We encourage you to buy and read the full version of Umberto Eco’s book! But if you can’t, due to the Corvid 19 emergency, here’s Chapter 8 of our ‘Riassunto facilitato per studenti di italiano L2, da Francesca Colombo’, which corresponds approximately to pp. 467-503 of the original Italian version.
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Con la lampada, Guglielmo e Adso illuminano il volto di Padre Jorge. Il vecchio cieco ha sentito i loro passi avvicinarsi e li sta attendendo. Ha in mano il libro misterioso: è l’unica copia esistente del trattato di Aristotele sulla commedia.
“Sapevo che avreste risolto il mistero, frate Guglielmo. Siete dotato di grande intelligenza, non come i monaci dell’abbazia. Persino il bibliotecario Malachia era un incapace senza cervello, è stato ai miei ordini tutti questi anni, non ha mai mosso un dito senza il mio consenso…”
“Perché non volevate che nessuno leggesse quest’opera?” chiede Guglielmo, anche se conosce già la risposta.
Il vecchio fanatico spiega: “La risata è pericolosa, è un’arma potentissima e, poiché il grande filosofo Aristotele ne parla in termini positivi, tutta la cristianità si sentirebbe autorizzata a utilizzarla come strumento contro la logica, l’autorità e la fede! Non possiamo rischiare che si ridicolizzino le Sacre Scritture!”
Jorge offre il libro a Guglielmo, sperando che rimanga avvelenato. Ma questi ha le mani protette e sorride, mentre sfoglia il manoscritto: “Grazie Padre, per fortuna ho portato i miei guanti di pelle”.
Il vecchio si altera e, avendo percepito il calore della lampada di Adso, le dà un colpo facendola cadere. I tre rimangono al buio e solo Jorge, cieco, sa come muoversi nell’oscurità. Egli recupera svelto il libro e scappa.
Guglielmo e Adso perdono tempo prezioso per cercare a tentoni la lampada e riaccenderla, poi si lanciano all’inseguimento del vegliardo.
Jorge, che li sente arrivare, comincia a mangiare le pagine del manoscritto avvelenato come un cane rabbioso ed eccitato. Le pagine gli penzolano dalla bocca contratta in una smorfia di fanatica soddisfazione: in questo modo nessuno potrà mai leggerlo!
Quando Adso gli si avvicina per strappargli quel che resta del libro, il cieco afferra la lampada e la getta tra i libri della biblioteca. Le fiamme divampano e Jorge, masticando alcune pagine avvelenate, vi butta il manoscritto.
Guglielmo e Adso fuggono per non morire bruciati. Invece Jorge arde tra le fiamme insieme alla preziosa opera di Aristotele che non conosceremo mai.
Glossario
attendendo: waiting
trattato: treaty
strumento: tool
si sentirebbe autorizzata: would feel allowed to
ridicolizzino: mock
rabbioso: rabid
vegliardo: old
masticando: chewing
Esercizio
Abbina ciascuno dei seguenti termini presenti nel testo, con il suo sinonimo:
1. volto
2. attendendo
3. incapace
4. consenso
5. potente
6. ridicolizzare
7. vegliardo
8. bruciati
a. forte
b. approvazione
c. viso
d. deridere
e. carbonizzati
f. aspettando
g. anziano
h. inetto
Soluzioni | Back to Italian Literature page
Daniel says
Ciao Book-Clubbers and ‘benvenuti’ to the grand climax, the last forty pages or so of more than five hundred in total!
If, two weeks back, you made it up the slopes of the hill to the abbey and the beginning of the adventure, then well done. If you have kept turning the pages since then, then even better – extra well done!
Obviously, those of you who are reading the real book would be ill-advised to read today’s climatic ending. Eco did it so much better than our writer (and had a lot more space…) Personally, once I had reached this part of the story, I couln’t put the book down. Assuming you can contain your soul in patience for as long as it takes you to get to p.467 where today’s summary begins, you’re in for a treat!
Thanks to everyone who has commented on the previous seven ‘capitoli’. Comments continue to be welcome, though please be sensitive about SPOILERS. If you’ve already finished the book, as I have, do please go easy on details that might spoil the enjoyment for others.
On Friday, we’ll have a ’round-up’ article, to finish off the project. But if you’re not even close to finishing the story by then, no worries at all. Go at your own pace, just keep turning the pages!
Buona lettura, allora.
