Beardless

[MatthewM]

Do you suppose that the beardless features of Tolkien's Elves and Numenoreans have anything to do with the fact that he himself was beardless? In pictures and videos of the Professor it does not seem like he needed to shave, unless he did it everyday.

I find that beards are usually given to characters of less nobility, or of mixed blood, or of less stature. I can't explain that for say, Gandalf and Cirdan (the only known Elf with a beard I believe), and I can't recall off the top of my head who else is said to have a beard but Gimli and Theoden, but do you get the same feeling here? Many of the common folk were bearded, I think, unless I am going off my own mind and no fact.

We know that the Elves we meet in The Lord of the Rings did not have beards (except in extreme old age, like Cirdan I suspect), and we know that most likely neither did Aragorn, Faramir, Denethor, Boromir (although left to opinion), Imrahil, and all of the Hobbits (I know a certain race of Hobbits had beards, but not the one's we meet.)

So what's the deal here? Was Tolkien biased towards the beardless? Any opinions?

[Lalwendë]

I like to think that Elves could grow beards, if they wanted them, as it might throw up all kinds of slightly uncomfortable* hormonal problems otherwise! Maybe it was the Elves' culture to prefer to be clean-shaven, and Numenorean Men followed them in this 'fashion statement'. As to why Cirdan grew a beard, maybe it was the influence of living out on a limb from most other Elves, or he kinda liked the style statements made by them Istari when they arrived on the shores of Middle-earth?

Mind, I always picture Elrond with a beard - and I'm not the only one, as Alan Lee does, too.

*Literally...

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I like to think that Elves could grow beards, if they wanted them, as it might throw up all kinds of slightly uncomfortable* hormonal problems otherwise!
*Literally...

You completely lost me on this one!
Being a bit of a thickie, I think you'll have to explain it to me.
Use pictures if necessary.

[MatthewM]

yeah, do tell...So you think they shaved? haha

[Morwen]

I find that beards are usually given to characters of less nobility, or of mixed blood, or of less stature.

Which characters exactly? The bearded characters that immediately come to my mind are dwarves and Cirdan. Well I suppose dwarves are characters of "less stature" but who are the bearded characters of "less nobility" and "mixed blood"?

[ninja91]

I dont think that it had to do with nobility or anything. All dwarves had beards (as far as I know) and many humans do, and as we all know humans make up some of the most noble beings ever to walk Arda. I think that the perception of Elves being the fairest folk of the land has to present them as somewhat angelic. And gristle does not fit in well there. Elves were known for their valour and grace, and in order to extend that presenting them as fair (and, consequently, smooth and beardless) the Elvish men were not bearded.

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by Morwen

Which characters exactly? The bearded characters that immediately come to my mind are dwarves and Cirdan. Well I suppose dwarves are characters of "less stature" but who are the bearded characters of "less nobility" and "mixed blood"?

Well I did say that I couldn't explain it for charactes such as Cirdan and Gandalf. The characters of "less nobility" and "mixed blood" I was referring to was the common man, the people without Numenorean blood or Elvish blood.

[Galadriel]

Beards are given to those of less nobility? No, I don't think so. All the Wizards had beards, and Wizards were (or at least meant to be) a noble race, an order of the Valar. Círdan was a highly respected Elf, and certainly of no less stature than anyone else. And, as someone up there mentioned, Theoden had a beard (I don't think I need to elaborate on this one).
As for Elves being beardless, I think it would have been a symbol of everlasting physical youth (perhaps). A beard is generally taken to be a sign of maturity (let's forget the Dwarves for a moment).

Well. I can't really understand what I wrote, but anyway...