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'''Atlantis-haunting''' or  '''Atlantic complex''' refers to [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s recurring dreams of the city of Atlantis being consumed by the ocean.
[[File:Matěj Čadil - Atalante.jpg|thumb|''Atalante'' by [[Matěj Čadil]]]]
{{quote|This legend or myth or dim memory of some ancient history has always troubled me. In sleep I had the dreadful dream of the ineluctable Wave, either coming out of the quiet sea, or coming in towering over the green inlands. It still occurs occasionally, though now exorcized by writing about it. It always ends by surrender, and I awake gasping out of deep water. I used to draw it or write bad poems about it.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Letter 257]]}}
'''Atlantis-haunting''' or  '''Atlantic complex''' refers to [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s recurring dreams of the city of an island being consumed by the ocean.


It was this dream that inspired the story of the [[Downfall of Númenor]]. In [[The Lord of the Rings]], the Professor transfers his dream to [[Faramir]] who dreams of the Downfall of Númenor. Tolkien believed his dream may have been passed down from his parents as his son, [[Michael Tolkien|Michael]], had similar dreams and Tolkien had never mentioned it to him.
==History==
{{blockquote|This legend or myth or dim memory of some ancient history has always troubled me. In sleep I had the dreadful dream of the ineluctable Wave, either coming out of the quiet sea, or coming in towering over the green inlands. It still occurs occasionally, though now exorcized by writing about it. It always ends by surrender, and I awake gasping out of deep water. I used to draw it or write bad poems about it.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Letter 257]]}}


==References==
It was this dream that inspired the story of the [[Downfall of Númenor]]. In ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', the Professor transfers his dream to [[Faramir]] who dreams of the Downfall of Númenor. Tolkien believed his dream may have been passed down from his parents as his son, [[Michael Tolkien|Michael]], had similar dreams while Tolkien had never mentioned it to him.
* [[The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide]]
 
In the 1930's, Tolkien began a challenge with [[C.S. Lewis]] which resulted to a "time travel" story, ''[[The Lost Road]]'';<ref>{{LR|Early}}</ref> he completed only four chapters, two of which take place in Atlantis, then known as [[Númenor]]. The story takes into account "the traditions of the North Sea concerning the coming of corn and culture heroes, ancestors of kingly lines, in boats"<ref>{{L|257}}</ref> and father-son pairs who share the names of [[Eädwine]] and [[Ælfwine]] through several versions and cognates.
 
Around that time, he developed [[The Fall of Númenor|his own retelling]] of the legend of Atlantis, importing elements from his [[The Book of Lost Tales|earlier]] [[legendarium]] notably the villain character of [[Thû]]/[[Sauron]] from it, who was responsible for [[Downfall of Númenor|its Downfall]].  
 
In [[1945]] Tolkien revisited similar concepts and attempted to write the novel ''[[The Notion Club Papers]]''; there, a character named [[Alwin Arundel Lowdham]] experiences lucid dreams about Atlantis, which he shares with the [[Notion Club]]; through these dreams, he discovers much about the story of Númenor, and that he is a "reincarnation" of [[Elendil]].


==See also==
==See also==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantis Atlantis at Wikipedia]
*[[The Lost Road]]
*[[The Notion Club Papers]]
 
==External links==
* {{WP|Atlantis}}
 
{{References}}
*<small>[[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]], ''[[The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide]]''</small>


[[Category:Mythology]]
[[Category:Mythology]]
[[Category:The Notion Club Papers]]

Revision as of 17:48, 16 March 2021

Atalante by Matěj Čadil

Atlantis-haunting or Atlantic complex refers to J.R.R. Tolkien's recurring dreams of the city of an island being consumed by the ocean.

History

This legend or myth or dim memory of some ancient history has always troubled me. In sleep I had the dreadful dream of the ineluctable Wave, either coming out of the quiet sea, or coming in towering over the green inlands. It still occurs occasionally, though now exorcized by writing about it. It always ends by surrender, and I awake gasping out of deep water. I used to draw it or write bad poems about it.
J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 257

It was this dream that inspired the story of the Downfall of Númenor. In The Lord of the Rings, the Professor transfers his dream to Faramir who dreams of the Downfall of Númenor. Tolkien believed his dream may have been passed down from his parents as his son, Michael, had similar dreams while Tolkien had never mentioned it to him.

In the 1930's, Tolkien began a challenge with C.S. Lewis which resulted to a "time travel" story, The Lost Road;[1] he completed only four chapters, two of which take place in Atlantis, then known as Númenor. The story takes into account "the traditions of the North Sea concerning the coming of corn and culture heroes, ancestors of kingly lines, in boats"[2] and father-son pairs who share the names of Eädwine and Ælfwine through several versions and cognates.

Around that time, he developed his own retelling of the legend of Atlantis, importing elements from his earlier legendarium notably the villain character of Thû/Sauron from it, who was responsible for its Downfall.

In 1945 Tolkien revisited similar concepts and attempted to write the novel The Notion Club Papers; there, a character named Alwin Arundel Lowdham experiences lucid dreams about Atlantis, which he shares with the Notion Club; through these dreams, he discovers much about the story of Númenor, and that he is a "reincarnation" of Elendil.

See also

External links

References