A really new experience in reading an English fiction. I didn't understand the controversies this novel courted when released as movie, but now when read it I can make out why it ruffled the Christians. Normally I read about 50-75 pages in an hour, but when it came to this book I could go in snail pace only. Dan Brown packs too much of details in each line, page and contexts. Also the vocabulary is of somewhat high standards for me that I have to look at the thesarus often. The backdrop the novel is set in offers a high voltage experience. The author engrosses you deeply that you can't feel like keeping the book down till you complete. More than the controversies of Jesus' lineage, I think there lies the beauty of respecting the feminity in the novel. Also I can draw similarities between the early Hinduism and other religions. In fact after reading this novel, I could understand that the religious phenomenon in supressing the women was universal. Even if you are not a religous fanatic, there is enough suspense in "Da Vinci Code" to hold your attention.
It starts with the murder of a museum caretaker Jacques Sauniere getting murdered, and before dying he leaves a set of clues that lead to a chocking revelation. There are two main protagonists Robert Langdon, a Symbology Professor and Sophie Nevaeu, grand daughter of Jacques who in the process of unravelling the mystery gets to enlighten us about the evolution of Christianity, pagans and Vatican politics. There are also tonnes of news about the various symbols used in the religions, becoming the identity or carrying the messages. There is a superb twist in the end and the final password is simply jolting.
The best part of the novel is its close following with the Leonardo Da Vinci's works. For people who just see it as painting, his works are just average. Infact Dan Brown says the same as the thought of Robert Langdon. But the way Da Vinci used his paintings to impregnate with themes and secret messages to challenge the Vatican Churches are simply amazing. Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" is given a new context and the presence of 13th male member is argued.
The novel is a historican's delight with the following informations.
1. The role of Constantine in the shaping of the present day Catholic Church
2. The status of the sacred feminine in early Christianity
3. The role of Mary Magdalene in the life story of Jesus
4. The symbolism of the Rose Flower in the occult schools
5. The nature and importance of Fibonacci sequence as well as of PHI in Nature
6. The historical foundations of the Church Organisation
7. The Eminence and secret codes of Leonardo Da Vinci
8. The long suppressed historical aspect of Jesus the mystic leader
9. The role of women in the Church
10. The nature and role of clandestine organizations such as the Priory of Sion
11. The nature and role of the sinister organisdation the Opus Dei
12. The legacy of the Grail in European history
13. Theological controversy over the human-divine nature of Jesus the Christ
14. Role of symbolism in sacred literature
15. Conflicts over the succession of Jesus between Peter and Mary Magdalene
16. The theory that Jesus was the original feminist
17. The Status of Mary Magdalene as a descendent of the tribe of Benjamine
18. The theory of the bloodline of Jesus via Mary Magdalene in Europe
19. The alliance between Roman Emperors and the Popes in building Christendom
20. The historical crime of the Church in destroying knowledge about Jesus.
O.K.. Let us leave the details studies of intricate motif & scriptures and even the religious politics, crusades etc etc to the readers to enjoy for themselves.
{mosimage}
Dan Brown beautifully describes the evolution of religious bodies who in due course of time loom larger than the actual "Gods". The religions use allegories and metaphors to impart the message to the people, but after some time the metaphors become "Real" overshadowing the facts. In this case Dan Brown says that Christ might have been crucified in the cross but the incidents of resurrection, Jesus walking on the water are fictious to add an effect. This is to create a fear about the God so that people follow his teachings religiously.
I had read similiar incidents in Hinduism also. The Kanpur edition of Mahabharata, which is said to be unabridged version of Vyasa's work, speaks about the vehement arguements and refusals by Bheeshma, Dhrona and others that took place when Duryodhana tells Dushasan to strip Draupathi in public. But over the passage of time it was dramatised that Draupathi was stripped and Lord Krishna saved her chastity. Infact I would say that Hinduism has more distorted allegories than any other religion. Also it felt manipulated at the hands of selfish religious leaders who conveniently used it as a weapon to supress the people of lower caste and women.
