Heresies in The Name of the Rose - Essay Example

Set in the year 1327 in a monastery north of Italy, the narrative was a mystery wherein a Franciscan monk, William of Baskerville tries to solve a series of killings in the monastery. As the story unfolded and William attempts to unravel the truth behind the murders, he inevitably came to deal with the Catholic Church's inquisition, through the office of Barnardo Gui, among other factors that illustrate the dynamics of heretical views as outlined by the Christian church during the Middle Ages.

During this period, anything that is considered an act of division wrought on the Catholic Church was considered heretical and was promptly persecuted. As with the case of the controversial killings in the novel, those that were perceived as threatening the purity of the church immediately invited inquisitors. Those personages, hence, such as the Fra Dolcino (d’Ossula) who taught ideas that deviate from the Catholic doctrine were considered heretics. In the novel, for instance, it was highlighted how the Aristotelian text cited by the Eco was considered heretic as the power of laughter in Aristotle's comedy was considered subversive.