novel
The Novel
Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose (1980) unites a gripping murder mystery with questions of faith, reason, knowledge and power. Set in a Benedictine abbey in 1327, the story follows Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and his young companion Adso of Melk as they investigate a series of mysterious deaths.
Main Characters
Four unforgettable figures at the heart of the abbey’s mystery
William of Baskerville
A perceptive Franciscan friar whose logic and observation challenge fear and superstition.
Adso of Melk
A young novice who accompanies William and recounts the extraordinary events of the abbey.
Jorge of Burgos
An elderly, blind monk whose uncompromising convictions shape the abbey’s conflict.
Salvatore
An enigmatic monk with a remarkable mixture of languages and a troubled past.
Symbols & Mysteries
A world of hidden meanings, where nothing is as it seems
The Labyrinthine Library
A maze of knowledge, where books can be dangerous.
Forbidden Knowledge
Who decides which ideas may be read?
Faith Versus Reason
A powerful tension at the heart of the novel.
The Manuscripts
Words can illuminate, conceal, or destroy.
Step into the mystery and explore the abbey yourself.