to the novel's mystery is the abbey's library, a labyrinthine structure filled with ancient manuscripts and hidden secrets. Forbidding William from entering this repository of knowledge, the abbot inadvertently complicates the detective's task. As the deaths escalate—each echoing the apocalyptic blasts from the "Book of the Apocalypse"—the library emerges as both a literal and symbolic maze. William and Adso navigate its dangers, which include distortions of mirrors and hallucinogenic incense, to uncover truths concealed within its walls.

The Book as Murder Weapon

The quest ultimately centers around a forbidden book, a supposed surviving copy of the second book of Aristotle's "Poetics," dedicated to comedy. This manuscript becomes a lethal instrument, akin to the deadly book mentioned by Alexandre Dumas père. Its concealment and the ensuing murders highlight the tension between knowledge and control, illustrating how the fear of intellectual freedom leads to tragedy. The fanaticism of the book's censor, who believes that comedy could undermine religious authority by liberating people from the fear of the Devil, propels the narrative to its explosive conclusion.

The Complexity of Eco's Vision

Umberto Eco's novel is a masterful exploration of historical and philosophical themes, wrapped in the suspense of a murder mystery. While the narrative requires engagement from its readers, offering dense intellectual and thematic layers, it remains accessible to those willing to delve into its intricacies. The novel's climax, although intricate and multifaceted, challenges readers to consider the consequences of unfettered knowledge and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect or suppress it. "The Name of the Rose" stands as a testament to Eco's ability to craft a story that transcends genre conventions, offering a profound meditation on the nature of truth, belief, and the human condition.

Italy in the 1970s

Although The Name of the Rose is set in an unnamed Italian abbey during the fourteenth century, it can also be interpreted as a reflection of Western culture in general, and specifically, Italy in the 1970s. In his essay “The Mirrored World: Form and Ideology in Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose,” David Richter suggests that regardless of whether readers see Emperor Louis as representing the USSR and Pope John XXII as representing the United States or vice versa, Eco appears to be focused on “the impact of their struggle on the three billion people elsewhere in nations that might have preferred to remain unaligned . . .” The Cold War, which was at its peak during the time Eco wrote the novel, had a profound influence on him. It's no surprise that the conflict between the papal delegation and the Franciscans is depicted with such intensity.

Even more pertinent to the novel is the kidnapping of Aldo Moro by the Red Brigade. This event occurred on March 16, 1978, the same month Eco began writing the book. Moro was the leader of the Christian Democratic Party and had served as Italy's Prime Minister three times. A series of complex negotiations followed as various groups attempted to secure Moro’s release. The events surrounding the kidnapping are somewhat unclear, but ultimately, Moro was killed. This assassination deeply shocked Eco and other Italian intellectuals, and Eco's outrage seems to be reflected in the pages of The Name of the Rose.

Europe in the 1300s

The fourteenth century marked a pivotal era in medieval history, and it is clear why Eco opts to set his novel during this tumultuous time. Firstly, philosophers and theologians were deeply engaged in numerous debates, not only concerning Christ’s poverty but also the essence of language and truth. If language cannot link to a transcendent reality beyond the words themselves, it challenges the entire Christian framework. While this issue may seem more postmodern than medieval, a thorough examination of medieval philosophers reveals the unease sparked by new intellectual approaches. Additionally, Eco intentionally has Adso narrate the events of 1327 from a mid-century perspective, after the devastating impact of the Black Death. The plague's spread between 1348 and 1350 was catastrophic, wiping out nearly one-third of Europe’s population and plunging social, political, and religious institutions into disarray. For Adso, the plague likely appeared Apocalyptic. He references William's death in the plague and describes his own life in an “aged world.” The contemplation of mortality and a world grown old is a common medieval theme; nevertheless, Eco's depiction of Adso sifting through the ashes of the burned Scriptorium could just as easily evoke a cold war vision of nuclear disaster. Thus, the parallels between the twentieth century and the fourteenth century are more pronounced than one might initially assume.

The setting of "The Name of the Rose" intricately weaves together historical and fictional locales, creating a backdrop that is both rich and evocative. Central to the story is an unnamed abbey in northern Italy, a microcosm of medieval monastic life, replete with religious and architectural significance. This setting serves as a canvas upon which the mysteries and themes of the narrative unfold.

The Abbey

The abbey, though unnamed, draws inspiration from real thirteenth and fourteenth-century monastic structures. It stands as a self-contained world featuring not only a church but also an infirmary, a cloister with dormitory, pilgrim quarters, and other essential facilities like stables and granaries. This complex is a bustling hub of ecclesiastical activity, embodying the multifaceted nature of medieval religious life. Amidst the abbey's profusion of buildings, the library emerges as the focal point, a labyrinth of knowledge and secrets.

