What are your thoughts on William of Baskerville in Il Nome della Rosa?

I would like to thank Luka Trkanjec for his previous answer to this question, which laid a solid foundation and inspired my perspective. Luka's contribution was masterful, covering many of the aspects that I did not want to focus on. However, rather than taking an antagonistic stance, I view my response as orthogonally complementary to his.

Reflections on Il Nome della Rosa

The novel Il Nome della Rosa by Umberto Eco has only ever been a personal favorite of mine, something I have read no less than four times. My first encounter was when I was 10 or 11, during a summer holiday in Miramar, a seaside resort in Argentina. My family was staying in a large stone house, and I had my own room for the first time. This was partially due to a tragic incident a few years earlier, when a boy had been murdered by corrupt police officers after witnessing a drug-dealing operation.

Initial Encounter with Il Nome della Rosa

At the top of my list of reasons for reading this novel so frequently is my father's influence. I was naturally curious, as my father was reading on the third day of the book, and I wanted to know what he was reading about. The story was so captivating that I read well into the night, unable to put it down. After a while, I began to realize that I was no longer fully comprehending the story, leading me to reread earlier sections and the prologue. The narrative became so real to me that I started to question whether the manuscript in the story was real or a clever manipulation by Eco.

The Magic of the Novel

For me, the characters and the world created by Eco in Il Nome della Rosa became almost life-like, much like how the characters in a good novel can transport readers into their own world. I approached the book with the mindset of a curious child seeking answers, rather than as a scholar. Thus, William of Baskerville (Guillermo) and his companions like Adso, Salvatore, and Jorge became real to me. The suspense, the secrecy, and the sense of adventure were so compelling that each character was like a friend or an ally, guiding me through the complex narrative.

The Role of the Author

Umberto Eco was a master storyteller, and his ability to make characters and settings come alive is one of the reasons why Il Nome della Rosa is such a powerful work. As I read more of Eco's other novels, such as Il Pendolo di Foucault, I began to see this hunger for storytelling in other protagonists as well. The character in Il Pendolo di Foucault tells the story of the Knights Templar in such a vivid, almost cinematic way that the reader is transported back to the 14th century, right into the middle of the battle.

Reflections on Semiotics and Storytelling

Many years later, after finishing more of Eco's works, I understood that he intended Il Nome della Rosa as an ironic commentary on semiotics. However, my enjoyment of the novel did not depend on my understanding of semiotics or any other academic interpretation. It was the enchantment of the story, the characters, and the world that drew me in. In stories like Il Nome della Rosa, the author becomes a mere servant to the narrative, as the characters take on a life of their own, redefining the story and the author's intent.

The Characters of Il Nome della Rosa

Within the novel, characters like Guillermo and Adso are not just mere figures but are complex, multifaceted individuals. Guillermo, in particular, is described as a great explorer rather than a skilled detective. His thirst for knowledge often leads to false deductions, but this is overshadowed by his role as a master of crime, a man who lets heretics go free and turns a blind eye to fornication. He is an anarchist in the most noble sense, a man with the power to question and change the world around him.

The World of Il Nome della Rosa

The world of Il Nome della Rosa is one where characters like Ubertino, Abbone, and Bernardo Gui are not just minor players, but are richly detailed and multifaceted. The Labyrinth, the central mystery, is not just a trap but a complex web of symbols and knowledge. Each character is an actor in a grand medieval play, where the settings and the events of the story become their own metaphorical arena.

The Legacy of William of Baskerville

Guillermo of Baskerville has had a profound impact on me, especially considering my age when I first encountered the story. He is a father figure and a big brother, a guiding force in my understanding of the world. I was deeply moved by his willingness to share his knowledge and experiences with Adso, his disciple, and the eventual loss of his mentorship during the plague.

Conclusion

Ultimately, each reader brings their own interpretation and understanding to Il Nome della Rosa. For me, it was a journey of discovery and imagination, where the characters and the story transcended the author's intentions. Like Primo Levi's powerful reflection on Se questo è un uomo, the characters in Il Nome della Rosa create a narrative that is both captivating and thought-provoking. Reading this novel, I found myself reflecting on the power of storytelling and the importance of letting characters take on lives of their own, whether in literature or in the real world.