Dwarf beards

[Primula]

In the Hobbit, the dwarves beards are described as being blue, yellow and white.

I tend to go with the yellow being blonde, the "blue" being grey and the white being...well, white. Does it ever mention Gimli's beard color in the books? I picture it reddish, and did even before the movies but can't recall if that was just my own brain filling in blanks from the movie makeup or if it says so.

Hmmm.

[Laiquendi]

Dwalin had a blue beard, Balin had a white beard, Fili and Kili had yellow beards, and by the time he came to the Council of Elrond, Glóin's beard was white.

However, i cannot find anywhere a mention of Gimli's hair colour

[Evermind]

Lol! Blue beards... I never got over that.... Is it just me, or does everything in the Hobbit seem just that bit more childish? I mean... they have elves singing Tra la la la la for Viggo's sake!

-Ev.

[Primula]

Of course it's a bit childish, having been written with the intent of it being a children's tale and before the extensive development the Elves took on in the later works - but I rather like the blue beards, as well as all the large, bulky musical instruments they produce from their packs (or seem to have left out on his porch). Rent-a-band instruments from Hobbiton, perhaps?

The only decor I can remember for beards is when they tucked them into their belts to get them out of the way - they were very distressed at having them cut because of all the spider-webbing. I can only infer that length of beard = honorable age/vigor?

Perhaps it was like the ladies who never cut their hair, and the longer it grew the more elaborate or large the hairstyle they could effect. (hence wigs and switches of hair - do you think they had false beard switches to add to their own for additional length?)

[Laiquendi]

I can only infer that length of beard = honorable age/vigor?

Hence the phrase: "O Thorin Thráin’s son Oakenshield, may your beard grow ever longer" as well as "May your beards never grow thin!" and alternatively "Curse him for his choice of you! May his beard wither!"

I rather like the "childish" feel, it makes me smile

[Strange Elf]

Perhaps it was like the ladies who never cut their hair, and the longer it grew the more elaborate or large the hairstyle they could effect. (hence wigs and switches of hair - do you think they had false beard switches to add to their own for additional length?)

Maybe it's the Samson effect (as in Samson and Delilah) Maybe the length of their beards denotes their strength.

[Carnen]

He, he I still remember Lawrence (Lurtz) Makoare's stunned expression when I told him that it had all started with a bedtime story for Tolkien's children.

But that's the charm of TH it's unashamedly a story for children that draws on adult themes and a larger background.

[Dínelleth]

I mean... they have elves singing Tra la la la la for Viggo's sake!

-Ev.

*envisions Haldir and Legolas sing thusly when they greeted each other at Helm's Deep* Oh man that would be so not good!!!

[daisy gold]

When I think of those dwarves with the blue beards I can't help but think of the dear little old ladies I used to see coming from the hairdressers with their hairs beautifully curled and tinted blue.(a blue rinse day) I wonder if Tolkien ever saw the blue haired women?

As dwarf women are said to look like the men in appearance they too must have beards
I wonder what colours they would tint their beards....pink? or purple? perhaps.

[Rogorn]

I don't have my books with me now, but I'm sure that in the Silmarillion and at the back of LOTR there are sections devoted to explaining shortly about dwarves and the importance of beards. Also in book 10 of HoMe there's a longer essay on them. Maybe not the longer the better, as in almost 300 years of life that could end up being extremely long, but a proper bushy one was a good sign among them for sure. In our own history, beards were a sign of virility during several periods, and were added to portraits and sculptures of kings matter-of-factly regardless of whether the subject in question had it or not.

[Primula]

Come to think of it, I remember reading about that lady who ruled as Pharaoh in Egypt for a time - she wore a ceremonial beard because it was part of the trappings of a Pharaoh, no matter what gender apparently.

[Ashlyn]

Come to think of it, I remember reading about that lady who ruled as Pharaoh in Egypt for a time - she wore a ceremonial beard because it was part of the trappings of a Pharaoh, no matter what gender apparently.

That would be Hatshepsut. "The symbols she wore included the false beard, which was a symbol of Pharaonic power and by wearing it Hatshepsut was asserting her right and position as King or Ruler and not King's Wife or ruler's wife of Egypt."

[Evermind]

Wow! The things ya learn ay? I never knew that! Hehe... I wonder how many of Bilbo's supposedly male friends were actually girls?

-Ev.

[Primula]

Now that's a strange thought!

No doubt some adventurous fanfic writer has tackled it somewhere in the wide world of writing, but not this little duck - oh dear....

[Ashlyn]

Wow! The things ya learn ay? I never knew that! Hehe... I wonder how many of Bilbo's supposedly male friends were actually girls?

I think I'm safe in saying "None" on this one ... ... ... as we're told in the Appendices that Dís, daughter of Thráin II, "is the only dwarf-woman named in these histories."