The Name of the Rose

“Terce, in which William has an instructive conversation with the abbot”

After being shown to their rooms and eating a lovely meal, Adso, who is temporarily bunking with William, falls asleep in his niche of clean straw. When Abo arrives for the private meeting, he mistakes the sleeping novice for a "bundle," and thus Adso overhears their conversation with impunity. Here the reader learns of William’s past as an inquisitor, and his “reputation for great wisdom" (26). Having now abandoned that role, William is content to pursue God’s work in other ways, and Abo needs his help. A young monk, Adelmo of Otranto, has been found dead at the foot of the cliff outside the abbey and Abo asks William to investigate. William again displays his deductive powers, surprising the abbot with his prowess. It cannot be a suicide–the windows of the library are situated too high for someone to reach them easily, and also the window was not found open. The death appears to be a murder. Because the library is off-limits to all but the librarian and his assistant, and the servants would be too scared to defy this prohibition, Abo suspects a brother monk may be involved. He grants William free reign—except in the forbidden library—including the freedom to question servants and monks alike. The two men then discuss William's old friend, Ubertino of Casale, a revered Franciscan monk of advanced years who has now taken refuge in the abbey to escape persecution for his beliefs. William departs to visit with his friend.

“Sext, in which Adso admires the door of the church, and William meets Ubertino of Casale again”

After an extended description of the Church’s architecture, Adso and William meet Salvatore of Montferrat, an old monk who is an associate of Remigio's. This strange-looking man speaks an amalgam of Latin, Italian, French, and other languages from the many places he has lived. They converse, but Salvatore is startled by William's inquiries about his past and departs. They find Ubertino at prayer and the two old friends embrace affectionately. Here Adso interjects some of Ubertino's history as a member of “the Spirituals,” a movement of reformers who renounce worldly possessions in the tradition of Christ himself. Their fortunes waxed and waned, depending upon who was Pope, until Pope John XXII declared war against them. Many were sent to the Inquisition but Ubertino managed to obtain permission to leave his Order and was taken in by the Benedictines. Ubertino recounts the persecutions (real and imagined) he has encountered, and he and William debate various heresies and conflicts of the past. Of the mysterious death in the abbey, William says, "if you know something, help me," but Ubertino insists, "I know nothing…but the heart senses certain things" (65). The two men then proceed to discuss Ubertino’s fortunes, and the disputes both within the Franciscan order as well as between the many different Catholic orders. Despite these debates, the two men part on loving terms, and William and Adso leave Ubertino to resume his prayers.

“Toward Nones, in which William has a very erudite conversation with Severinus the herbalist”

The abbey’s herbalist, Severinus, greets the two men warmly and offers to show them around the gardens; he and William have a spirited and highly-technical discussion about herbs, both edible and medicinal, their healing properties and their dangers. (Some, for example, induce visions.) They also discuss the many great books written about herbology, a number of which are in the abbey’s library. In the midst of this cheerful talk, William abruptly begins questioning Severinus about the dead monk. He asks whether Adelmo ever had “visions,” which the herbalist seems to take as a slight about his improper storage of dangerous herbs (75). He mentions that Adelmo was close with Venantius of Salvemec and Jorge of Burgos, with whom he often spoke about his manuscript work. Hesitantly, Severinus also mentions Adelmo’s friendship with Berengar of Arundel, the assistant librarian, but he seems uncomfortable, so William changes the subject. He asks for a tour of the Aedificium. They walk through the kitchen, the barnyard, and a series of stables, making their way to the scriptorium.

“After Nones, in which there is a visit to the scriptorium, and a meeting with many scholars, copyists, and rubricators, as well as an old blind man who is expecting the Antichrist”

While climbing the tower to the scriptorium, Adso sees William examining the windows along the stairway, noticing that “their position would make it difficult for a person to reach them”(78). He notes that the refectory windows—the only ground-level apertures overlooking the cliff face where Adelmo’s corpse was found—are also inaccessible. Once in the scriptorium, Adso is struck by its majesty: it occupies the entire floor, with three large windows bordering the walls of the two longest sides, flanked by eight smaller windows on each of the five sides of the tower. The room is suffused with light, with each monk at work at his own desk. These monks are exempt from daytime prayers so they can work during daylight hours, with the brightest workspaces reserved for the antiquarians, the expert illuminators, the rubricators, and the copyists. They are greeted by Malachi of Hildesheim, the librarian. He attempts to be welcoming but Adso shudders “at the sight of such a singular countenance” (80). He introduces them to many of the monks and gives some background on their projects. William proceeds to question him and asks to examine some of the books. The librarian reiterates what Abo has already said: only he has direct access to the books, which he can fetch for William, “if the request [is] justified and devout” (81).

