Círdan
Encyclopedia
Círdan ('ship-maker' in Sindarin
) the Shipwright is a fictional character
created by J. R. R. Tolkien
. He was a Teleri
n Elf, a great mariner
and shipwright, and lord of the Falas during much of the First Age
. He was the bearer of the Great Ring Narya, which he in turn gave to Gandalf
.
He had a beard, which was rare for Elves, and was of great age at the time of the War of the Ring
. He was first mentioned around the time of Melkor's
imprisonment at the beginning of the First Age
. Círdan had grey or silver hair in the Third Age
of Middle-earth
, like his overlord and kinsman Thingol
.
His 'true' name, according to the tradition among the Sindar
of Doriath
, was Nōwē (ˈnɔːwɛː) in the form it had in the original tongue of the Elves
. It was never used after his settlement in Beleriand
and thus has no Sindarin or Quenya
form.
as a Teleri
n elf. During their journey west, Elwë
, entranced by the beauty of his Queen-to-be Melian
, went missing from the other Teleri. After an extended search, his brother Olwë took sole kingship and continued to Valinor
. He left Círdan with a group of elves to continue the unsuccessful search.
Though Círdan was originally intent on following Olwë, on the night before his people's departure, he had a dream in which he received a message from the Valar
.
Círdan obeyed and assumed lordship over the region. The Telerin elves who stayed in the Falas called themselves Eglath, the Forsaken People, and became known as the Falathrim. They established the cities of Eglarest and Brithombar in this region. It was at this time that he took the name Círdan, meaning 'Shipwright'. The Falas remained a peaceful maritime culture until the coming of Morgoth
.
The remnant of Círdan's folk were forced to flee by ship to the Isle of Balar, where they created a refuge and maintained a small fleet. As time passed, Círdan regained control over the lands around the Mouth of Sirion, and moved his fleet there.
Círdan played a minor part in the story of Túrin Turambar
, sending the emissaries Gelmir and Arminas to relay a message of warning from Ulmo
about closing gates of Nargothrond
. Círdan also continued to shelter refugees, including Elwing
, Tuor
, and Eärendil
, to whom Círdan taught the craft of shipbuilding.
However, in the year 532, the remaining four Sons of Fëanor
, still bound to their terrible Oath, assaulted the Havens at the Mouth of Sirion, seeking the Silmaril
that was in Elwing's possession. Though some elves escaped by ship, the Haven (the last surviving bastion against Morgoth) was destroyed.
During the War of Wrath
, the land of Beleriand sank beneath the ocean. However, because of Círdan's mariners, many survived and sailed to the new shores of Middle-earth, where they would come to form the havens of Lindon
and Mithlond (the Grey Havens). Círdan now settled in this place.
. He assisted the Edain
, the men who had helped fight against Morgoth, by giving them ships and training them to reach the island of Númenor
. Among these was a mariner by the name of Vëantur whose grandson Aldarion would one day become the King of Númenor.
Círdan was early to distrust the being named Annatar
, and refused him entry to the Havens. He similarly advised the Elves at Eregion
not to forge the Rings of Power
under Annatar's tutelage, though they ignored his warning. The rings proved indeed to be a trap; Annatar was none other than Sauron the Dark Lord, who forged the One Ring
to control the others.
Círdan was entrusted with Narya, one of the Three Rings
not subject to Sauron's control. There is some inconsistency in Tolkien's texts concerning when Círdan received Narya from Gil-galad
. In the essay "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" of Unfinished Tales
it is stated that Gil-galad relinquished the Ring of Fire only at the outset of the War of the Last Alliance. However this is in variance with both "The Tale of Years" and a statement made earlier in "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" claiming that Círdan received the Ring as soon as Gil-galad was given it by Celebrimbor
.
Following Sauron's defeat in the War of the Last Alliance, Círdan and Elrond
both urged Isildur
to destroy the One Ring but he refused.
As Sauron began his gradual return to power, the Valar sent the five Istari (wizards)
as emissaries to aid Middle-earth. At their request, Círdan kept his knowledge of their origin and purpose a secret even from the other leaders of the elves. Although Curunír
(known to Men as Saruman) was declared to be their leader, Círdan perceived that Gandalf
was the wisest. He secretly gave Gandalf Narya, the Ring of Fire, telling him:
Three hundred years later, Círdan's armies played a small role in the wars with the Witch-king of Angmar
, but played a key role in the victory at Amon Sûl
. His ships tried but failed to rescue the last king of Arthedain, Arvedui
. The Havens at Mithlond provided anchorage for a fleet of ships sent by King Eärnur of Gondor
. Elves of Círdan's folk also participated in the Battle of Fornost, helping to defeat the Witch-king.
