Let me explain about the Solas/Shartan and Mythal/Andraste references on my part. I know there have been other theories that Solas was Shartan, etc, but that is not what I am referring to. I am going by the source book World of Thedas 2 which has whole extracts from the Chant of Light in it, including the dissident verses. In the preface to the Canticle of Shartan the author, who is likely a Chantry scholar and therefore wanting to downplay Shartan's importance even if the Divine wants to restore it to the Chant, explains that the authorship of the Canticle has never been determined and the first versions of it appeared in the Dales around -140 Ancient, some thirty years after death of Andraste and twenty five after the founding of the Dales. This would have been an oral tradition because very few elves knew how to write. The author then goes on to say that there are elements of the story that appear very similar to the earlier ancient elven folk tales. The author also suggests that there may never have been a single Shartan but that it was simply a title given to a number of rebel leaders.
So what I am saying is not that Solas was Shartan in real life; I'm sure that Shartan was a real person in his own right and did inspire a rebellion of elven slaves. What I am saying is that much of the story given in the Canticle may not actually be describing the events that Shartan was involved in. What is more likely is that Shartan himself used the earlier ancient elven folk tale as an encouragement to his followers and when the elves started arriving in the Dales, many of whom had not known Shartan personally at all or been involved in his struggle, the identity of Shartan became entwined with the story he had used to inspire his followers. The story stayed as an elven tradition until it was written down in the early years of the Chantry at the behest of Justinia 1, when of course Shartan was still in favour with the Chantry.
I for one would be very disappointed if the writers do turn round later and say that Solas was Shartan. Why does Solas have to be the only elf who ever stood up for elven freedom? I've never understood why the writers don't have the Dalish making more of Shartan but then it didn't make that much sense that my Dalish Inquisitor would not know about Ameridan (since Ameridan's own clan had apparently been publicising it for years) or the precise circumstances of what sparked the war with Orlais (someone had to have buried the Emerald Knights in the tomb and left the document there); sometimes the withholding of information makes the Dalish seem very stupid at not knowing it, when in fact it is just convenient to the plot to have them in ignorance.
As for Andraste being Mythal, that is a possibility, considering that Andraste was clearly in contact with some sort of spirit and was probably possessed by it. However, why would Mythal make up a whole history of the Maker that seems to contradict what actually occurred?
What is more likely true is that again an earlier history maintained in folk legend was later mixed up with the true history of Andraste. So the story of Andraste, who was a barbarian chieftain who led an army against southern Tevinter Imperium (never got further north than Nevarra), was betrayed by her husband and died when insisting on marching on Minrathous, was mixed up with an earlier memory of Mythal marching with her host against the other mage gods in the city of Arlathan, was betrayed by someone close to her (Elgar'nan?) when going to gain strength by a silver pool (lyrium stream?) and died. This was probably a story depicted on old elven ruins, that were taken over and repurposed by later humans and thus the characters in the story became human instead of elvhen. May be her disciples even thought the pictures were somehow a prophesy by the Maker of what occurred, many of them not having actually been there so unaware of the precise events.
I still find it hard to understand how the version of Andraste's march in the Chant is so different from the actual historical events. However, initially it would seem the only thing that was known was that Maferath betrayed Andraste, the Song of Betrayal being in circulation even before Hessarian publicised events. This was of course perfectly true, he did arrange for her to be handed over to the Imperium. However, the version that appears in the modern Chant only dates to -100 Ancient, some 75 years after the event and, if my theory about what occurred with the story of Shartan is correct, then more than enough time for other mythical elements to get mixed in with the actual account of events. No one in the modern Chantry seems unduly concerned that what is contained in the Chant bears no relation to fact, so may be the earlier disciples weren't that bothered either; the legend of Andraste had outgrown the real woman.
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