[2Jedismom]

My personal opinion is that in that part of "Silmarillion", Tolkien is synthesizing: 1) the Biblical accounts of Eden, the Flood, and the exile of Israel; 2) Atlantis, along with the Greco-Roman story of Deucalion; and 3) the British legend of Avalon.

I picked up on the "Atlantis" part, but never thought to put others to it! Interesting! Thank you!

[Fedora]

> I picked up on the "Atlantis" part, but never thought to put others to it! Interesting! Thank you!

I'm glad to see someone else picked up on the Atlantis part :) Most of the other parts I missed the first time I read "Silmarillion", but recently I started rereading it and making notes on all the traditions Tolkien alludes to there, and those were some I noticed from that part of the book. That book is a very deep commentary on the relation between theology and myth, applying some ideas Tolkien advances in his essay on that subject, IMO. Anyway, seeing your reference on that made me smile :)