Intersection of History, Art, Architecture - Literature - A Study on Select Novels of Dan Brown

Oct 17, 2026

Dan Brown is a contemporary American author whose novels center on conspiracy theories while also functioning as systems of signs and symbols. His popular Robert Langdon series—The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Inferno, The Lost Symbol, and The Origin—employs real places, artworks, and architectural works to blur the boundary between fact and fiction. This study highlights prominent symbols in Brown’s writing and explains how they intersect with postmodern plot construction through intertextual and historiographic metafictional strategies.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Postmodern elements in Dan Brown’s novels

Robert Langdon and decoding symbols

Symbolic analysis across key novels

Angels and Demons

The Da Vinci Code

The Lost Symbol

Inferno

Origin

Fiction and history in postmodern narrative

ISSN: 2582-3574 SMART MOVES JOURNAL IJELLH Volume 13, Issue 12, December 2025 Intersection of History, Art, Architecture and Literature-A Study on Select Novels of Dan Brown Rohini R Research Scholar, Research Centre and Department of English V. V. Vanniaperumal College for Women Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, India [hinsrohini99@gmail.com](hinsrohini99@gmail.com) [Dr](Dr). T. Ganga Parameswari Research Supervisor, Department of English V. V. Vanniaperumal College for Women Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, India Abstract Dan Brown is a contemporary American author who is well known for his novels that revolve around various conspiracy theories. Apart from the conspiracy theories, Dan Brown’s novels also serve as an epitome of signs and symbols. Most of his novels, popularly called as the Robert Langdon series which includes The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Inferno, The Lost Symbol and The Origin are filled with numerous symbols and signs. These symbols are not independent icons of imagination rather, they are a part of History, Art, Architecture and Literature, that exist in reality. As he makes effective use of the real places, things and works, Dan Brown gives life to his world of fiction by diminishing the line between fact and fiction. This research paper tends to bring out the prominent symbols of Dan Brown and how they intersect with the plot of his postmodern fiction. Keywords: Post Modernism, Intertextuality, Illuminati, Architecture, Art Doi: 10.24113/smji.v13i12.11635 Received 23 October 2025, Accepted 25 December2025 1 ISSN: 2582-3574 SMART MOVES JOURNAL IJELLH Volume 13, Issue 12, Decebmer 2025 Literature of the Postmodern era, marked as works that were written after the period of World War II, are often characterized by certain elements namely Parody and Pastiche, Hyperreality, Metafiction, Intertextuality and Rejection of Grand Narratives. Dan Brown though a contemporary author, incorporates all the above elements of postmodernism in his novels. So far, Brown has written seven novels out of which five belongs to Robert Langdon Series. The listed novels in the serious are The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, The Lost Symbol, Inferno and Origin. All these novels are testaments of postmodern ideals and one can find the intersection of Art, Architecture, History and Literature harmoniously blended in them. The protagonist, Robert Langdon is a Symbology professor at Harvard University and the plots of all these novels are set in a way that, he has to decode or decipher some symbols of art, architecture and literature, either to discover some truths or to save the world from some disaster. In Angels and Demons published in the year 2020, Dan Brown puts forth the antitheological secret society Illuminati as the central symbol. Though the existence of Illuminati in the present generation is questionable, Brown uses Robert Langdon as his mouthpiece to explain about its origin and the possibility of existence. Also, he refers to Galileo, Copernicus and the plight of other scientists under the church to add credibility to his fiction. Apart from historical allusions, he also makes references of art and architecture in Angels and Demons such as Bernini’s sculptures, Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Archives, Santa Maria della Vittoria etc. In The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown employs ancient societies like Priory of Sion and highlights the biblical character of Mary Magdalene, to create a chaos in existing biblical claims. In additional he throughout this work used the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci as the symbols to reach the holy grail. Louvre Museum and Rosalyn Chapel to plays a key role in this novel. He also cites scientists, including Newton to give his work a touch of credibility. Since, ISSN: 2582-3574 SMART MOVES JOURNAL IJELLH Volume 13, Issue 12, Decebmer 2025 this work shook the base belief of Christianity through its plot and claims, it was banned in some parts ofthe world and is often highly c

FAQs

Which Dan Brown novels are discussed in the study?

The study focuses on The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Inferno, The Lost Symbol, and The Origin as the primary works in the Robert Langdon series.

What role does Robert Langdon play in these novels?

Robert Langdon is presented as a symbology professor whose plotlines require decoding symbols of art, architecture, and literature to uncover truths or avert disasters.

How does the paper connect Dan Brown’s symbolism with postmodernism?

It argues that Brown’s novels incorporate postmodern features such as intertextuality, metafiction, parody and pastiche, hyperreality, and the rejection of grand narratives, using real historical and artistic references to shape the fiction’s symbolic world.

Oct 17, 2026

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