Atlantis by Gerhart Hauptmann is a captivating novel that delves into the complexities of human nature and the pursuit of idealism. The story follows the protagonist, Friedrich Mergel, as he grapples with the clash between his personal desires and the expectations of society.

Hauptmann's prose is hauntingly beautiful and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the tumultuous landscape of Mergel's inner world. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and the relentless pursuit of a paradise that may only exist in the realm of dreams.

The characters in Atlantis are expertly crafted, each with their own flaws and desires that drive the narrative forward. Mergel's journey is a poignant exploration of the struggle between the individual and the collective, as he grapples with his own desires in the face of societal expectations.

Overall, Atlantis is a thought-provoking and lyrical novel that will linger in the reader's mind long after they have turned the final page. Hauptmann's exploration of human nature and the quest for perfection is a poignant reminder of the complexities that lie within all of us.

Book Description:
Frederick von Kammacher is a young doctor in Germany whose wife has gone insane, whose children are in a boarding school, and whose career has been destroyed by some faulty research he has done. He becomes infatuated with a teenage dancer, and on a whim he boards the the same steamship the dancer is on bound for New York. Hauptmann was heralded as a seer for his description of what happens to their steamship mid-ocean, and what in reality happened to the Titanic only months later.