Polygamy was prevalent in Hindu mythology with most of the Gods having more than one wife, Kunthi sleeping with "Pancha Boothams" to bear five sons, Draupathi being shared by five husbands, Lord Ayyappa a byproduct of homosexual affair between Lord Shiva and Vishnu. The land that treated sex in par with divinity has now reduced it to dark crevices of bustling lives.
Talking about women, initially they had been treated with respect and took active part in the religion. Examples being Gargi, Maithreyi in North India, Avvaiyar in Tamil Nadu. But slowly they were kept away from the religion showing the biological features like mensuration as reasons. With the Muslim invasion, where the ladies were not allowed to show their faces to strangers, that habit took another form and was followed in Hindus as using their "pallus" as veil.
The best part of the novel is its close following with the Leonardo Da Vinci's works. For people who just see it as painting, his works are just average. Infact Dan Brown says the same as the thought of Robert Langdon. But the way Da Vinci used his paintings to impregnate with themes and secret messages to challenge the Vatican Churches are simply amazing. Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" is given a new context and the presence of 13th male member is argued.
The novel is a historican's delight with the following informations.
1. The role of Constantine in the shaping of the present day Catholic Church
2. The status of the sacred feminine in early Christianity
3. The role of Mary Magdalene in the life story of Jesus
4. The symbolism of the Rose Flower in the occult schools
5. The nature and importance of Fibonacci sequence as well as of PHI in Nature
6. The historical foundations of the Church Organisation
7. The Eminence and secret codes of Leonardo Da Vinci
8. The long suppressed historical aspect of Jesus the mystic leader
9. The role of women in the Church
10. The nature and role of clandestine organizations such as the Priory of Sion
11. The nature and role of the sinister organisdation the Opus Dei
12. The legacy of the Grail in European history
13. Theological controversy over the human-divine nature of Jesus the Christ
14. Role of symbolism in sacred literature
15. Conflicts over the succession of Jesus between Peter and Mary Magdalene
16. The theory that Jesus was the original feminist
17. The Status of Mary Magdalene as a descendent of the tribe of Benjamine
18. The theory of the bloodline of Jesus via Mary Magdalene in Europe
19. The alliance between Roman Emperors and the Popes in building Christendom
20. The historical crime of the Church in destroying knowledge about Jesus.
O.K.. Let us leave the details studies of intricate motif & scriptures and even the religious politics, crusades etc etc to the readers to enjoy for themselves.
{mosimage}
Dan Brown beautifully describes the evolution of religious bodies who in due course of time loom larger than the actual "Gods". The religions use allegories and metaphors to impart the message to the people, but after some time the metaphors become "Real" overshadowing the facts. In this case Dan Brown says that Christ might have been crucified in the cross but the incidents of resurrection, Jesus walking on the water are fictious to add an effect. This is to create a fear about the God so that people follow his teachings religiously.
I had read similiar incidents in Hinduism also. The Kanpur edition of Mahabharata, which is said to be unabridged version of Vyasa's work, speaks about the vehement arguements and refusals by Bheeshma, Dhrona and others that took place when Duryodhana tells Dushasan to strip Draupathi in public. But over the passage of time it was dramatised that Draupathi was stripped and Lord Krishna saved her chastity. Infact I would say that Hinduism has more distorted allegories than any other religion. Also it felt manipulated at the hands of selfish religious leaders who conveniently used it as a weapon to supress the people of lower caste and women.
Polygamy was prevalent in Hindu mythology with most of the Gods having more than one wife, Kunthi sleeping with "Pancha Boothams" to bear five sons, Draupathi being shared by five husbands, Lord Ayyappa a byproduct of homosexual affair between Lord Shiva and Vishnu. The land that treated sex in par with divinity has now reduced it to dark crevices of bustling lives.
Talking about women, initially they had been treated with respect and took active part in the religion. Examples being Gargi, Maithreyi in North India, Avvaiyar in Tamil Nadu. But slowly they were kept away from the religion showing the biological features like mensuration as reasons. With the Muslim invasion, where the ladies were not allowed to show their faces to strangers, that habit took another form and was followed in Hindus as using their "pallus" as veil.
