This novel journeys through Paris, London, and just south of Edinburgh,
Scotland. The plot also makes reference to New York City and areas of
Spain. The plot occurs in the present day.
Robert Langdon
Robert is one of the novel's two protagonists. He is a professor
of symbology at Harvard University. He finds himself entangled in a murder-mystery
plot while on a visit to France.
Sophie Neveu
Sophie is the novel's other protagonist. She works for the Department
of Cryptology in Paris. She is the granddaughter of the Grand Master of
the Priory of Sion. Sophie embarks on a journey not only to find the Holy
Grail but also the truth about her family.
Sir Lee Teabing
Teabing is a former British Royal Historian who studies the history
of Christianity. He is an eccentric old man who has been crippled by polio.
He has spent his entire life searching for the Grail.
Jacques Saunière
Saunière is the Grand Master of the Priory of Sion. He
is also a prominent Parisian and renowned Louvre curator. The novel begins
with Saunière's murder investigation and revolves around uncovering
clues he left about the location of the Holy Grail for Sophie and Langdon.
Saunière raised Sophie after her parents died in a car accident
when she was a child. Saunière and his wife, Marie, decided to
separate the family after the accident because they believed it was orchestrated
by enemies of the brotherhood.
Lieutenant Jérôme Collet
Collet is Fache's subordinate. He wavers between thinking Fache
is a genius to suspecting Fache is making mistakes. Collet heads the investigation
at Teabing's estate.
Silas
Silas is an albino monk whom the Teacher uses to carry out the
murders. Silas is somewhat of a brute. He is not particularly intelligent
and he is very strong. He was abused as a child and ended up in prison
after murdering a sailor. Bishop Aringarosa saved Silas from starvation
after he escaped prison during an earthquake. Silas is an avid member
of Opus Dei and partakes in corporeal mortification (self-inflicted punishment).
The Teacher
The Teacher is the mastermind who was able to infiltrate The
Priory. He tricks Bishop Aringarosa, Silas, and Rémy into performing
his dirty work. He pretends to be French and communicates with Aringarosa
and Silas only through cell phone. His real identity is Sir Lee Teabing.
Bezu Fache
Fache is the police captain. Collet tells Langdon that Fache
is known as the bull; however, it should also be noted that fache
means anger in French. Whenever an author picks a name for a character
that has an alternate meaning, the reader should consider its implications.
In this case fache seems to be a direct characterization of Fache. He
frequently yells at the other characters and is certainly stern. Fache
successfully solves this crime but decides he will probably retire when
it is through.
Bishop Manuel Aringarosa
Aringarosa saved Silas many years ago when he was a simple Spanish
priest. When we meet Aringarosa, he is a powerful bishop in the United
States who is in charge of Opus Dei. The Teacher enlists the services
of Silas through Aringarosa and pretends to want twenty-million euro for
the Grail. It is possible that there is some symbolism in Aringarosa's
name. Aringarosa represents the Catholic clergy in this novel, those whom
Teabing views as traitors of the Grail because they want to keep it from
the public. In Aringarosa's name are the words ring and rosa, or rose;
thus Aringarosa, as clergy, wants to create a ring around the rose. As
we learn in the novel, the rose represents Mary Magdalene or the Grail.
Aringarosa represents the camp that wants to obscure the Grail from the
world forever.
Sister Sandrine Bieil
Sister Sandrine lives at the Church of Saint-Sulpice. She was
contacted by the brotherhood years ago and given a list of numbers to
call if anyone every came to dig up the rose line in the Church because
that meant the Grail was in danger. When Silas learns he has been tricked
and witnesses Sister Sandrine using the phone, he murders her in a fit
of rage.
André Vernet
Vernet is a personal friend of Jacques Saunière and the
president of the Swiss Bank in Paris. Initially, he assists Sophie and
Langdon in escaping from the bank. However, when he learns that three
other men besides Saunière were killed that evening he tries to
reclaim the wooden box which he believes Sophie and Langdon stole from
her grandfather's account.
Rémy Legaludec
Rémy is Teabing's manservant. Teabing has promised him
a large sum of money for helping him uncover the Grail. However, when
Rémy disobeys his orders, Teabing kills Rémy by taking advantage
of his peanut allergy.
Marie Chauvel
Marie is Sophie's grandmother and Saunière's widow. She
has lived in Scotland with Sophie's brother ever since the car accident.
Sophie is reunited with her in the plot's resolution.
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