After the fall of the Dúnedain
, Círdan was entrusted with the palantír
of Elostirion. Círdan returned to his role orchestrating the continued migration of elves from Middle-earth to Valinor and kept an especially large white ship for the eventual departure of Gandalf and the other wizards.
Círdan took part in the White Council
after Sauron's return and years later sent his counsellor, Galdor, to speak on his behalf at the Council of Elrond. After the War of the Ring, Círdan reappears when Elrond, Galadriel
, Gandalf, Bilbo
and Frodo Baggins
all arrived at the Havens to set sail for Valinor. Although Círdan remains in Middle-earth, he is not mentioned in the (brief and cursory) descriptions by Tolkien of the Fourth Age
. He is characterized as being destined to set sail on the Last Ship to Valinor.
directed by Peter Jackson
, Círdan appears only briefly in the prologue of the first film, and at the end of the third film. He appears mostly as he is described in the book, but lacks a beard. His first appearance is during Galadriel's monologue at the start of the first movie, in a brief shot of the three Elven ringbearers. He appears for a second time in the scene at the end of the third movie
when Frodo, Galadriel, Elrond, Celeborn
, Gandalf and Bilbo board the ship at the Grey Havens. He has no speaking role.
expansion pack.
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|-
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....
) the Shipwright is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
created by J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
. He was a Teleri
Teleri
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Teleri, Those who come last in Quenya were the third of the Elf clans who came to Aman...
n Elf, a great mariner
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
and shipwright, and lord of the Falas during much of the First Age
First Age
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set...
. He was the bearer of the Great Ring Narya, which he in turn gave to Gandalf
Gandalf
Gandalf is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In these stories, Gandalf appears as a wizard, member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West...
.
He had a beard, which was rare for Elves, and was of great age at the time of the War of the Ring
War of the Ring
In the fictional high fantasy-world of J. R. R. Tolkien, the War of the Ring was fought between Sauron and the free peoples of Middle-earth for control of the One Ring and dominion over the continent. The War of the Ring took place at the end of the Third Age. Together with the Quest of Mount Doom,...
. He was first mentioned around the time of Melkor's
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
imprisonment at the beginning of the First Age
First Age
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set...
. Círdan had grey or silver hair in the Third Age
Third Age
The Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....
of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
, like his overlord and kinsman Thingol
Thingol
Elu Thingol is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Silmarillion, The Lays of Beleriand and Children of Húrin as well as in numerous stories in the many volumes of The History of Middle-earth...
.
His 'true' name, according to the tradition among the Sindar
Sindar
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the fictional Sindar are Elves of Telerin descent. They are also known as the Grey Elves. Their language is Sindarin...
of Doriath
Doriath
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Doriath is the realm of the Sindar, the Grey Elves of King Thingol in Beleriand. Along with the other great forests of Tolkien's legendarium such as Mirkwood, Fangorn and Lothlórien it serves as the central stage in the theatre of its time, the First Age...
, was Nōwē (ˈnɔːwɛː) in the form it had in the original tongue of the Elves
Primitive Quendian
Primitive Quendian is a constructed language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien. It is one of the many fictional language set in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth....
. It was never used after his settlement in Beleriand
Beleriand
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional legendarium, Beleriand was a region in northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Events in Beleriand are described chiefly in his work The Silmarillion, which tells the story of the early ages of Middle-earth in a style similar to the epic hero tales of Nordic...
and thus has no Sindarin or Quenya
Quenya
Quenya is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Quenya is one of the many Elvish languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called Quendi in Quenya. The tongue actually called Quenya was in origin the speech of two clans of Elves...
form.
Before the First Age
Círdan first appears in the Middle-earth legendariumLegendarium
Legendary may refer to:*A hagiography, or study of the lives of saints and other religious figures**The South English Legendary, a Middle English legendary*A legend-Entertainment:*Legendary, an album by Kaysha*Legendary...
as a Teleri
Teleri
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Teleri, Those who come last in Quenya were the third of the Elf clans who came to Aman...
n elf. During their journey west, Elwë
Thingol
Elu Thingol is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Silmarillion, The Lays of Beleriand and Children of Húrin as well as in numerous stories in the many volumes of The History of Middle-earth...
