The Name of the Rose

About the book

In 1327, Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and his young apprentice, Adso of Melk, arrive at a wealthy Benedictine monastery in the Italian mountains to attend a theological debate. Their visit is quickly derailed by a string of bizarre murders among the monks. William, a former inquisitor, utilizes Aristotelian logic and semiotics to decode the cryptic symbols left behind by the victims. His investigation centers on a labyrinthine library and a secret manuscript of Aristotle’s Poetics, which the abbey hierarchy seeks to suppress to preserve religious orthodoxy.

This novel serves readers who enjoy dense historical puzzles and the intersection of medieval theology with modern forensic reasoning. It appeals to those interested in the transition from medieval faith to Renaissance rationalism. The reader gains a granular understanding of fourteenth-century ecclesiastical politics, heresy, and the evolution of the detective genre. By the conclusion, the audience understands how the control of information and the suppression of laughter were used as tools of institutional power during the Inquisition.

Details

Published

1980

Publisher

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

ISBN

9780156001311

Language

EN