Chris says
How sad a world it would be if we couldn’t laugh!It definitely heated up there! A double whammy demise for the sake of fanaticism. No names so no spoilers! Understood the majority of the text ! Whoop!! Grazie come sempre Daniel.😊
Isabel says
Caro Daniel,
I would have loved to have read (or been able to attempt) the whole book but the riassunti was great for me at my level. Grazie mille !!. I loved all your introductions and read other people’s comments (apostrophe in correct spot? 🙂
What I found interesting is that reading in Italian has made me look more closely at English and good grief, it’s weird! The ordinary word ‘prayer’ for instance – I looked at it and it just looked totally wrong for a minute and I thought “where does it come from and why do we pronounce it the way we do?” Then I found a word in a history book I’ve been reading at the same time (I read a lot) “epicene” and at first I skipped over it as I often do when it doesn’t matter too much, but then I felt driven to find out what it was even though I sensed its meaning. (just a synonym for androgynous but I didn’t know). At other times however, when reading novels for pleasure, I jump over whole paragraphs if I find they look too dreary and don’t progress the plot. Note: noun used as verb.
Get to the point Isabel. Well, I do agree with you that the dictionary is not a friend to reading for pleasure and I have tried hard to leave it alone but then some words just do something to me and I can’t go on until I find out what a particular word means. So I’ve broken your rules a bit but usually not until I’ve read the riassunti right through without stopping and got the general sense of the story.
It would be great to read Pinocchio in Italian as a book club project if you really are suggesting it. I think I would have a much better chance of obtaining a copy of that in Australia, so that is one vote for it from me.
I do hope things improve soon for you and your family and for the beautiful Italia. In bocca al lupo.
Daniel says
Pinocchio is out of copyright so easy to find online, for free! We’ll be publishing (and selling, this time) an ‘easy reader’ version, at which point I’ll share the link to the original text as well, so people can choose. As regards ‘book-clubbing’ it, we’ll see how this one finishes, what the feedback is like. It’s a lot of addtional work, which I don’t mind if people value it, but otherwise…
Laura says
We definitely value it! I love this book club! I’ve never been in a book club before, and it has been so much fun!
Laura says
Isabel,
That happens to me, too, especially now that I’m learning Italian. I’ll look at a word in English and think it looks weird. Same thing happened when I was studying Spanish almost 20 years ago. Now the challenge is trying to remember how to spell all the Italian words that are so similar to Spanish words! Like probabile in Italian versus probable in Spanish! Or rispondere in Italian versus responder in Spanish.
Also, I think you got the apostrophe right with people’s, as “people” already means more than one, Any other feedback on that one? I’m a native English speaker, but never have been an English teacher!
Laura
P.S. Any feedback about using the word for female dog to refer to my female dog, as it also has other not so savory meanings?
Isabel says
Dear Laura,
Thanks for your reassuring reply. I learnt some Russian about 40 years ago (yes I’m that old) and every so often a Russian word will pop into my head instead of the Italian one I was desperately trying to remember so I don’t wonder that Spanish intrudes when you’re trying to spell Italian ‘cos, unlike Russian, Spanish is so very close to Italian.
About the female dog thing – perhaps it is like English in that when I tell someone about my dog. I’ll say something like “I love my dog but she’s a terrible thief” (yes she is) and you usually only use the English word for female dogs when discussing breeding (or swearing or complaining about someone).
I’m only a low Intermediate level with Italian and so we need to wait foe someone at a higher level to give a proper answer to your question.
Cheers,
Isabel
Lorna says
Ciao Daniel
Thanks from me too for the riassunti version which I coped with pretty well. Senza dizionario. Thanks for your advice on this too as I’m generally too lazy to look stuff up – and in fact to even do the exercises – so would study less if I had to…, well, study.
I read Name of the Rose in English years ago and liked it so much I even read it twice. That helped me understand the simple version and comments about the religious context from those reading the grown up version. And it has got me wondering if I could manage the unabbreviated book 🤔. Anyone got an old copy for sale?
I think it is the perfect balance of mystery and history with two highly appealing protagonists. I was entertained and engaged in the twists and turns of the drama and the religious power struggle. Every detail of the narrative is so well thought through by Eco and made fascinating. From the illustrations done by the monks to medieval views on women.
Grazie mille!
Raki says
Ciao a tutti!
Ho letto ogni riassunto e mi è piaciuta molto la storia. Il mio livello e solo A2, nonostante ho capito tutto. Grazie Daniel per aiutarci a imparare l’italiano.
Saluti dal Cile!
Pam says
Wow what an ending!! I have just finished reading the original. Ecco really knew how to stoke up the excitement .
Interesting to reflect on the theme of knowledge, who had it? Who should have had it? Should it have been ALL shared and if so by whom to whom ? Is knowledge Power?
