Is "Eloisa to Abelard" (like Fantomina, as some of you argued on the midterm) an outlier in this course? Or does it connect, in significant and interesting ways, to the picture of the Enlightenment that is emerging from the readings/lecture/discussion in this class? Cite some text to support your claims.
Deadline: Saturday (10/17), midnight.
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This is the same question that was posed in a prior discussion--why is it necessary for our study. I will reiterate what I stated erlier. This poem is not an outlier because it discusses the topics of “desire and pleasure” that have been central themes in our prior readings. For example, in Edward Gibbon’s “The Progress of Superstition,” the idea of “pleasure” is highly looked down upon. As he states, “The first sensation of pleasure was marked as the first moment of their abuse” (Gibbon 153). However, the idea of “pleasure” is also discussed in Denis Diderot’s “Enjoyment in Tahiti,” where it takes on the role of embracement. As he states, “Among the objects that nature everywhere offers to our desires you who have a soul, tell me if there is anything more worthy of your pursuit, anything that can make you happier than the possession and enjoyment of a being who thinks and feels as you do?” (Diderot 265). In other words, nothing brings more pleasure to your life than indulging in your desire. It is these two conflicting stances made by these authors that are ultimately causing conflict within the character of Eloisa. Should we subdue our desires and pleasures, or should we indulge in them? It is such ideas that therefore make Alexander Pope’s “Eloisa to Abelard” coincide with other works of the Enlightenment that we have discussed.
I agree with Brian. Although the issue of desire has not been the most dominant theme in all of the works we have read, but as Brian states the conflict over whether to indulge in desires or subdue them has been present in several texts. More importantly, however, the conflict over desire and pleasure in "Eloisa and Aberlard" is in again in a religious context, as virtually every other reading thus far in this course. It seems that every conflict we have come across has been with religion, reason and religion, desire and religion, education and religion. Religion is a staple in 18th century British life and the constant conflicts arising exhibit the fact that during the Enlightenment Era individuals began rethinking what religion meant to them, and what sort of role it was to play in their lives. "Eloisa and Aberlard" is no exception. Eloisa is struggling in her faith, knowing she should be thinking only of God, but cannot overcome her love her desire to be with Aberlard enough to do so. She is trying to turn her attention to God, but cannot stop thinking of her love "The dear ideas, where I fly, pursue, / Rise in the grove, before the altar rise, / Stain all my soul, and wanton in my eyes! / U waste the matin la lamp in sighs for thee, / Thy image steals between my God and me, / Thy voice I seem in ev'ry hymn to hear, / With ev'ry bead I drop too soft a tear" (264-270).
I think after discussion on Friday that "Eloisa and Abelard" is similar to Fantomina in the sense they both reflect similar values happening during the time period. Eloisa's pursuit of chastity and going to a monastery echoes Fantomina's fate; also seeing Eloisa's much torn and confused despair (lines 343-end) suggests that her punishment and choice entering into the cloistered life is reason for abstaining desire similar to Fantomina.
Another theme paralleling "Eloisa and Abelard" and Fantomina together is perhaps seeing how they both seem to not be heavily dogmatic of the Enlightenment but nonetheless reflects on a lot of ideas and thoughts of the period. It's possible to investigate "Eloisa and Abelard" equally as a field day of finding out what values and customs people during the Enlightenment period practiced.
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