Bright Summaries - The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

Eco claims that The Name of the Rose is based on a manuscript containing the memoirs of Adso of Melk, a young Benedictine monk (the Benedictines are a religious order that ascribe great importance to intellectual and physical work, including the copying of manuscripts). As a young man, Adso was sent to Italy, where he became the scribe and disciple of William of Baskerville, a Franciscan monk (a religious order whose members are bound by a vow of poverty). Together, Adso and William experience a series of unusual events in an abbey in northern Italy in late 1327.

William and Adso arrive at a wealthy Benedictine abbey located on a mountain. They are welcomed by the abbot, and explain the reason for their visit to him: William has been sent to meet the Benedictine superiors in order to find out which of them support the emperor. The abbot suspects Remigio of having been a member of a heretical sect (meaning a sect that has been condemned by the Church because its beliefs are seen as contrary to the true faith), and voices staunch opposition to these sects: Kill them all; God will recognize His own (p. 145). He also asks William and Adso to investigate Adelmos death: he fell from one of the towers of the library one stormy night, but it remains unclear whether this was suicide or murder.

The abbot gives William free rein to investigate: he is granted permission to question the other monks and investigate everywhere in the abbey apart from the library, even though this is the place where the crime took place and, as William soon realises, the key to understanding the events. Only a select few are permitted to enter the library, which defends itself (p. 30); if the rumours are to be believed, it is protected by magic. However, although access to the library is strictly regulated, the floor where it is located is often lit up at night.

William and Adso begin their investigation by meeting Ubertino of Casale (Italian Franciscan, 1259-1329), with whom they discuss the divisions that have arisen within the Benedictine order because of extremist movements. They then question Severinus, the herbalist, to find out whether Adelmos fall could have been caused by hallucinations after ingesting certain herbs.

Next, they go to the scriptorium, where the monks copy manuscripts, and are greeted by Malachi, the librarian. William gathers information about Aldemos illustrations. When laughter breaks out, the offending monks are severely reprimanded by Jorge, an elderly blind monk, and a debate about the role of laughter ensues. Afterwards, the two investigators go to the forge, where they question Nicholas, the master glazier of the abbey.

The next day, during the first prayers, frightened servants burst into the church and inform the monks that they have found Venantiuss body in a basin filled with pigs blood. The two investigators find out that both Adelmo and Venantius had made a request of Berengar, the assistant librarian, and they meet Alinardo, who tells them that it is possible to get into the library through the ossarium. By observing the library from the outside, William manages to deduce its layout.

Later on, Benno tells William and Adso that Berengar was in love with Adelmo and that Adelmo would have done anything to get his hands on a particular book that he had spent many years looking for. That night, the two investigators sneak into the scriptorium, and William notices an interesting parchment with a coded message lying on Venantiuss table. They are interrupted by a mysterious nocturnal visitor (Berengar), who steals two books and Williams glasses.

They then enter the library, which is utterly labyrinthine. A verse from the Apocalypse (the final book in the Bible, more commonly known as the Book of Revelation) is written over the entrance to each room. They soon realise that the librarys layout is based on geography, with areas for England, Spain, Africa, and so on, but they do not manage to get into the secret finis Africae room.

In the morning, they hear that Berengar has disappeared, and shortly afterwards they discover his body in the baths. When William and Severinus examine the body, they see that the tips of Berengars fingers are brown, like those of the previous victim. Severinus knows which poison is behind this phenomenon: it disappeared from his laboratory after the storm.

Adso meets Salvatore and questions him about a heretic, Fra Dolcino. William takes this opportunity to explain to Adso that heretics have their good and bad sides just like everybody else, and that the Popes primary motivation for denouncing them is that they represent a political threat to him. However, this does not satisfy Adsos curiosity about heresy, and when he asks Ubertino for explanations about Fra Dolcino, he finds out that the latter criticised the Church and inspired a popular revolt that was brutally repressed. William and Adso then question Remigio, a former disciple of Dolcino.

In the kitchen, a young woman seduces Adso, and they spend the night together. William chides his friend after he tells him about his nocturnal exploits, but makes allowances because he knows that the girl was a poor peasant who was prostituting herself to feed her family. While discussing the progress of the investigation, they realise that the murders correspond to the excerpts from the Apocalypse. Moreover, William has fully decoded the message left by Venantius and now knows that the murderer is trying to prevent certain secrets, which are contained within a book, from coming to light.