Living without humour and laughter sounds like a total joyless existence. Lockdown would be much worse without being able to find some humour to lighten the often sad and frightening news. And imagine living in the closed society of the monastry without being able to chuckle at the foibles of your fellow inhabitants…..Phew!!!
Contrast to today where via electronic media all sorts of information, mis information and knowledge is available at a key stroke.
For those who are contemplating Pinnocchio as second text. It is available in italian from Project Gutenberg, both as an epub edition and a kindle edition.
minou says
For the sake of “no spoilers” i’ll postpone comments ’til tomorrow.
This has been great! Unexpectedly my italian has improved. so has my confidence in using it. Reading this book along w/ Daniel’s guides and the comments of all you other readers has re-kindled my joy of learning italian (otherwise engaged in solo, in rural U.S.) So i sincerely hope for a continuation of the book club — both Pinocchio and Calvino would be great.
A presto.
Lynne B says
I did it! Thanks to our lockdown here in New Zealand my university course was suspended so I had time to read Il Nome Della Rosa and keep pace with the release of the riassunti. For me the big plus (as well as the encouragement of seeing comments along the way) was having a reason to read every day which has been really useful in helping new vocabulary stick. My university course resumes next week so not as much free time but looking forward to the next virtual italian bookclub.
Mary says
Not quite there….but have read the “capitolo 8 riassunto”. (That probably messes up my chances of getting out of purgatory any time soon!) However I now find that the focus of my reading has changed and I am trying to spot clues that point to the guilty person/persons, not to mention noticing the false leads.
if we do read another book, I don’t mind whether it is Pinocchio or “Le città invisibili”. I would read the full version, but would buy the “riassunto” as well, (whatever the level) just to keep me on the straight and narrow and moving along at a respectable pace.
(Good luck with your onlineclub Skype lessons Laura…..just go for it!!)
Laura says
Voglio dire che ieri io ho letto tutto il riassunto di capitolo 8 senza l’aiuto del dizionario e ho capito tutto!!! Grazie mille, Daniel, per il tuo buon consiglio di leggere senza di esso!
Lynne F says
Ciao Daniel and all book clubbers.
Not quite finished yet but hope to do so by the end of the weekend. Reading is often a solitary activity and I have never been part of a book club before. but have enjoyed it, comments from others have certainly enriched my experience.. Many aspects of my Italian are benefitting from reading this book,
Thanks Daniel for this wonderful and worthwhile project.. I like the others have really appreciated your hard work and encouragement and look forward to reading the next book along with you all.
Rosalind says
Thank you very much for this project. I would never have tackled the whole book without it. Am still only at 45% on my Kindle (excuses : garden, general enjoyment of laziness).
It’s just occurred to me that I am creating my own labyrinth by being at three different levels of the story: reading the riassunti, by listening to the Fedcalmus production on YouTube and by slow reading on Kindle.
As a footnote we had our own dissidents in Corsica. They were the Ghjuvannali, from 1310 to the 1360’s when they were exterminated having been accused of all the sins listed by the abbate.
minou says
Rosalind — Grazie mille per la tua storia corsa!!!! Ne leggero’ di piu’.
Angela Turner says
Hi Daniel I’m not sure if you know how many followers you have who don’t comment, I’m one of them. I have really enjoyed reading il riassunto, trying very hard not to use dictionary, but on occasion have had to. I really don’t think I could tackle the full version yet though. I do hope and look forward to your next bookclub.
Daniel says
I’m not sure if you know how many followers you have who don’t comment
I’m not sure, but I’d estimate it to be in excess of 90%! Thanks for joining us, Angela.
I’d also take this opportunity to thank people who have been commenting regularly over the last three weeks. One person stands out – Laura – who has been unfailingly positive (unlike myself!) and has (like me) made a big effort to interact with other people so making the whole book club experience much more interesting and valuable. Thanks again to Laura, and to everyone else who has participated.
Rob Lee says
2 months later than Angela but I made it. I even read the postille as well. Am I on my own here but I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending. I suppose I was looking for a neat ending that tied everything together and answered all the questions and Eco obviously wasn’t keen to do that. I think I would have preferred it too if the story had ended with the 2 heroes as they descended the hill with the smoking ruins of the abbey behind them. It all felt a bit dreary and sad with Adso reminiscing from his deathbed. However the positives far outweigh all of that. I loved the themes of the story especially as my father-in-law always preached about the dangers of religious fanaticism, and I loved the way Eco could have you thinking he was crazy writing pages and pages of seemingly meaningless stuff eg the arguments about laughter in the library, and then it turns out to be central to the story. I also liked the historical details even though they chilled me to the bone at times.
I you are just finishing like me do let me know.
Thanks Daniel for your company along the way.