To the wonder of all, William places a small pair of eyeglasses on his nose and asks to see the library catalogue, which dangles from a chain around the librarian’s neck; William proceeds to grill him on its organizational principles, which Malachi describes. William asks to see Adelmo’s desk—rather suspiciously, Malachi directs them to the workspace, which has not been touched since his mysterious death. Upon first view, Adelmo’s illuminations elicit a “cry of wonder” from both William and Adso (85). The other monks, who have been listening, are drawn into the conversation, as everyone laughs and jokes while praising Adelmo’s skills. They are interrupted the “solemn and stern voice” of the elderly blind monk, Jorge of Burgos, who rebukes their “merriment” (87). Jorge notes that while the Franciscans tolerate gaiety, the Benedictines do not. A debate ensues about the virtues of artistic representation, which Jorge dismisses as “nonsense” (89). William defends artistic skill because it can illustrate both the good and the bad, which in turn enables human beings to withstand sin. But Jorge objects to this argument and condemns Adelmo’s work.

Here Venantius of Salvemec defends his brother monk, reminding Jorge of a similar discussion that took place two days before Adelmo’s death. He notes that Malachi and Berengar were there, as well as Benno of Uppsala. Jorge claims not to remember the discussion, and Berengar defends him, saying the elderly may be forgiven for forgetfulness. Venantius then takes Berengar to task for seeming to forget the discussion, especially with someone as “dear” to him as Adelmo. Berengar blushes “violently,” leaving the impression that all present are hiding something. As Malachi pulls Adso and William away, Adso notices Berengar looking at Venatius with “animosity,” while the latter stares back with “defiance” (92-93).

“Vespers, in which the rest of the abbey is visited, William comes to some conclusions about Adelmo’s death, there is a conversation with the brother glazier about glasses for reading and about phantoms for those who seek to read too much”

William decides to skip vespers, and instead he and Adso walk around the grounds. They wind up in the smithy, where they converse with the glazier, Nicholas of Morimondo, who is dumbstruck by William’s glasses; they discuss the lost art of glass-making. He then reveals that there are “strange rumors” about “a monk who decided to venture into the library during the night” to find a forbidden book (100). He says that, at night, the windows glow in the empty library as if lamps were lighted, prompting some to suspect ghostly visitations. After Nicholas departs, Adso queries William on these rumors. William declares: “there is something in the library and I don’t believe it is the souls of dead librarians” (102). Despite the prohibition not to enter the library, William suspects that many have tried—and are still trying—to do so. He suspects that Adelmo killed himself, based on the logistics (where the body was found, the difficulty of throwing someone out the high, inaccessible windows). They debate both sides of the question and agree that the monks “are all keeping something quiet” (103-04). They are also convinced there was some kind of “strange relationship” between the dead monk and the Berengar (104), whom they agree to watch carefully. As they head to dinner, a light snow begins to fall.

“Compline, in which William and Adso enjoy the jolly hospitality of the abbot and the angry conversation of Jorge”

In the refectory, William is given the honor of sitting at the abbot’s table, and for this first meal together, so is Adso, though hereafter he will eat with the monks. Malachi and Jorge are also at the head table. The Benedictine Rule requires eating in silence, so the monks communicate via sign language. Abo sometimes breaks the rule to describe the meal and praise the richness of the abbey’s produce. The Reading—made during the meal—extols the virtues of silence. Jorge revives his earlier arguments against merriment, insisting that “Christ never laughed” (108). A short debate ensues between Jorge and William, then Abo silences them to introduce William to all the monks. Abo praises his fame and wisdom. He also reveals that he has instructed William to investigate Adelmo’s death, and that they must cooperate with the investigation. But when William questions the abbot himself about how and when the doors to the Aedificium are locked, and how the librarian enters and exits, Abo becomes irritated. William concludes that “another door does exist, but we are not to know about it” (109). Secrets, it seems, are part of the life of the abbey. This idea is confirmed when Malachi enters Vespers from an unknown side door. William vows to investigate, despite the prohibition. His plan terrifies Adso.