Berengar of Arundel
Berengar of Arundel, the assistant librarian of the abbey, is a young monk whose pale, nervous face and eyes "like those of a lascivious woman" mark him as a figure consumed by hidden passions. As Malachi of Hildesheim's subordinate, he has privileged access to the library's secrets, a position he exploits not for scholarly devotion but for personal gratification. His role in the story is that of a catalyst: his actions—revealing the secret of the finis Africae, his illicit relationship with Adelmo of Otranto, and his theft of the forbidden book—set in motion the chain of murders that he himself cannot escape. Berengar is both a perpetrator and a victim, a man whose desires make him a tool for others and ultimately lead to his own destruction.
Identity and Introduction
Berengar is introduced in the scriptorium during the debate on laughter, where his interjection—urging respect for Jorge of Burgos's failing memory—reveals his nervous, sycophantic nature. His face is described as pale, and his eyes betray a "lascivious" quality that immediately marks him as a figure of suspicion. As the assistant librarian, he is Malachi's right hand, responsible for the daily operations of the scriptorium and the library. This position gives him knowledge of the library's layout and its forbidden zones, including the finis Africae, the secret room where the most dangerous books are kept. His access is not merely administrative; it is a source of power that he uses to barter for what he desires.
Arc Through the Plot
Berengar's trajectory is one of escalating transgression and fear. He first appears as a minor figure, but his role becomes central when Benno of Uppsala reveals that Berengar used the secret of the finis Africae to seduce Adelmo. The night before Adelmo's suicide, Berengar and Adelmo are seen together in the dormitory; afterward, Adelmo rushes to confess to Jorge, and Berengar is left trembling in the cemetery. When Venantius of Salvemec begins investigating the same secret, Berengar's fear grows. He steals the forbidden book from Venantius's desk, and when William and Adso pursue him, he snatches William's precious lenses. His final act is to seek refuge in the balneary, where he drowns, his body discovered naked in a bath, his fingers and tongue blackened by the poison that had already killed Venantius.
Relationships and Conflict
Berengar's most significant relationship is with Adelmo, whom he seduces by offering the secret of the finis Africae. Benno reports that Berengar "proposed a vile barter" and that Adelmo consented "as if with relief." This transaction is not merely carnal; it is an exchange of knowledge for physical pleasure, a corruption of the library's sacred trust. Berengar is also bound to Malachi, his superior, who is rumored to have a "strange relationship" with him. When the cellarer Remigio of Varagine is arrested, he desperately appeals to Malachi, shouting, "You swear, and I swear!"—a sign that Berengar's secrets are entangled with those of others. His conflict with Venantius is direct: Venantius, having learned the secret from Adelmo, becomes a rival for the forbidden book, and Berengar's theft of it sets the stage for his own death.
Change and Ending
Berengar's arc ends in the balneary, where he drowns after ingesting the poison that had been smeared on the pages of the forbidden book. His body is found naked, swollen, and flaccid, a grotesque parody of the beauty he once sought. The blackened fingers and tongue confirm that he, like Venantius, touched and tasted the poisoned pages. His death is not a murder in the conventional sense; it is the consequence of his own greed and lust, a self-inflicted punishment for his transgressions. William of Baskerville notes that Berengar "heated the water, filled the bath, and lain in it of his own free will," suggesting that his death was a desperate attempt to calm the agitation caused by his theft and the fear of discovery. In the end, Berengar is a figure of pathos, a man undone by his own desires and the machinations of Jorge, who used the poison to protect the library's darkest secret.
Thematic Significance
Berengar embodies the novel's central theme of the corruption of knowledge. His position as assistant librarian should make him a guardian of wisdom, but instead he uses his access for personal gain, bartering secrets for sexual favors. His death by poison—a substance that kills through the very act of reading—is a literalization of the idea that forbidden knowledge is deadly. Berengar's story also illustrates the destructive power of lust, both carnal and intellectual. His desire for Adelmo and his curiosity about the finis Africae are two sides of the same coin, both leading to his ruin. In the end, Berengar is a warning: the pursuit of knowledge without virtue, and the use of secrets for personal gratification, can only end in destruction.
