage than heathens and more evil of lifeö (Abelard 23). AbelardÆs treatise also discusses the concept of sin and how difficult it is for human beings to avoid sinning. While he is in the depths of his love for Heloise he is unable to view himself from the perspective he later holds while cloistered. In fact, he admits that it is often much easier to see sin in a neighbor as some giant looming presence while in the same individual it seems difficult to notice similar sin. As Abelard writes, ôWe are wont to be the last to know the evils of our own households, and to be ignorant of the sins of our children and our wives, though our neighbors sing them aloudö (8). Thus, in place of real religion and morality, we see hypocrisy, sin, injustice, jealousy and persecution in most individuals maintaining they posses a highly devout character.
In Beatrice de Planissoles, we have more empathy with Beatrice because the sin of heresy of which she has been accused is more than imaginings of officials and based on hearsay than the very real acts of sin of Abelard. Nevertheless, in Beatrice de Planissoles, we see many similarities to AbelardÆs Historia Calamitatum. The biggest of these is BeatriceÆs explanations, based on RaimondÆs teachings, that there are distinctions between good and bad Christians. According to Beatrice, the bad or evil Christians are the clergy members who persecute others, ôThe wolves and the dogs are the bishops and the Preaching Friars (Dominicans) who persecute the good Christians and chase them from the countryö (Beatrice 4).
Like Abelard is resented for his views on the nature of Christian behavior and acts, so Beatrice is suspect by her association with individuals who according to the established clergy represent a heretical threat. Yet Beatrice explains that the law of God is something higher than manmade law or clergy advocated laws. Beatrice like Abelard believes that even ...