Tolkien & The Apocalypse

[Lalwendë]

I was reading the other day about how the year 2012 is said by some to be when the world will end, based on the end of the 'long count' of the Mayan calendar. Of course, there have been many such claims that the world will end on 'such-and-such a date', and they always end up not to be true (thankfully). Still, even though I am not alone in finding a bit of dark humour in such claims, they also give me a little thrill of fear, thinking 'what if they are right?!'.

So I decided to look into what was said on the 'net about the year 2012. Strangely enough, there are a few cultural references aside from the esoteric ones. 2012 according to X Files mythology is when the aliens take over the planet. It is also when the lone Dalek is found - as seen in the last series of Doctor Who. But to get to my point, Tolkien too makes a reference to this year, as it is when The Notion Club Papers are found!

I have no knowledge of whether Tolkien would have known of the Mayan prophecies and I suspect he would not have given them that much serious thought if he had, so I found this information merely diverting. Yet, in the Notion Club papers, written at the time he wrote LotR, there is also the strange coincidence that a great storm hits England in 1987, which did indeed happen!

Is there a case for a hidden 'Tolkien Code'? What kinds of conspiracy theory could lurk at the heart of Tolkien's work? I'm sure there are some mad theories out there on the 'net!

Is this all just for fun, or not?

[Bêthberry]

Lal, I think you are on to something certainly. For my part, I shall keep these things and ponder them in my heart, for codes are not broken overnight, nor even in the time that most threads live, are posted to, and die.

I have, however, found this mad theory: Land of Oz = Middle=earth.

I wonder, too, if reading LotR backwards might uncover anything? A quick computer search for the number of times Tolkien uses the pronoun them might find an exceptionally high usage of the word, perhaps signifying his prophecy concering the use of crystal meth, the th really reflecting the Old English þ. Or would that be ð? Hence, a single letter not reversed. It would explain why so many readers find themselves succumbing to a Middle earth addiction. One could call this meht-a-conspira-theora.

[Morsul the Dark]

only because i hate the mayan calender...has it ever occurred to anyone maybe the mayans just got bored of writing this calender? i mean they're from what? 4000 years ago? I think the guy making it was like ok Im done we dont need to add anything on for 4000 years we're good


sorry just that particular theory gets under my skin


ummm...sorry about the rant otherwise very interesting points what are these notion club papers?

[alatar]

As I still haven't recovered my books, I will attempt to look for encoded relevations in audio form.

Does anyone know how to play a CD backwards?

[Earendilyon]

Originally Posted by Morsul the Dark

what are these notion club papers?

The Notion Club Papers

[Morsul the Dark]

thank...again sorry for the rant

[alatar]

The more I think about it, the more I'm starting to get concerned. My observation is that the chance of the apocalypse happening is inversely proportional to the number of books touted by the doomsayer. Think about it; if the end were nigh, would you really spend your last days writing books and making appearances?

I'd be either enjoying life or building a really secure hole in which to ride out the storm.

So, as the Mayans aren't with us anymore to collect any royalties, and so far there's been no 're-re-release of the Notion Club papers,' one might want to go out and buy a shovel while they're still available.

[Oddwen]

Well, there could be something in the Lord of the Rings code - but I have not had time to search for myself.

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Yet, in the Notion Club papers, written at the time he wrote LotR, there is also the strange coincidence that a great storm hits England in 1987, which did indeed happen!

This is quite disconcerting.
I've not thought too much about the Apocolypse, being a proponent of the Apocalypso, which although is similar to the Apocolypse, is done entirely to steel drum music and is quite festive, actually.

[alatar]

Before I start, I want to note my usual disclaimers regarding religion (i.e. I'm hoping not to offend, etc) and that this is not the forum for discussing views that do not have some Tolkien context.

The last book of Christian Bible is called Revelation, or the Revelation to John or the Apocalypse of John. The book contains prophecy that, to me and others, details the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Others see in the text a description of the end times, the end of the world, Armegeddon, the Apocalypse. The book contains interesting descriptions of actors (persons, nations?) such as a dragon, a beast, along with a bunch of calamities and other (to me) metaphorical language. Also, it's been noted by those who study the book that there are many references back to the Old Testament.

Is it then coincidental that Tolkien's 'Notion Club papers' have someone 'dreaming' or having a vision about the destruction of a place, and that the history of that place would lead the reader back to even 'earlier time' tomes?

Hope that that's clear.

Another comparison would be those who see portents in the Notion Club papers and see doom coming in 2012. Some Christians read Revelation in a different light, and with newspaper in hand, see doom like a wave coming over the horizon.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by alatar

Another comparison would be those who see portents in the Notion Club papers and see doom coming in 2012. Some Christians read Revelation in a different light, and with newspaper in hand, see doom like a wave coming over the horizon.

I, on the other hand, read of the Notion Club papers and, with the CVs and Publications of contemporary scholars in hand, see the doom of 'publish or perish' like a wave coming over the crowd at sporting events.

[Morthoron]

I believe in the back of the Redbook of Westmarch there is some backword scribbling attributed to Elanor Gamgee's grandson, Leonardo.

Also, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon is sychronized to the Wizard of Oz movie, or so I've heard.

Ummm...what was the question again? And are you going to eat that last brownie?

[alatar]

Another authority of yore, Sir Isaac Newton, states that the world will not end before 2060, as noted here. I'll sleep a whole lot better in 2012 now (that and the kids will be older).

To quote the article quoting Newton:

"It may end later, but I see no reason for its ending sooner," Newton wrote. However, he added, "This I mention not to assert when the time of the end shall be, but to put a stop to the rash conjectures of fanciful men who are frequently predicting the time of the end, and by doing so bring the sacred prophesies into discredit as often as their predictions fail."