Eloisa (play)

Eloisa is a tragedy in five acts written by Richard Penn Smith. It is based on the historical story of Héloïse d'Argenteuil (often anglicized to Heloise) and Peter Abelard, a scholar and philosopher. The play depicts their passionate love affair, its tragic consequences including Abelard's castration, and Héloïse's subsequent life as a nun and eventual abbess. The play focuses on themes of forbidden love, religious devotion, and the conflict between earthly passion and spiritual fulfillment. Published in 1839, the play was designed for theatrical production.