Rule of Saint Benedict
The Rule of Saint Benedict, composed in the sixth century, provides the normative structure for the abbey where the novel's events unfold. It dictates the division of the day into canonical hours—Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, Vespers, and Compline—each marked by prayer, work, and reading. The monks' lives are regulated by this schedule, which is described in the novel's prefatory note as a guide for the reader, though the text acknowledges that by the fourteenth century the original prescriptions were not observed with absolute precision . The Rule is not merely a backdrop; it is a living document that the characters invoke, interpret, and violate, making it a central point of reference for the abbey's identity and conflicts.
The Rule as a Framework for Monastic Life and Discipline
The Rule prescribes a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience, but its specific provisions on silence, labor, and reading are particularly relevant to the novel. The abbot, Abo, reminds William that the Rule forbids idle talk and laughter, quoting the tenth degree of humility: "not to be quick to laughter, as it is written: stultus in risu exaltat vocem suam" . This prohibition is a flashpoint in the novel's central debate about laughter, with Jorge of Burgos citing the Rule to condemn the marginal illustrations that provoke mirth . The Rule also governs the monks' work in the scriptorium, where copying and illuminating manuscripts is considered a form of prayer, and it regulates the library's access, with the abbot explaining that the library's secrets are protected by "iron rules" that have been observed for centuries . The Rule's emphasis on silence is repeatedly tested: the monks communicate with a finger alphabet during meals , and the cellarer, Remigio, notes that conversation about studies is permitted outside of the refectory and holy offices .
The Rule and the Tensions of the Abbey
The Rule is not a static code but a source of tension and interpretation. The abbot, Abo, uses his authority to adapt the Rule, allowing monks to have individual cells for nighttime meditation and permitting learned conversations, which he justifies as necessary for a community of scholars . This flexibility contrasts with the rigid enforcement of the Rule by Jorge, who insists on its literal application, particularly regarding laughter and silence. The Rule's prescription for a frugal meal is also relaxed at the abbot's table, where guests are served fine foods and wine, a practice that Abo defends by citing the Rule's allowance for the abbot to determine the monks' needs . The tension between the Rule's ideals and the monks' actual behavior is a recurring theme: the monks are supposed to be poor, but the abbey is rich; they are supposed to be chaste, but Berengar and Adelmo engage in an illicit relationship; they are supposed to be humble, but the library is a source of pride and intellectual ambition.
The Rule and the Crimes
The Rule's prohibitions are directly linked to the novel's central mystery. The prohibition against entering the library at night is violated by several monks, leading to their deaths. The Rule's condemnation of laughter is the subject of the debate that sets the plot in motion, and Jorge's fanatical adherence to this rule drives him to murder to protect a book that he believes would justify laughter and undermine the Rule's authority. The Rule's prescription for silence is also subverted by the monks' secret conversations and confessions, which reveal the hidden passions and conflicts that lead to the crimes. The novel's climax, the destruction of the library by fire, can be seen as a catastrophic failure of the Rule's ideal of preserving knowledge, as the very institution meant to safeguard learning becomes the site of its annihilation.
The Rule's Thematic Significance
The Rule of Saint Benedict in the novel represents the tension between order and chaos, discipline and desire, and the letter and the spirit of the law. It is a framework that both enables and constrains the monks' lives, and its interpretation becomes a battleground for the novel's central conflicts. The Rule's emphasis on humility, obedience, and silence is contrasted with the monks' pride, disobedience, and intellectual curiosity. The novel ultimately questions whether any rule, however sacred, can contain the complexities of human nature and the pursuit of truth. The final image of the ruined abbey, with only the name of the rose remaining, suggests that the rules that once governed this world have been consumed by the very passions they sought to control.