, entranced by the beauty of his Queen-to-be Melian
Melian
Melian the Maia is a fictional character in the fantasy-world Middle-earth of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. She appears in The Silmarillion, the epic poem The Lay of Leithian, The Children of Húrin, the Annals of Aman and the Grey Annals....
, went missing from the other Teleri. After an extended search, his brother Olwë took sole kingship and continued to Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
. He left Círdan with a group of elves to continue the unsuccessful search.
Though Círdan was originally intent on following Olwë, on the night before his people's departure, he had a dream in which he received a message from the Valar
Vala (Middle-earth)
The Valar are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. They are first mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion develops them into the Powers of Arda or the Powers of the World...
.
"And the voice warned him not to attempt this peril; for his strength and skill would not be able to build any ship able to dare the winds and waves of the Great Sea for many long years yet. "Abide now that time, for when it comes then will your work be of utmost worth, and it will be remembered in song for many ages after." "I obey," Círdan answered, and then it seemed to him that he saw (in a vision maybe) a shape like a white boat, shining above him, that sailed west through the air, and as it dwindled in the distance it looked like a star of so great a brilliance that it cast a shadow of Círdan upon the strand where he stood."
The History of Middle-earth, vol. XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "Last Writings - Círdan," p. 386
Círdan obeyed and assumed lordship over the region. The Telerin elves who stayed in the Falas called themselves Eglath, the Forsaken People, and became known as the Falathrim. They established the cities of Eglarest and Brithombar in this region. It was at this time that he took the name Círdan, meaning 'Shipwright'. The Falas remained a peaceful maritime culture until the coming of Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
.
Later First Age
Círdan's role during the First Age centred on his lordship of the Falas. Although he sent troops to fight in most of the major battles of the wars with Morgoth, Tolkien mostly referred to Círdan's armies in passing. As Morgoth slowly destroyed the other Elven kingdoms, the Falas repeatedly absorbed refugees. Morgoth finally turned his attention to Círdan's havens and..."...ravaged all the Falas, and besieged the walls of Brithombar and Eglarest. Smiths and miners and masters of fire they brought with them, and they set up great machines; and valiantly though they were resisted, they broke the walls at last. Then the Havens were laid in ruin, and the tower of Barad Nimras cast down;"
The Silmarillion. Second Edition. 'Of the Fifth Battle'. p. 196
The remnant of Círdan's folk were forced to flee by ship to the Isle of Balar, where they created a refuge and maintained a small fleet. As time passed, Círdan regained control over the lands around the Mouth of Sirion, and moved his fleet there.
Círdan played a minor part in the story of Túrin Turambar
Túrin Turambar
Túrin Turambar is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. "Turambar and the Foalókë", begun in 1917, is the first appearance of Túrin in the legendarium. J.R.R...
, sending the emissaries Gelmir and Arminas to relay a message of warning from Ulmo
Ulmo
Ulmo is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He first appears in The Silmarillion as a god or Vala of the Elven pantheon. Ulmo is a title, which means He who pours. He is also known as King of the Sea and Lord of Waters...
about closing gates of Nargothrond
Nargothrond
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Nargothrond , called Nulukkhizdīn by the Dwarves, was the stronghold built by Finrod Felagund...
. Círdan also continued to shelter refugees, including Elwing
Elwing
Elwing is a character of Middle-earth, created by J. R. R. Tolkien. She is Half-elven but counted among the Elves, notable for saving a Silmaril from the destruction of the Havens of Sirion and, with her husband Eärendil, going to the Valar to ask their help for the people of Middle-earth...
, Tuor
Tuor
Tuor is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is the grandfather of Elrond Half-elven and one of the most renowned ancestors of the Men of Númenor and of the King of the Reunited Kingdom Aragorn Elessar...
, and Eärendil
Eärendil
Eärendil the Mariner is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is depicted in The Silmarillion as a great seafarer who, on his brow, carried the morning star across the sky.-Etymology:...
, to whom Círdan taught the craft of shipbuilding.
However, in the year 532, the remaining four Sons of Fëanor
Sons of Fëanor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, the seven sons of Fëanor, the eldest prince of the Noldor, led their people from Valinor to rule over kingdoms in the Northeast of Beleriand:...
