Professor Robert Langdon

Professor Robert Langdon is a professor of religious symbology at Harvard University. He is the main character of the novel as he tries to ensure that Kirsch’s scientific findings will be made public despite Kirsch’s assassination. Langdon is included on the guest list to Kirsch’s presentation because Kirsch was one of Langdon’s first students. Kirsch also uses part of one of Langdon’s lectures to introduce his presentation. In this lecture, Langdon described how early man had used gods to explain natural phenomena, like the ocean tides. When people learned enough about lunar cycles, they could understand the scientific reasons for the tides. Tney longer needed the gods and abandoned them. Kirsch used Langdon’s lecture to suggest once people learned their origins, they would also abandon God.

One of Langdon’s important roles in the novel is his place as a...