Sauron's hair colour
Seriously. Because I am confused.
Sauron is portrayed as a blonde in every single piece of First/Second Age fanart I've seen. I've always imagined him dark (har har). Have I missed an essential part in Tolkien's more obsolete writings or is there just some kind of a general agreement that because he likes golden objects, he must also have a golden hair? |
Had to have been a rinse-job. Everyone knows world domination aspirations make you gray. ;)
Really though, it seems golden hair is usually associated in Middle-earth with the "beautiful people", so maybe that's what Sauron was aiming for then: deception and persuasion over brute force or fear. |
I wonder whether it isn't just the painters' interpretation of the information that "in the beginning, he still looked fair".
Interesting thought, however, now you made me uncertain and I will probably never be able to figure out how did I imagine him. Because I thought I had imagined him dark-haired, but then again, I keep thinking, "the" guy who was dark-haired in his "youth" was obviously Saruman (and we know it about him). Well, Sauron certainly didn't have a beard, unlike Saruman. Hm. But now my mind is confused and I really can't say how did I imagine Sauron to look... |
I never really had a clear image of Sauron when he was still fair, just a kind of "this person is handsome and tricksy" impression. But I never connected him with golden hair in my mind, and was always confused when I saw him looking like Glorfindel in all the fan art.
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Sauron was clearly ginger. And not just redhead I'm talking Carrot Top. he did love him some props rings maces scary armor... a giant inflatable flaming eye.
Then there the evidence of his humor like when Frodo sees him on the seat of seeing and Sauron says "I've got my Eye on you..." should probably have kept the inside thoughts inside on this one....:rolleyes: |
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Actually you may be on to something there. Given the amount of Norse mythology Tolkein used for inspiration, and the general way Sauron behaved (especially in the First and Second ages) I've always seen a sort of Loki-ish strain in him. And a lot of depictions of Loki also give him red hair (of course I've seen a lot of blonde ones as well) I suppose it is also possible that, in his Annatar form (since Sauron has multiple body forms, we should really be talking about his hair color on a body by body basis, with each new form, he could have had a different one.) Sauron had silver hair. Making himself look "fair" to the men of Numenor probably meant looking as Elven as possible, and silver is the only hair color that (as far as we know) Elves have and humans don't (or at least don't have often) |
I can only assume Agan's sudden interest in this topic is the result of discovering her true nature.
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But yes, there are lots of artworks made where they portray Vikings with red hair. This is probably because even now it scares people and there's a stereotype that us redheads are a bit bad tempered. I'm not going to disabuse anyone from this myth, it's quite handy... The Elves primarily had very dark or very fair hair, so either would seem beautiful to them, surely, and whichever way you choose to picture Sauron as Annatar is equally valid. I always picture him as very blonde though I'm not sure he would be, thinking about Tolkien's references to blonde hair and Light or divinity - see Gimli's request for some of Galadriel's hair to use in crafting a jewel that would capture her 'Light'. Would Sauron be able to clothe himself in such a way? |
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Anyway I'm happy to see I can keep imagining him dark-haired. ;) |
No reference to Sauron's hair colour
Aganzir, I don't believe (though I'm certainly open to correction) that there's been any reference in any of Tolkien's works to Sauron's hair colour, in the time, up to near the end of the Second Age, when he could put on a fair form. If you want to imagine the fair-looking Sauron as having dark hair, that's fine by me. :)
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Come to think of it, I kind of imagined fair Sauron blonde, or really bright anyway. He was an angelic being, and therefore that is what he looked like to me: someone who was pretty and had light coming out of him, or something. Now that I say that aloud, I feel kind of silly. |
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Red is the color of Sauron's hair -
Of his coif he does not stint. Such body and bounce for one so fair, 'Tis sure the bastard tints! |
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Sauron asexual?
TheGreatElvenWarrior, you made an interesting assumption about Sauron being an 'asexual being'. Would you think the same thing applied to the Ringwraiths, after they became wraiths? Perhaps these were actual topics of debate among loremasters in Middle-earth. :eek:
On a more down to earth level, I've thought that if Gondorian soldiers were more like those of WWI and WWII, they would have asked the Nazgul, and in particular their leader, about when they were last sexually active. Also, the Ringwraiths would be asked about their Dark Lord, about whether he had certain organs, and if he ever used them, or if they were just for decoration. ;) |
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Addendum: Nerwen, link? :p |
Tilion the untimate stalker?
Aganzir, you said here: 'We also know of Maia crushes, such as Tilion who kept drooling after Arien even after she said no'. I'd rather call it an obsession; but then Arien would certainly be called 'hot':
Too bright were the eyes of Arien for even the Eldar to look on, and leaving Valinor she forsook the form and raiment which like the Valar she had worn there, and she was as a naked flame, terrible in the fullness of her splendour. (The Silmarillion, (London: Unwin Paperbacks, 1979), Chapter 11, p. 117) Tilion is literally burnt by his obsession: But Tilion was wayward and uncertain in speed, and held not to his appointed path; and he sought to come near to Arien, being drawn by her splendour, though the flame of Anar scorched him, and the island of the Moon was darkened. (Ibid., p. 118)(My italics) An interesting variation on the person who plays with fire.:eek: He still hasn't learnt his lesson, though: But Tilion went with uncertain pace, as yet he does, and was still drawn towards Arien, as he shall ever be; so that often both may be seen above the Earth together, or at times it will chance that he comes so nigh that his shadow cuts off her brightness and there is a darkness amid the day. (Ibid., p. 119)(My italics) |
Tilion deserves every burn he gets. Another thing I don't get on Tumblr: people swoon over characters like Maeglin because he's tall, dark and handsome - and, the little thing that's easy to overlook, whiny and clingy: "Idril y u no love me??!"