The Library

Occupying a significant position within the abbey is the library, located in the Aedificium, a grand octagonal structure. Its lower floor accommodates the kitchen and refectory, while its upper floor houses the library and scriptorium. The scriptorium serves a dual purpose, both as a workspace for the monks engaged in handwriting manuscripts and a warm refuge fueled by the nearby kitchen fires. The library, meticulously guarded and shrouded in mystery, restricts access to all but the librarian and his assistant, who wield the power to determine which manuscripts are accessible and to whom.

The library’s design mirrors the complexity of a medieval maze, akin to the labyrinth on the floor of Rheims Cathedral in France. Symbolically, it represents the intricate journey of life and faith, offering a cerebral and spiritual challenge to those who enter. Within its walls, the ossarium—a bone vault—serves as both a reminder of mortality and a hidden passageway into the library’s depths. This dual function is embodied in the Latin phrase "memento mori," a poignant reminder of life's transience.

Inside, the library's sections are organized according to a geographical framework referenced from medieval maps. Of particular note is the finis Africae, which holds a collection of forbidden books. These texts, considered dangerous by Jorge of Burgos, the former head librarian, are protected by an array of deterrents including distorting mirrors and hallucinatory substances. Among these is Aristotle’s Comedy, a manuscript feared by Jorge for its potential to disrupt the moral fabric of society, its presence in the library a testament to the perilous journey of knowledge through diverse cultures to the Christian world.

The Church

In close proximity stands the abbey’s church, fortified with religious carvings designed to evoke spiritual contemplation in the illiterate masses. For Adso, the young Benedictine novice, the church's ornate carvings are a source of inspiration, inciting a vision that parallels the apocalyptic imagery of the seven trumpets. This vision underscores a recurring theme of the novel, intertwining sacred prophecy with the unfolding narrative.

Historical and Symbolic Connections

While the primary setting remains fictional, it draws connections to several historical and symbolic locations. The Abbey of Melk in Austria shares a link with the fictional abbey through Adso’s origins, both having experienced the fiery destruction of their libraries. Furthermore, the Abbey of Cluny in France, renowned for its role as a religious center, provides literary inspiration through Bernard of Cluny, whose poem condemns the moral decay of clergy, influencing the novel’s title. The symbolic "rose" alludes to life’s fleeting nature, a theme deeply woven into the novel's fabric.

Avignon, another real location, offers a political and religious backdrop as the temporary seat of the papacy, from where Pope John XXII issues decrees against the Franciscans, echoing the tensions woven into the novel’s ecclesiastical intrigue.

Symbolism of Baskerville

Adding to the fictional tapestry is the fictional town of Baskerville, from which the detective Brother William hails. The name itself is emblematic, drawing a deliberate connection to Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his case at Baskerville Hall. This nod to literary history enriches Brother William's character, infusing his investigative pursuits with a lineage of deductive brilliance.

In sum, the settings in "The Name of the Rose" are not mere backdrops but integral elements that enhance the narrative’s exploration of knowledge, power, and mortality. Each location, whether real or imagined, contributes to the overarching themes and philosophical inquiries that the novel presents, making the setting a critical component of the story's enduring appeal.

Detective Fiction

Detective fiction ranks among the most beloved genres in modern literature. Surprisingly, it might seem an unusual choice for a scholarly writer and a sophisticated book. However, Eco intentionally selects detective fiction, not merely to boost commercial appeal. This genre provides a set of conventions and rules that draw a specific type of reader, one who anticipates the unfolding events. Moreover, fans of detective fiction are not easily deceived by dialogue; they have learned to scrutinize evidence and hypothesize about the true nature of the case. The Name of the Rose features several detective fiction tropes, including the exceptionally clever detective, his loyal yet somewhat slow-witted young assistant, a string of murders, numerous witnesses and interviews, antagonists attempting to thwart the investigation, and a climactic gathering where the detective unveils the murderer, motive, and method. In the novel, Eco manipulates these expectations, creating a dynamic between anticipated outcomes and actual events, highlighting the novel as a crafted text rather than reality. This playful engagement with genre conventions subverts them, reminding readers that they are engaging with a work of fiction, not real life.

Intertextuality

Another brilliant technique Eco uses is intertextuality. According to Ross Murfin and Supryia M. Ray in The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms, intertextuality is defined as “the condition of interconnectedness among texts, or the concept that any text is an amalgam of others, either because it exhibits signs of influence or because its language inevitably contains common points of reference with other texts through such things as allusion, quotation, genre, style, and even revisions.” For postmodernists, intertextuality is a crucial concept; it implies that all literature, and indeed all writing, is made up of previously written material. Consequently, text always leads to more text rather than to some ultimate truth. The Name of the Rose incorporates numerous other texts, as demonstrated by The Key to “The Name of the Rose,” by Adele J. Haft, Jane G. White, and Robert J. White, a comprehensive guide that identifies medieval historical and literary references and translates passages from Latin and other languages into English. In fact, some critics have described The Name of the Rose as a pastiche or a collage of various sources, assembled into a novel-like form. By crafting such a text, Eco invites multiple interpretations.

