The Fall of Númenor: Tolkien’s Atlantis Myth
A Comparative Study of the Akallabêth and Plato’s Legend.
This guide offers a deep analysis of the parallels between the Downfall of Númenor and the classical myth of Atlantis for students of literature and mythology.
Order Comparative EssayThe Drowning of an Island Kingdom
In a university seminar, a professor asked, “Why does Middle-earth feel so much more real than other fantasy worlds?” The question stumped me. It wasn’t just the maps or the appendices; it was something deeper. The answer, I discovered, lies in a dense but brilliant essay Tolkien wrote in 1939 called “On Fairy-Stories.”
This guide is for students analyzing this powerful literary connection. Tolkien himself admitted the “germ of the legend” of Númenor was his desire to create his own version of the Atlantis myth. But his retelling is not a simple copy; it is a profound re-imagining, filtered through his unique theological and mythological lens. Comparing Plato’s philosophical tale with Tolkien’s “theological” history reveals a masterclass in the art of sub-creative world-building.
The Source Myth: Plato’s Atlantis
The story of Atlantis comes to us from two of Plato’s dialogues, *Timaeus* and *Critias*. It describes a powerful and advanced naval power located on an island beyond the Pillars of Hercules. Atlantis was a marvel of engineering, with concentric rings of land and water, and was ruled by kings descended from the god Poseidon. For generations, they were virtuous, but their divine nature became diluted, and they grew filled with “unrighteous avarice and power.” They waged an unjust war against Athens, and as a punishment from the gods, the island was destroyed in a single day and night of fire and earthquakes, sinking into the sea.
Tolkien’s Retelling: The Akallabêth
Tolkien’s version is the *Akallabêth* (“The Downfallen” in Quenya), which chronicles the history of Númenor in the Second Age. The island of Númenor, shaped like a five-pointed star, was raised from the sea by the Valar as a gift to the Edain, the Men who had aided the Elves in the war against Morgoth. The Númenóreans were blessed with long life, wisdom, and great skill, and they became the most powerful mariners in the world. However, they were forbidden by the Valar from sailing so far west that they could see the Undying Lands. Over time, they began to resent this “Ban of the Valar” and grew obsessed with their own mortality, culminating in the last king, Ar-Pharazôn, being corrupted by Sauron and launching a great armada against Valinor to seize immortality by force. In response, Eru Ilúvatar (the one God) reshaped the world, drowning Númenor and making the Undying Lands forever unreachable by mortal men.
Direct Parallels: A Shared Blueprint
The Gifted Island Kingdom
Both Atlantis and Númenor are magnificent islands raised from the sea, gifted to a special race of men with a partial divine or semi-divine lineage.
The Sin of Hubris
The downfall of both civilizations is caused by hubris. The Atlanteans are overcome by greed and unjust ambition. The Númenóreans are consumed by pride and the desire to overcome their mortality.
The Forbidden Act
Both civilizations commit a great transgression. The Atlanteans launch an unjust war against Athens. The Númenóreans, in their ultimate act of defiance, break the Ban of the Valar and sail to the Undying Lands.
The Cataclysmic Destruction
The punishment is identical: a world-altering cataclysm of earthquakes and floods that sinks the island beneath the waves, wiping it from the face of the earth.
The Remnant of Survivors
In both tales, a small remnant survives to carry on the memory of the lost civilization. Plato’s story is said to have been passed down through Egyptian priests. In Tolkien’s legendarium, Elendil and his sons, “the Faithful,” escape the destruction and found the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor in Middle-earth.
Thematic Divergence: Philosophy vs. Theology
While the plots are parallel, Tolkien’s Christian worldview fundamentally changes the story’s meaning. As explored in publications like the Journal of Tolkien Research, this theological reframing is key to his work.
Plato’s Political and Moral Fable
Plato’s Atlantis is a philosophical fable. It is a cautionary tale about the corruption of an ideal state and serves as a foil to his description of an idealized ancient Athens. The punishment comes from “the gods” in a polytheistic sense.
Tolkien’s Theological Fall
Tolkien’s Númenor is a theological tragedy. The fall is not just a moral failing but a religious one—a direct rebellion against the divine order established by the one God, Eru Ilúvatar. Sauron’s role is that of a tempter, a satanic figure who preys on the Númenóreans’ fear of death to turn them against their creator.
The Legacy of the Downfall in the Third Age
The shadow of Númenor looms large over the events of The Lord of the Rings. The great statues at the Argonath, the White Tree of Gondor, the Seeing Stones (palantíri), and the very lineage of Aragorn all trace back to the survivors of the Downfall. The greatness and the sorrow of Gondor are a direct inheritance from its Númenórean past. Sauron’s hatred for the “Men of the West” is fueled by his humiliation during the Downfall, where his physical body was destroyed.
Our Literature & Mythology Experts
Our writers can help you craft a nuanced comparative analysis of Tolkien’s work and its classical sources.
Zacchaeus Kiragu
Literature & History
With expertise in comparative literature and classical history, Zacchaeus can guide students in structuring a powerful essay on Númenor and Atlantis.
Julia Muthoni
Communication & Narrative Structure
Julia excels at analyzing thematic shifts and can help you deconstruct how Tolkien transformed Plato’s philosophical fable into a theological tragedy.
Student Feedback
“I had to write a paper on Númenor and Atlantis. This guide was the perfect roadmap, and my writer helped me find sources on Plato’s original dialogues.”
– Maria G., Literature Student
“The distinction between the philosophical and theological purpose of the myths was the core of my thesis. My expert helped me explore this divergence in detail.”
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“I never realized how much of Gondor’s history was tied to Númenor. This guide gave me a much deeper appreciation for the books.”
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Númenor & Atlantis FAQs
Did Tolkien explicitly say Númenor was his version of Atlantis?
Yes. In his letters (specifically Letter 154 and Letter 227), he refers to his “Númenórean legend and myth” as his personal contribution to the Atlantis legend, calling it a “variation on a historic theme.”
Where can I read the full story of the Fall of Númenor?
The complete story is told in the section titled *Akallabêth* within **The Silmarillion**. A more detailed, albeit unfinished, version can also be found in Tolkien’s *Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth*.
What does “Akallabêth” mean?
“Akallabêth” is a term in Tolkien’s invented language of Adûnaic, the speech of Númenor. It means “The Downfallen.” The Elvish (Quenya) name for the story is *Atalantë*, which means “the downfallen” and is Tolkien’s deliberate, linguistic nod to “Atlantis.”
A Myth Reimagined
Tolkien’s retelling of the Atlantis myth is a prime example of his genius. He took a classical theme of pride and punishment and transformed it into a deeply theological tragedy that serves as the historical bedrock for the epic conflict in The Lord of the Rings.
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