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Chapter 55
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Da Vinci Code, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Conspiracies and Secrets
Art and Symbolism
Faith vs. Knowledge
Sacred Femininity and Revisionist History
Power and Manipulation
Summary
Analysis
Langdon expounds on Teabing’s claim that the Grail is a person—a woman. He draws the ancient symbols for male and female: two lines connected to form an upward point for male and the same icon inverted for female. The male symbol is phallic, while the female symbol—shaped like a woman’s womb—is also called a chalice. Langdon claims that the chalice in Grail lore actually refers to sacred womanhood. The early Church recast women as sinners rather the givers of life to promote male dominance. While the Grail is a symbol of the lost sacred feminine, it also refers to a specific person who Da Vinci painted. Elsewhere, Teabing’s butler, Rémy, watches a news report on his employer’s two visitors.
Langdon jumps in to support Teabing’s claim with symbolic evidence. Since the symbol for femininity is also known as the chalice, it’s possible (in his opinion) for the legend of the Holy Grail to actually be referring to the concept of sacred womanhood, which, according to him and Teabing, faded out of popular acceptance as male-dominated Christianity rose to power. In other words, the divine feminine (the true Grail) is what has been lost. In addition to this metaphorical disappearance, Langdon and Teabing also argue that the Grail legend refers to a specific woman who Da Vinci allegedly painted. Rémy becomes aware that Sophie and Langdon are fugitives, making it likely their cover is about to be blown.
Active
Themes
