Intertextuality · English Literature

Umberto Eco’s 'The Name of the Rose' is frequently cited as a 'meta-intertextual' novel because:

  1. It is set in a library and woven from references to medieval manuscripts
  2. It was assembled by a computer using a vast database of literary phrases and idioms
  3. It deliberately contains no references to any other books in order to prove its originality
  4. It uses only illuminated pictures and diagrams to tell its story
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: It is set in a library and woven from references to medieval manuscripts

As a semiotician, Eco built the novel as an 'intertextual machine.' The plot revolves around a lost book by Aristotle, and the dialogue is often a patchwork of actual historical and theological texts.

Difficulty: Medium Question 5 of 20

Practice all 20 Intertextuality questions

Keep practicing

More Intertextuality questions