The novel is organized around the liturgical hours (e.g., Matins, Vespers, Compline) during the seven days that William and Adso spend at a monastery in Northern Italy in 1327. The entire narrative, introduced by the subtitle "Naturally, a Manuscript," is presented as a copy of an original work that has been lost. Eco positions himself not as a traditional novelist but as an amanuensis transcribing a nineteenth-century reproduction of the original "as if it were authentic, the manuscript of Adso of Melk." This approach demonstrates that Eco’s work both generates and results from individual interpretation.

In Postscript to "The Name of the Rose", Eco elaborates on his choice of genre: "since I wanted you [the reader] to feel as pleasurable the one thing that frightens us — namely, the metaphysical shudder — I had only to choose (from among the model plots) the most metaphysical and philosophical: the detective novel." Eco himself admits that The Name of The Rose is designed as "a mystery in which very little is discovered and the detective is defeated." Indeed, many of William's theories about the murders turn out to be incorrect. Worse, the library and the entire monastery are destroyed by fire. In his quest to recover the lost volume of Aristotle, William ends up witnessing the destruction of the finest library in all Christendom.

The world of the abbey is meticulously detailed through floor plans and descriptions. Eco’s precise attention to the abbey’s details — its daily life, rituals, politics, interactions with the outside world, internal conflicts, and history — makes the novel a cohesive and richly woven fabric. The extensive historical detail that permeates the novel lends credibility to the world Eco creates.

The social issues highlighted in The Name of The Rose operate on multiple levels, relevant both to medieval times and modern society. As Eco explains in his Postscript to "The Name of the Rose": "The Middle Ages are our infancy, to which we must always return, for anamnesis." The novel not only delves into various heresies and sects but also explores conflicting views on clerical poverty. Emperor Louis IV advocates for the vow of poverty among the clergy, while the corrupt Pope John XXII argues that poverty would undermine the Church's prestige and power. Other groups, like the Fraticelli, champion complete poverty through the renunciation of all material goods. These historical conflicts foreshadow today's battles between religious, social, and political ideologies. The extremes these groups reach to oppose their adversaries are especially significant. The persecution, factionalism, and hatred depicted in the medieval setting have direct parallels in contemporary political and social issues in Europe, the Middle East, and worldwide. Some Italian critics even interpreted The Name of The Rose as an allegory for contemporary Italian politics.

The Name of The Rose explores opposing attitudes toward knowledge and learning. The conflict between the blind monk Jorge of Burgos and William represents a clash between a repressive, destructive, censorial mindset and one that champions intellectual freedom. Eco's sympathies clearly lie with the latter. William characterizes Jorge's disdain for philosophy as that of the Antichrist, "born of excessive piety." Ultimately, Jorge's repressive certainty emerges as the main destructive force in Eco's novel, the force that both William and Eco oppose.

The Bible, Conan Doyle's stories, Aristotle's works, and all kinds of medieval literature—herbals, theological texts, romances—along with Eco's own writings on semiotics, are the key sources and inspirations for The Name of The Rose. In fact, it's simpler to list the works that haven't influenced the characters, themes, and plots of The Name of the Rose than those that have. Eco's vast erudition and informed writing draw from a wide array of authors, including James Joyce, Edgar Allan Poe, Jorge Luis Borges, John Barth, Thomas à Kempis, and Thomas Aquinas.

According to Eco, The Name of The Rose is a postmodern novel that prioritizes the importance of the plot. As he explains: "The postmodern reply to the modern consists of recognizing that the past, since it cannot really be destroyed, because its destruction leads to silence, must be revisited: but with irony, not innocently." The novel contains numerous allusions to classical, medieval, and modern works. It is filled with untranslated passages in Latin, German, and other languages, as well as anachronistic references, often in the form of hidden quotations, to authors like Ludwig Wittgenstein. Eco also views The Name of The Rose as a historical novel that sheds light on the medieval period and illustrates how modernity has evolved from that era. As Eco notes: "If a character of mine, comparing two medieval ideas, produces a third, more modern idea, he is doing exactly what culture did."

In 1983, Eco released a companion volume titled Postscript to "The Name of the Rose". Eco's insights are shared without compromising his belief that the novel should stand on its own. For example, he reveals, "the first year of my work on the novel was devoted to the construction of the world ... I conducted long architectural investigations, studying photographs and floor plans in the encyclopedia of architecture, to establish the arrangement of the abbey, the distances, even the number of steps in the spiral staircase." As a result, the novel's improbable events are grounded in a meticulously realistic setting.

