Daniel Dravot
Encyclopedia
Daniel Dravot is a fictional character in Rudyard Kipling
's short story The Man Who Would Be King
, subsequently made into a feature film
in 1975. In the film, he is portrayed by Sean Connery
.
. Travelling to Kafiristan
(in modern Afghanistan
) with the intention of becoming kings, the two make a very convenient discovery: the natives are in possession of the secrets of both the First and Second Degrees of Freemasonry, but not those of the Third Degree. Dravot puts on his Master Mason's apron, whereupon the natives recognise the Third Degree symbol as their own sacred symbol concealed on the bottom of a stone. As luck would (again) have it, the stone on which the symbol is engraved is the very stone upon which Dravot is then sitting. Dravot immediately declares himself "Grand Master
of All Kafiristan" and also Co-King of Kafiristan along with Peachey. The conspiracy is eventually discovered, and results in the deaths of Dravot. Peachey is crucified between two trees, and survives for a day. The natives see this, and let him go. He later returns, finds the narrator, and tells him the story of what has happened.
symbol of Freemasonry. The other key difference between the short story and the film is that Carnehan does not die in the film - both men die in the short story itself.
's novel Anno Dracula
(1992), Dravot appears as a vampire
who works for the Diogenes Club
during the time Count Dracula
rules Britain, and helps them hunt down Jack the Ripper
. He reappears in the World War I
-set sequel, The Bloody Red Baron
. In the second sequel, Dracula Cha Cha Cha, Dravot is said to be the vampire father-in-darkness of Diogenes Club agent Hamish Bond
(a reference to both characters being played by Sean Connery).
In the comics adaptation H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds and Scarlet Traces
Ian Edginton and D'Israeli, Dravot works for Dr. Davenport Spry, an official of the British government preparing for a counter-invasion of Mars
following the events of The War of the Worlds
. In the sequel, Scarlet Traces: The Great Game, it is said that Dravot died in the first major battle in the invasion, the Siege of Tharsis Ridge
. His son James is a major character.
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
's short story The Man Who Would Be King
The Man Who Would Be King
For the 1975 film based on this story, see The Man Who Would Be King "The Man Who Would Be King" is a short story by Rudyard Kipling. It is about two British adventurers in British India who become kings of Kafiristan, a remote part of Afghanistan...
, subsequently made into a feature film
The Man Who Would Be King (film)
The Man Who Would Be King is a 1975 film adapted from the Rudyard Kipling short story of the same title. It was adapted and directed by John Huston and starred Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Saeed Jaffrey, and Christopher Plummer as Kipling .The film follows two rogue ex-non-commissioned officers of...
in 1975. In the film, he is portrayed by Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
.
In the short story
In the short story, Dravot and co-conspirator Peachey Carnehan are members of the Third Degree of FreemasonryFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. Travelling to Kafiristan
Kafiristan
Kāfiristān or Kāfirstān was a historic name of Nurestan , a province in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, prior to 1896. This historic region lies on, and mainly comprises, basins of the rivers Alingar, Pech , Landai Sin, and Kunar, and the intervening mountain ranges...
(in modern Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
) with the intention of becoming kings, the two make a very convenient discovery: the natives are in possession of the secrets of both the First and Second Degrees of Freemasonry, but not those of the Third Degree. Dravot puts on his Master Mason's apron, whereupon the natives recognise the Third Degree symbol as their own sacred symbol concealed on the bottom of a stone. As luck would (again) have it, the stone on which the symbol is engraved is the very stone upon which Dravot is then sitting. Dravot immediately declares himself "Grand Master
Grand Master (Masonic)
In Freemasonry a Grand Master is the leader of the lodges within his Masonic jurisdiction. He presides over a Grand Lodge, and has certain rights in the constituent lodges that form his jurisdiction....
of All Kafiristan" and also Co-King of Kafiristan along with Peachey. The conspiracy is eventually discovered, and results in the deaths of Dravot. Peachey is crucified between two trees, and survives for a day. The natives see this, and let him go. He later returns, finds the narrator, and tells him the story of what has happened.
Film adaptation
The film is very true to the short story, but goes into less masonic detail. The different degrees are not mentioned by name. The identification of Dravot as a supposed god is made by the fact that he wears a pendant bearing a symbol, which is the sacred symbol of the Kafir natives. The symbol used in the film is not named, but is clearly shown, and is simply the Square and CompassesSquare and Compasses
The Square and Compasses is the single most identifiable symbol of Freemasonry. Both the square and compasses are architect's tools and are used in Masonic ritual as emblems to teach symbolic lessons...
symbol of Freemasonry. The other key difference between the short story and the film is that Carnehan does not die in the film - both men die in the short story itself.
Other works
In the English writer Kim NewmanKim Newman
Kim Newman is an English journalist, film critic, and fiction writer. Recurring interests visible in his work include film history and horror fiction—both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's Dracula at the age of eleven—and alternate fictional versions of history...
's novel Anno Dracula
Anno Dracula (novel)
Anno Dracula is a 1992 novel by British writer Kim Newman, the first in the Anno Dracula series. It is an alternate history using 19th century English historical settings and personalities, along with characters from popular fiction...
(1992), Dravot appears as a vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
who works for the Diogenes Club
The Diogenes Club
The Diogenes Club is a fictional gentleman's club created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and featured in several Sherlock Holmes stories, most notably "The Greek Interpreter"...
during the time Count Dracula
Count Dracula
Count Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler...
rules Britain, and helps them hunt down Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
. He reappears in the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
-set sequel, The Bloody Red Baron
The Bloody Red Baron
The Bloody Red Baron is a 1995 novel by British author Kim Newman. It is the second book in the Anno Dracula series and takes place thirty years after the former.-Plot:...
. In the second sequel, Dracula Cha Cha Cha, Dravot is said to be the vampire father-in-darkness of Diogenes Club agent Hamish Bond
James Bond (character)
Royal Navy Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR is a fictional character created by journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the main protagonist of the James Bond series of novels, films, comics and video games...
(a reference to both characters being played by Sean Connery).
In the comics adaptation H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds and Scarlet Traces
Scarlet Traces
Scarlet Traces is a comic story of the Steampunk genre, written by Ian Edginton and illustrated by D'Israeli. It was original published online before being serialised in 2002. A sequel, Scarlet Traces: The Great Game, followed in 2006....
Ian Edginton and D'Israeli, Dravot works for Dr. Davenport Spry, an official of the British government preparing for a counter-invasion of Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
following the events of The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds is an 1898 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells.The War of the Worlds may also refer to:- Radio broadcasts :* The War of the Worlds , the 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles...
. In the sequel, Scarlet Traces: The Great Game, it is said that Dravot died in the first major battle in the invasion, the Siege of Tharsis Ridge
Tharsis
The Tharsis region on Mars is a vast volcanic plateau centered near the equator in Mars’ western hemisphere. The region is home to the largest volcanoes in the Solar System, including the three enormous shield volcanoes Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons, which are collectively known as...
. His son James is a major character.
External links
- Details of Kipling's masonic career including a study of The Man Who Would Be King.