Introduction
"The Name of the Rose," which is written by Umberto Eco is a representation of the difference between superstition and truth. The book is about the use of deception by those who hold an advantage over the rest. It was correspondingly a representation of the importance of aspects of reality in finding the truth about certain situations. The book is centered on religious principles and doctrines and implores the reader to look at the reality that surpasses superstition and religious doctrines. It has employed the use of literary devices in its plot and uses aspects of rhetoric to pass the different messages it seeks to rely concerning the seemingly perfect world in which the clergy resides.
The plot of the book involves the story told by a young monk who becomes curious about the deaths of other monks in the church and accidentally stumbles upon information that sets the pace for the whole novel. He stumbles upon a book that holds some secrets that the monks are striving to guard with their lives. Monks begin to be found dead in the Abbey, and the William becomes more inquisitive. He confronts an elderly monk with a theory about how the monks died according to the representation of the book of revelation in the bible (Eco, Umberto, and Carlo, Martini, 16). The monk agrees with him only to steer him away from the true course. He assumes that William means that the monks are dying because the end is near, when in fact he is thinking about how the deaths are caused by something in the book of revelations. The story continues to unravel how the holy world of the monks is threatened by the very things against which they speak.
The story was set behind the walls of the Abbey in a part of Italy. The purpose of such a setting was established to give the impression that the clergy is set apart and categorically distinguished from the rest of the population because it depicts perfection. William observes the setting as, “a perfect form, which expresses the sturdiness and impregnability of the city of God (Eco, Richard and William, 10).” The narrator then uses the setting to showcase the irony in how it is portrayed to the true unholy nature of its existence. The setting is described as having an image of God in holiness to the extent that the buildings looked like they could touch heaven.
The story employs some aspects of personification to put emphasis on various points. The books, which are inclusive of the bible, have been said to speak to the humans on countless occasions in the book. The purpose of personifying books in the context of them speaking to humans is used to showcase how books are essential for knowledge and the ideas that men have. The book seems to relay the message that the ideas people have are all thoughts that are acquired from books. For instance, the personification of books is showcased when William and Adso first visit the Abbey. William tells Adso about how books speak to man. The aspect of books is important in this plot because it is through books that the main character stumbles upon the truth about the death of the Monks. Also, the universe has been personified as having the ability to speak to a man. In addition, the book employs the style of a play within a play in its narration. Adso plays two different roles and brings the reflection of his younger years through the brilliant use of flashback. Adso flashbacks on the time he and William go to the Abbey and goes through all that time with a reflection on the deaths of the monks. He writes about a trip taken in 1327 and exposes the evils of the then world of the monks. Through the use of an aspect of play within a play and flashback, the reader can note the inconsistencies that occurred in the clergy and holy ground of the monks. The narrator employs the use of flashback as one of the few people that survived to tell the story of the realities that existed behind the walls of the monks. For instance, if it were not for the use of flashback, the aspect of homosexuality would not have been brought forward. Aldemo engages in homosexual behavior in that year, and in the land of holy people who are otherwise committed to chastity. Also, the aspect of the play within a play helps the reader to identify with the reality that occurs behind the walls that are set apart from the rest.
Also, there is the use of symbolism in the book that the writer uses to showcase the imperfections in the holy world. For instance, the first monk is killed and is found the blood of a pig. A pig is an animal that is seen to be unholy, and the fact that the monk was immersed in the blood of a pig showcases the unholy nature of the place. The place, should, bring forth factors that are holy. The body was dumped in the blood of a pig as a sign of the unholy nature that existed in the Abbey. Such unholy acts made Aldos question his faith and the teachings that he had acquired from his master about the scripture and the place that monks lived. The pig is a symbol of evilness that reverberates in the Abbey throughout the narration.
Books in this narrative have been used as a metaphor for the truth. In almost the whole narrative, people die because of the pursuit of a book. The aspect of the book is not used in the literal sense of giving knowledge, but is used figuratively as a passage to acquisition of all forms of the truth. They also showcase the importance of the truth in any particular setup, and how people could die in the pursuit of it (Eco, Umberto, 20). The metaphor, in this case, is not only limited to the book of scripture but also to one that contained the truth about the abbey, and which the older monks were striving to protect. The books are a metaphor for the truth and evidence in the realities of life and the secrets it holds. In this case, the truth is represented as things that go beyond the norm and surpass the superstition that exist among different groups of people. Such a sentiment is highlighted when William tells Adso, “The book is key to uncovering what happens in the universe.” The context to which the term book is used is metaphorical to the depiction of the truth that goes beyond ordinary knowledge. The book is a cause for all the deaths of the people that quest for it and some go to extreme lengths to keep it concealed. For instance, the Jorge eats the pages of the book albeit the fact that they are poisoned (Haft, Adele, Jane and Robert, 30). He does so to prevent William from reading the book. The whole mystery is, therefore, not solved because of William does not get to see what is in the book. He ends up being more confused than he was about the clues after the library is set ablaze. It can, therefore, be inferred that the book represented the truth and showcased the importance of it in life. Without the truth, the existence of life itself is questionable. The metaphor also represented the aspects of how the truth can help to the evilness that exists in the society (Eco, Umberto, 15). Liberation comes from the truth that will shed light on what is evil and what is not. The metaphor seems to be borrowed from the biblical scripture about people perishing for lack of knowledge. The same is the case in the narrative where the knowledge comes from the truth that the book holds. Moreover, in all these, the aspect of irony takes center stage. It is ironic that the holy ground for the clergy possesses such unholy acts.
All these literary devices are used and relate to each other in the scope of the themes that the plot represents. For instance, they all give the reader an idea about the secrets that can occur in the world of the clergy. Besides, they reflect the different superstitions that influence the thinking of people as opposed to the common sense that is supposed to be applied to find the truth. All of these devices are intertwined with each other and bring out the life in the plot of the story.
Conclusion
The book is a substantially interesting read that gives a glimpse into the tragedies that exist in secrecy and the importance of the truth. The ending, however, is traumatizing and confusing, but the writer brilliantly leaves the reader to explore the depths of the story. The literary devices were employed in a calculated way to put emphasis on the themes in the plot of the story that seeks to showcase the imperfections in a supposedly perfect world.
Works cited
Eco, Umberto, Umberto Eco, Richard Dixon, and William Weaver. The Name of the Rose. , 2014. Print.
Eco, Umberto, and Umberto Eco. Postscript to the Name of the Rose. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984. Print.
Eco, Umberto. Reflections on the Name of the Rose. London: Minerva, 1994. Print.
Haft, Adele J, Jane G. White, and Robert J. White. The Key to "the Name of the Rose": Including Translations of All Non-English Passages. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1999. Print.
Eco, Umberto, and Carlo M. Martini. Belief or Non Belief? London: Continuum, 2006. Print.
