the sixth era

The sixth era is a pivotal concept within the apocalyptic theology that permeates the world of the novel, drawn from the prophecies of the twelfth-century Cistercian abbot Joachim of Fiore. It represents the final stage of human history before the end of time, a period defined by the climactic struggle against the Antichrist and the ultimate purification of the Church. This framework is not merely a background detail but a living, driving force that shapes the beliefs, fears, and actions of several central characters, particularly the blind librarian Jorge of Burgos and the Spiritual Franciscan Ubertino of Casale.

The Joachimite Framework and the Sixth Era

According to the doctrine expounded by Ubertino, the sixth era is the epoch in which the Antichrist is prophesied to appear. This era follows the fifth, which was inaugurated by Saint Francis of Assisi, who received the stigmata as a sign of a new age of spiritual renewal. The sixth era is thus a time of both great tribulation and the final revelation of divine truth. Ubertino, in a state of holy frenzy, explains to Adso that the abbot Joachim spoke the truth: "We have reached the sixth era of human history, when two Antichrists will appear, the mystic Antichrist and the Antichrist proper." This belief is not a passive expectation but an active lens through which contemporary events are interpreted. Ubertino identifies the late Pope Boniface VIII as the mystic Antichrist and Pope Benedict XI as the Antichrist proper, though he later admits his calculations were wrong and that they are still awaiting the Angelic Pope. This apocalyptic timeline provides a cosmic justification for the conflicts tearing the Church apart, framing the struggle between the Papacy and the Franciscan Spirituals as a battle in a divine drama.

The Sixth Era and the Corruption of the Church

The sixth era is characterized by a profound sense of decay and corruption within the Church, a theme that resonates throughout the novel. Ubertino laments that the Church has been "transformed into harlot, weakened by luxury, she roils in lust like a snake in heat!" This corruption is seen as a direct sign that the Antichrist is at hand. The political and religious turmoil of the early fourteenth century—the conflict between Pope John XXII and Emperor Louis the Bavarian, the persecution of the Spiritual Franciscans, and the rise of heretical movements like the Dolcinians—are all interpreted within this apocalyptic framework. The abbey itself, with its hidden library and forbidden book, becomes a microcosm of this decaying world, a place where the pride of knowledge and the lust for power have led to murder and destruction. Jorge of Burgos, in his sermon on the Antichrist, explicitly links the events within the abbey to the broader signs of the times, warning that the Antichrist is already at work, and that the monks' pride and curiosity are part of his plan.

The Sixth Era and the Struggle for the Book

The central conflict of the novel—the struggle over Aristotle's lost book on comedy—is deeply intertwined with the apocalyptic expectations of the sixth era. Jorge believes that the book, which argues for the value of laughter, is a dangerous tool that could undermine the fear of God, which he sees as the foundation of all order and faith. He fears that if laughter were to be elevated to a philosophical principle, it would destroy the very basis of the Church's authority and usher in the reign of the Antichrist. His actions, including the poisoning of the book and the murder of those who seek it, are driven by a desperate, fanatical belief that he is acting as the hand of God to prevent this catastrophe. In the final confrontation, Jorge declares that he has been protecting the library for forty years, and that his duty was to guard the book. He sees himself as a defender of the divine order against the forces of chaos that the sixth era has unleashed.

The Collapse of the Apocalyptic Pattern

Despite the powerful influence of the sixth-era narrative, the novel ultimately subverts it. William of Baskerville, the rational detective, initially believes that the series of murders follows the pattern of the seven trumpets of the Apocalypse. However, he later realizes that this pattern was a false construct, a coincidence that he imposed on the events. He confesses to Adso, "I arrived at Jorge through an apocalyptic pattern that seemed to underlie all the crimes, and yet it was accidental." The murders were not part of a divine plan but the result of human passions—jealousy, fear, lust, and fanaticism. The fire that destroys the library is not a divine judgment but the direct consequence of Jorge's desperate act of eating the book and knocking over the lamp. The novel thus critiques the very apocalyptic thinking it dramatizes, suggesting that the search for a grand, cosmic order can be a dangerous illusion that blinds people to the messy, contingent reality of human actions. The sixth era, as a concept, is shown to be a powerful but ultimately misleading narrative that leads to destruction rather than salvation.