Question about Cirdan Shipwright

[Lothiriel Silmarien]

Ok, stupid question but I've been wondering this for the longest time-does Cirdan have a beard? I know I've read somewhere that elves don't have facial hair, but then what's the explination for Cirdan?!!

[Daniel Telcontar]

I doubt Cirdan has a beard. No elf has, and I have seen nothing to prove otherwise. I don't think there is an explanation that he has.

[gollum*elf*pup]

i dunno. he shouldn't have one, but i think i read somewhere that he does. ?????
http://www.unique-hardware.co.uk/server-smilies/kao/otn/pfairy.gif http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/kao/otn/pheaven.gif

[Daniel Telcontar]

I would appreciate if you could find out where it says Cirdan has a beard. I would very much like to read it myself. If he has, it is a mystery why. And maybe that's the whole idea?

[gollum*elf*pup]

who knows. well, i'll be off to find that site.
http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/kao/otn/pheaven.gif http://www.unique-hardware.co.uk/server-smilies/kao/otn/pfairy.gif

[Daniel Telcontar]

Thanks. I appreciate your effort. I am always looking to increase my knowledge of ME, and if Cirdan has a beard, I would like to know.

[gollum*elf*pup]

omg, i cant find it grrr. it was some kind of site where they were talking about the movie. oh well. still lookin, yes i am.
http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/kao/otn/pheaven.gif http://www.unique-hardware.co.uk/server-smilies/kao/otn/pfairy.gif

[Daniel Telcontar]

Alright. I will try myself to find it, but remember to post it here if you find it before me. Good luck with your hunt!

[Nevtalathiel]

It sounds wierd, but now I think about it, i always pictured him with a beard too!

[gollum*elf*pup]

well, if youre never wrong as it says in your sig, maybe youre right and he does!
http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/kao/otn/pheaven.gif http://www.unique-hardware.co.uk/server-smilies/kao/otn/pfairy.gif

[ May 19, 2002: Message edited by: gollum*elf*pup ]

[Daniel Telcontar]

I know what you mean, since Cirdan is so old it is hard to imagine him without a beard. I mean, Gandalf without a beard would be strange, even though he can asumme what form he pleases.

[Nevtalathiel]

Yeah, I would have thought that too, but apparently it happens sometimes (too other people that is!) smilies/biggrin.gif smilies/wink.gif

[gollum*elf*pup]

ok. i found this from a lotr website.
One of the only elves to possess grey hair in his more mature years and the only recorded instance of an elf with a beard, Cirdan was unique.
kind interestin, oi?

[Daniel Telcontar]

Really interesting!!
Please give me a link, I would love to read it myself. I have always thought of Cirdan with a beard, but it seemed foolish to me since he is an elf. But if he has a beard, I would be thrilled!!

[Lothiriel Silmarien]

Thanks people, I've only been gone fo like 2 hours and people actually responded to my topic! I thought I'd have to wait for like days to get atleast one reply. Ok, in The Return of the King, at the Grey Havens, it says that Cirdan has a beard. Oh well, cuz I never pictured him with a beard and I'm not gonna!

[Orald]

Cirdan does have a beard. It is considered part of the aging process elves go through. There are three levels and Cirdan is probably in the third one since he has been alive so long. Staying in Middle-Earth didn't help with his aging either.

Here is where it says he has a beard in LotR:

As they came to the gates Círdan the Shipwright came forth to greet them. Very tall he was, and his beard was long, and he was grey and old, save that his eyes were keen as stars; and he looked at them and bowed, and said: 'All is now ready.'

Cirdan was not the only elf to have a beard either. This is from the Vinyar Tenwar:

A note elsewhere in the papers associated with this essay reads: "Elves did not have beards until they entered their third cycle of life. Nerdanel's father [cf. XII:365-66 n.61] was exceptional, being only early in his second."


So you see elves could grow beards, they just have to be really old.

Shouts out to Zifnab! Hawla!

[ May 19, 2002: Message edited by: Durelen ]

[Daniel Telcontar]

That was interresting!! I doubt they have thought of it when making the Films, since someone like Celeborn is old enough to have a beard. It could be fun if they had elves in the movie with beard.

[Sharkû]

It is hard for me not to touch the matter of Círdan, as some may know... however, we also have a pretty bearded Beleg in the old painting by the Prof first entitled 'Beleg finds Gwindor [by then still Flindling, actually] in Taur-Nu-Fuin', later entitled 'Mirkwood'. That trait of his is part of a more or less hypothetical theory of mine some may have heard already.

[Nevtalathiel]

Elves did not have beards until they entered their third cycle of life

What are the cycles of life?