Postscript to "The Name of the Rose" illustrates how intimately Eco's novel is connected to his work in semiotics. Eco discusses his novel using concepts of cultural codes, literary traditions, and narrative frameworks. He elaborates on the extensive planning and choices involved in crafting the novel. However, the playful yet sincere tone in Postscript to "The Name of the Rose" ultimately directs the reader back to the text for their own interpretation.

The Name of the Rose was brought to the big screen in 1986. Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, the film featured Sean Connery as William, Michael Lonsdale as the Abbot, and Christian Slater as Adso. The screenplay was crafted by Andrew Birkin, Gerard Brach, Howard Franklin, and Alain Godard.

While the film received mixed reviews from critics, it did not achieve commercial success. The intricate layers of meaning in the novel could not be fully preserved in the cinematic adaptation. As a result, the focus shifted primarily to the fundamental elements of the plot, such as a series of murders, various clues, misleading hints, and numerous theories. Critics often criticized the film for being merely a medieval Sherlock Holmes detective story or for not capturing the complexities of Eco's novel.

The Name of the Rose was adapted into a movie in 1986, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. The film features Sean Connery as William of Baskerville, Christian Slater as Adso of Melk, and F. Murray Abraham as Bernard Gui.

The movie was released on DVD in 2004 and is distributed by Warner Home Video.

Sources

Biasin, Gian-Paolo, Review of Il nome della rosa, in World Literature Today, Vol. 55, No. 3, Summer 1981, pp. 449–50.

Bondanella, Peter, “‘To Make Truth Laugh’: Postmodern Theory and Practice in The Name of the Rose,” in Umberto Eco and the Open Text: Semiotics, Fiction, Popular Culture, Cambridge University Press, 1997, pp. 93–125.

Borges, Jorge Luis, Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings, New Directions, 1964, p. 3.

Copleston, Frederick C., Medieval Philosophy, Harper Torchbooks, 1961, p. 121.

D’Amico, Masolino, “Medieval Mirth,” in the Times Literary Supplement, January 9, 1981, p. 29.

De Lauretis, Teresa, “Gaudy Rose: Eco and Narcissism,” in Reading Eco: An Anthology, edited by Rocco Capozzi, Indiana University Press, 1997, p. 243.

Dirda, Michael, “The Letter Killeth and the Spirit Giveth Life,” in Book World–The Washington Post, June 19, 1983, pp. 5, 14.

Eco, Umberto, The Name of the Rose, translated by William Weaver, with Author’s Postscript, Harcourt, 1994.

Farronato, Cristina, Eco’s Chaosmos: From the Middle Ages to Postmodernity, University of Toronto Press, 2003, p. 13.

Haft, Adele J., Jane G. White, and Robert J. White, The Key to “The Name of the Rose,” University of Michigan Press, 1999, p. 175.

Key, Jonathan, “Maps and Territories: Eco Crossing the Boundary,” in Illuminating Eco: On the Boundaries of Interpretation, edited by Charlotte Ross and Rochelle Sibley, Ashgate, 2004, p. 16.

Martín, Jorge Hernández, Readers and Labyrinths: Detective Fiction in Borges, Bustos Domecq, and Eco, Garland Publishing, 1995, pp. 150–51.

Murfin, Ross, and Supryia M. Ray, The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003, p. 219.

Richter, David, “The Mirrored World: Form and Ideology in Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose,” in Reading Eco: An Anthology, edited by Rocco Capozzi, Indiana University Press, 1997, pp. 256–75.

Sibley, Rochelle, “Aspects of the Labyrinth in The Name of the Rose: Chaos and Order in the Abbey Library,” in Illuminating Eco: On the Boundaries of Interpretation, edited by Charlotte Ross and Rochelle Sibley, Ashgate, 2004, pp. 28–29.

Further Reading

Eco, Umberto, “How and Why I Write,” in Umberto Eco’s Alternative: The Politics of Culture and the Ambiguities of Interpretation, edited by Norma Bouchard and Veronica Pravadelli, Peter Lang Publishers, 1998, pp. 282–302.

Eco provides a fascinating personal account of his writing methods, explaining how he initially constructs a world for his stories.

Eco, Umberto, and Thomas A. Sebeok, The Sign of Three: Dupin, Holmes, Peirce, Indiana University Press, 1983.

Eco and Sebeok compile ten essays exploring the method of abduction in the works of Poe’s detective Auguste Dupin, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, and American semiotician Charles S. Peirce.

Inge, M. Thomas, ed., Naming the Rose: Essays on Eco’s “The Name of the Rose,” University Press of Mississippi, 1988.

Inge gathers ten essays from distinguished scholars, along with a preliminary checklist of Eco criticism in English, current up to 1988.

Radford, Gary P., On Eco, Thomson/Wadsworth, 2003.

Radford delivers a clear and thorough introduction to Umberto Eco’s philosophical ideas.