Círdan

2005-08-28T04:28:27Z

64.136.49.228:

'''Círdan''' ('ship-maker' in [[Sindarin]]) the Shipwright is a [[Sindarin]] [[Elves|Elf]] (of which he was one of the wisest princes), a great mariner and shipwright, lord of the [[Falas]] during much of the [[First Age]], one of the wisest and perhaps the mightiest of the [[Moriquendi]]. He was the bearer of the Great Ring [[Narya]] after [[Gil-galad]], which he in turn gave to [[Gandalf]].

He had a beard, which is rare for Elves; but he was of great age at the time of the [[War of the Ring]]: perhaps the oldest Sindarin Elf, or indeed the oldest of all the Elves remaining in [[Middle-earth]]. Círdan had grey (silver) hair, like his overlord [[Thingol]]. He might have been related to him, possibly by Thingol's brother [[Olwë]].

His original name was probably '''Nowë'''. This name is not Sindarin and probably an archaic form of it, or possibly [[Common Telerin]], with uncertain meaning. It may be related to the term ''nowo'' meaning "think, form idea, imagine."

In the [[First Age]], Círdan was a ruler of a host of the Teleri under Elwë, and during the long wait in [[Beleriand]] he fell in love with the sea. When [[Ulmo]] returned for the Teleri Círdan and his followers remained behind, partially because of their love for [[Belegaer]], and partially because of his kinship with Elwë, who was lost. After Elwë returned and became King Thingol, Círdan ruled the [[Falathrim]] of the havens of [[Eglarest]] and [[Brithombar]], although he seemed to have accepted Thingol's overlordship. Later he became an advisor and friend of [[Finrod Felagund]], lord of [[Nargothrond]], although the Falas remained independent.

Círdan was early on warned by Ulmo not to attempt a crossing to Valinor, and his mariners restricted their work to the coasts of Middle-earth. However, at the request of King [[Turgon]] of [[Gondolin]], he later built several messenger ships to sail to [[Valinor]] to request help from the [[Valar]] against [[Morgoth]]. All these missions failed, and only one survivor ever returned. After the havens of the Falas were destroyed, Círdan was instrumental in setting up the refuges at the [[Mouths of Sirion]] and the [[Isle of Balar]], to which he retired. It was on this isle that he built the great ship [[Vingilot]] for [[Eärendil]].

In the [[Second Age]], Círdan stayed behind when the Elves were summoned to Valinor, and set up the havens of [[Forlond]], [[Harlond]] and [[Mithlond]] in the destroyed land of [[Lindon]] (anciently [[Ossiriand]]). Círdan's exact status during that time is unknown, but it seems certain he served as lieutenant of Gil-galad, the last High King of the [[Ñoldor]] of [[Middle-earth]]. Círdan is mentioned as receiving the ships of the [[Númenóreans]] as they returned to the north of Middle-earth.

From the [[Third Age]] after the fall of Gil-galad and the beginning of the Age of Men, Círdan remained at the [[Grey Havens]] of Mithlond, and built ships which ferried the departing Elves to Valinor. Círdan had possession of the Great Ring [[Narya]], rescued from Rodnor Gil-galad, but when the [[Istari]] or [[Wizards (Middle-earth)|Wizards]] arrived in the early Third Age he recognised [[Olórin]]'s wisdom, and gave him his ring. Círdan remained active behind the scenes, sending counsellors to the [[White Council]] at [[Rivendell]],but following the [[War of the Ring]] he was seen to have prepared the ship that ferried across the other [[Ring-bearer]]s: Gandalf, [[Elrond]], [[Galadriel]], [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]], and [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] in the last year of the Third Age. It is uncertain whether he left Middle-earth himself on the same ship: he is not mentioned as boarding, and later letters by Tolkien imply he remained behind.

In the [[The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy|Lord of the Rings movie trilogy]] by [[Peter Jackson]], Círdan briefly appears in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (movie)|the third movie]]. His role as lieutenant of Gil-galad is given to [[Elrond]] instead (Elrond was Gil-galad's [[herald]] in the books) in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (movie)|the first movie]]. He does, however, appear very briefly in Galadriel's Monologue at the start of the first movie, in the very brief shot of the three elven ringbearers.

[[Category:Grey Elves]]

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Círdan