I've started compiling a list of every character's appearance, at least what's mentioned of them, because that way I won't have to dampen my inspiration by browsing through all the books first before starting to draw. :cool: (Yeah, one would probably be available online, but it's more fun this way.) |
How about Fëanor?
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Also, on Ainu sexuality, I think we can safely say that it's a possibility when incarnate, as is clear with Melian. As for when they're incorporeal, I'd assume it's something like in Paradise Lost. Quote:
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I have to say though, I've just found one called The Adventures of Mini Thorin and had some proper chuckles :D |
Fëanor was 'hot'
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He was tall, and fair of face, and masterful, his eyes piercingly bright and his hair raven-dark; in the pursuit of all his purposes eager and steadfast....He became of all the Noldor, then or after, the most subtle in mind and the most skilled in hand. (My italics) In Chapter 11 we read this: For Fëanor was made the mightiest in all parts of body and mind, in valour, in endurance, in beauty, in understanding, in skill, in strength and in subtlety alike, of all the Children of Ilúvatar, and a bright flame was in him. (My italics) While everyone agrees that Lúthien Tinúviel was the most beautiful of the Children of Ilúvatar, it looks as if Fëanor wasn't far behind; :cool: and he had the great addition to his good looks of being the cleverest and most artistic of all the Children. :eek: |
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Thinking about Tolkien's hair colours more generally, I'm happy the tradition of having blond heroes and dark villains isn't there (granted, everything that is a fantasy cliche became so way after Tolkien), especially if Sauron's fair means not dark. However there seem to be a lot of grey eyes - a lot more than I'm used to seeing in my daily life. Is it a (partly) British thing, or is Middle-earth special? |
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In general, paler eyes are more of a 'northern' thing though, as there's less melanin in the forward parts of the eye. Either Tolkien was trying to make his favoured Elves (and Rangers) seem 'northern' or he simply had a preference for that eye colour! |
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At least it's pretty clear that Sauron wasn't just in any fashion! |
I've always pictured Sauron as having his head shaved, especially in his evil form, so the answer to the question is "Sauron has no hair." :p
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As for his fair-seeming form, I think I tend to imagine him as dark-haired. When he came among the Gwaith-i-Mírdain I can see him wanting to put them at their ease by having an element of Noldo familiarity like one of them. I've always read "fair" as meaning that he had a sort of aura of goodness, trustworthiness and wisdom about him, if that makes sense. I of course also put "pleasant to look upon" in there, but I'm not sold on this notion that "fair" Sauron was some kind of pretty-boy. Given that he "could appear as a commanding figure of great strength of body and supremely royal demeanour and countenance" (Letters p. 332) I've always imagined Annatar/Aulendil/Artano-Sauron as radiating a great air of authority, knowledge and wisdom which I suppose I don't associate with the rather androgynous figure apparently imagined by some. I see fair as more meaning that he conveyed a sense of legitimacy about his intentions moreso than that he was "physically attractive". To put it another way, what was more likely to engender Celebrimbor's enthusiasm (and the distrust of the other Lords of the Eldar) - an aura of power and skill or good looks? |
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I've always thought picturing Sauron and Melkor in full armour is more artistic laziness than anything else. Just imagine...
Melkor: Behold, Fëanor! For am I not Vala also? Yea, and more than those who sit here in pride. That is why I clothe myself in this raiment of metal. Sauron: Alas, for the weakness of the great! For a mighty king is Gil-Galad, and wise in all lore is Master Elrond, and yet they will not aid me in my labours. Can it be that they do not desire to see other lands become as blissful as their own? Or can it be that they do not trust me because all they see of me is this armour (that, I may add, conducts the heat of the forge)? |
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the disharmony between his parents the death of his mother at the hands of his father seeing the execution of his father by Turgon being in Turgon's service longing for Idril for a long, long time being turned down by Idril (like Feanor by Galadriel) seeing Tuor win Idril. Maeglin is a rootless character - security & affection are both very important, and he didn't get them, but the opposite: his mother even used him as a pawn in her relations with his father. His entire paediatric development was mucked up. Little wonder he went to the bad. He's marked down as bad in a way Feanor is not: "...and indeed desire for Idril and hatred for Tuor led Maeglin the easier to his treachery, most infamous in all the histories of the Elder Days". http://www.freebook4u.org/fantasticf...lon/15576.html Which is all very well, but Feanor has to take a lot of the blame, surely ? Bad staff is romantic in a way that good stuff isn't - Ar-Pharazon is a humongously bad king, but he's a fascinating character. Evil is glamorous. |
Not the same
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