Henneth Annûn Story Archive

I just finished reading LOTR (it took me almost a year) and I noticed that Cirdan has a beard... now is it just me or did I not read somewhere that Elves get no facial hair except eyebrows and lashes and stuff? Also it said that he looked quite old. I know Cirdan is seriously old but do Elves really age like that? Oh well it's the word of Tolkien and I just better get used to it...

 

Hi Luthien, Cirdan is pretty much the exception to all the rules that apply to elves. In fact, he almost seems more like and Istar. *shrug* Perhaps, he was simply one of the very first elves who awoke by the shores of Cuivienen and is so much older than any of the other elves mentioned in the various tales that the rules do not apply. Karri

 

Perhaps, he was simply one of the very first elves who awoke by the shores of Cuivienen and is so much older than any of the other elves mentioned in the various tales that the rules do not apply. Another possibility is that Tolkien developed his ideas about lack of facial hair later, and didn't remember to go back and change his description of Círdan... If Tolkien were entirely consistent throughout, his world would be just a bit less interesting... - Barbara

 

LOL! Yes, inconsistency is certainly a Tolkien writing trait, but it does lend to the wonder of it all, doesn't it? Karri

 

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