Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose"

Book Review # 103320

English > Analysis
Literature > European (other)

An analysis of the themes of magic, desire and control within Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose."

1,581 words () | 7 sources | MLA | 2008 | United States

Published on: May 02, 2008

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the themes that are found within Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose." The paper focuses on the themes of the differentiation of natural and demonic magic, the danger of seeking knowledge and the control of knowledge. It also discusses Eco's ability to weave an engaging murder mystery together with a commentary on the society of 13th century Western Europe.

From the Paper:

"Though there are many themes found throughout The Name of the Rose, the three that are most thoroughly explored in the novel are the differentiation of natural and demonic magic, the danger of seeking knowledge, and the control of knowledge. These concepts are integral to life during the late 12th and early 13th centuries, as the introduction of texts in the 11th century had a massive impact on knowledge. With the works of scores of authors suddenly flooding a culture that contained thousands of people yearning for knowledge, the Church was forced to separate texts compatible with Christianity from those that were not. Umberto Eco uses the Franciscan abbey to represent an era in which certain knowledge is forbidden, and the murder mystery in his novel is simply an allegory for the conflicts that surrounded society during this time."

Sample of Sources Used:

Dales, Richard C. Scientific Achievement of the Middle Ages. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania: 1973.
Eco, Umberto. The Name of the Rose. Orlando: Harcourt. 1983.
Grant, Edward. The Foundations of Modern Science. New York: Cambridge University: 1996.
Kieckhefer, Richard. Magic in the Middle Ages. New York: Cambridge University: 1989.
Markowski, Michael. "Richer of Rheims: Journey to Chartes." The Medieval Source Book. 24 Mar. 2008. <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/richer1.html>.

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APA Citation:

Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" (2012, April 01). Retrieved May 24, 2012, from http://www.academon.com/Book-Review-Umberto-Eco's-The-Name-of-the-Rose/103320

MLA Citation:

"Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose"" 01 April 2012. Web. 24 May. 2012. <http://www.academon.com/Book-Review-Umberto-Eco's-The-Name-of-the-Rose/103320>