A Candle in the Underdark

Drizzt Do’Urden is the famous dark elven character who stars in several novels and trilogies. He is the creation of the author R. A. Salvatore. The stories of Drizzt’s first adventures are set in the locale known as the ‘Underdark’. The Underdark is a land of twisting tunnels and vast caverns all underground. Drizzt’s home city, Menzoberranzan, is a city of ruthless and very evil dark elves. Somehow, Drizzt manages to be raised among such evil with a soul that is radiantly pure. Such a light of virtue survives the darkness only by being possessed by a hero of incredible swordsmanship and bravery. Drizzt eventually manages to make his way to sunlit lands where he continues his adventures to the delight of the readers.

Drizzt as a Symbol

While I have much to say regarding my analysis of Drizzt and the stories about him, I would like to start from some fundamental issues. The first issue that I feel ought to be addressed is that of Drizzt’s purity and innate goodness. The idea of an innate good that develops in the surrounding darkness is quite ancient. In the Bible, for example, we have Enoch who grew up among the evil people subsequently destroyed by the flood. Another example is the patriarch Abraham who was raised among heathen idol worshippers. Thanks to his unwavering faith in The L-rd was he able to succeed and even prosper against all odds. I tend to prefer equating Drizzt with Abraham since, like Drizzt, when Abraham abandons his country and his people it is only the beginning of the biblical story and the many adventures that follow, only serve to bring him closer to The L-rd.