As noted in the article abstract, Umberto Eco's novel "The Name of the Rose," while ostensibly focusing on a murder that takes place in 14th-century Medieval Italy, deeply explores themes such as the power held by the church, sectarian wars, philosophy, the dominant worldview of the era, the production and distribution of knowledge, librarianship, and the dark Middle Ages of Europe. The novel, with its literary techniques, symbols, and plot, has garnered significant attention in academic literature and has been the subject of numerous studies on various topics. These topics include semiotic analyses, postmodern literary techniques and symbols, the questioning of scientific knowledge and reality, detective and murder plots, librarianship, mass media, the sociology of religion, the history of science, and the philosophy of knowledge.
Cansever's study differs from other works in the literature by analyzing the character relationships, plot, and other defining elements of "The Name of the Rose" using Foucault’s critical discourse analysis method, focusing on the relationship between knowledge, power, and subject. According to the findings of the study, in the novel's plot, the church maintains its legitimacy by controlling the production and distribution of knowledge. Libraries are depicted as structures that store and protect books, unlike today’s understanding. Within this context of knowledge and power relations, subjectivities are also produced. Moreover, Eco reimagines the relationship between the subject, power, and knowledge during the transition from a theocentric worldview to an anthropocentric worldview, conveying the initial steps of the Enlightenment process to the reader through allegorical discourses.
In conclusion, this study, which examines "The Name of the Rose" from a Foucauldian perspective, is thought to inspire future studies by revealing the complex relationship between knowledge, power, and subject. Future research might provide further insights by comparatively examining how different literary works or artistic expressions address this relationship.
We congratulate Res. Asst. Ayten Bengisu Cansever from the Communication and Design Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Istanbul Gelisim University and wish her a continued success.
