Angels and Demons vs The Da Vinci Code: Similarities and Differences
At a superficial level there are a surprising number of similarities between
the two stories. The main character is the same: Harvard Symbologist Robert
Langdon, played by Tom Hanks. The backdrop to the entire story is once again a
secretive Catholic Church, which brutally suppresses those who threaten its
power, especially those who claim access to knowledge which is not
church-sanctioned.
In The Da Vinci Code, the threat to the church came in the form of
Langdon's rediscovery of a secret society that had preserved a true and
radically different account of the lives of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. In Angels
and Demons, the threat comes from an ancient secret society of scientists,
known as The Illuminati.
In both stories Langdon and a female companion race across Europe on a
treasure hunt, following clues hidden in art treasures, churches, and
catacombs, pursued by ruthless killers, and of course find their goal just in
the nick of time. (In the book, Angels and Demons even has a brilliant,
crippled, eccentric academic in the form of Max Kohler, who is reminiscent of
Sir Leigh Teabing in The Da Vinci Code.)
Both novels are undeniably well-crafted as page-turners, brimming with
excitement and intrigue, and while reception to the first film was cool, Angels
and Demons is garnering more positive reviews.
When The Da Vinci Code entered the public stage it was perceived to
be a plausible, and credible alternate history, i.e. as potentially
true, albeit in novel form. The author and publishers were apparently happy for
it to gain such a reputation. Since The Da Vinci Code revealed that all
modern-day Christians have been deceived as to the nature of Jesus, Mary
Magdalene, and much of church history, it's understandable that controversy
ensued. Many church leaders felt it necessary to respond to people who had
found the ideas in the book and film persuasive.
Notes
- Langdon is referred to as a Harvard 'Symbologist' but
there is no profession with this exact title. The field of Semiotics deals
with signs, symbols and their communication, but not within an exclusively
historical context.
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| Contributed by: Adrian Wyard
|