, still bound to their terrible Oath, assaulted the Havens at the Mouth of Sirion, seeking the Silmaril
Silmaril
The Silmarils are three brilliant jewels which contained the unmarred light of the Two Trees in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. The Silmarils were made out of the crystalline substance silima by Fëanor, a Noldorin Elf, in Valinor during the Years of the Trees...
that was in Elwing's possession. Though some elves escaped by ship, the Haven (the last surviving bastion against Morgoth) was destroyed.
During the War of Wrath
War of Wrath
The War of Wrath, or the Great Battle, is a key plot development in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium, portraying the final war against Morgoth at the end of the First Age....
, the land of Beleriand sank beneath the ocean. However, because of Círdan's mariners, many survived and sailed to the new shores of Middle-earth, where they would come to form the havens of Lindon
Lindon (Middle-earth)
Lindon is the land beyond the Ered Luin, the Blue Mountains, in the northwest of Middle-earth in the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien. It is the westernmost land of the continent. The Gulf of Lune divides it into Forlindon and Harlindon...
and Mithlond (the Grey Havens). Círdan now settled in this place.
The Second Age
Círdan again plays a mostly supporting role in the Second AgeSecond Age
The Second Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. Tolkien intended for the history of Middle-earth to be considered fictionally as a precursor to the history of the real Earth....
. He assisted the Edain
Edain
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Edain were men who made their way into Beleriand in the First Age, and were friendly to the Elves....
, the men who had helped fight against Morgoth, by giving them ships and training them to reach the island of Númenor
Númenor
Númenor is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. It was a huge island located in the Sundering Seas to the west of Middle-earth, the main setting of Tolkien's writings, and was known to be the greatest realm of Men...
. Among these was a mariner by the name of Vëantur whose grandson Aldarion would one day become the King of Númenor.
Círdan was early to distrust the being named Annatar
Sauron
Sauron is the primary antagonist and titular character of the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to be the same character as "the Necromancer" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit...
, and refused him entry to the Havens. He similarly advised the Elves at Eregion
Eregion
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Eregion or Hollin was a kingdom of the Noldorin Elves in Eriador during the Second Age, located near the West Gate of Moria under the shadow of the Hithaeglir . Its capital was Ost-in-Edhil...
not to forge the Rings of Power
Rings of Power
The Rings of Power in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium are magical rings created by Sauron or by the Elves of Eregion under Sauron's tutelage...
under Annatar's tutelage, though they ignored his warning. The rings proved indeed to be a trap; Annatar was none other than Sauron the Dark Lord, who forged the One Ring
One Ring
The One Ring is a fictional artifact that appears as the central plot element in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy novels. It is described in an earlier story, The Hobbit , as a magic ring of invisibility. The sequel The Lord of the Rings describes its powers as being more encompassing than...
to control the others.
Círdan was entrusted with Narya, one of the Three Rings
Three Rings
In Tolkien's legendarium, the Three Rings are magical artifacts forged by the Elves of Eregion. After the One Ring, they are the most powerful of the twenty Rings of Power....
not subject to Sauron's control. There is some inconsistency in Tolkien's texts concerning when Círdan received Narya from Gil-galad
Gil-galad
Ereinion Gil-galad is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, and featured in The Silmarillion.- Character overview :...
. In the essay "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" of Unfinished Tales
Unfinished Tales
Unfinished Tales is a collection of stories and essays by J. R. R. Tolkien that were never completed during his lifetime, but were edited by his son Christopher Tolkien and published in 1980.Unlike The Silmarillion, for which the narrative fragments were modified to connect into a consistent and...
it is stated that Gil-galad relinquished the Ring of Fire only at the outset of the War of the Last Alliance. However this is in variance with both "The Tale of Years" and a statement made earlier in "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" claiming that Círdan received the Ring as soon as Gil-galad was given it by Celebrimbor
Celebrimbor
Celebrimbor is a fictional character In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. His name means "silver fist" or "Hand of silver" in Sindarin ....
.
Following Sauron's defeat in the War of the Last Alliance, Círdan and Elrond
Elrond
Elrond Half-elven is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Hobbit, and plays a supporting role in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.-Character overview:...
both urged Isildur
Isildur
Isildur is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in the author's books The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales....
to destroy the One Ring but he refused.
The Third Age
After Gil-galad's death, the Elves of Lindon came under the sole lordship of Círdan. Many elves departed from the Havens to Valinor, leaving Círdan's domain smaller and less populated.As Sauron began his gradual return to power, the Valar sent the five Istari (wizards)
Wizard (Middle-earth)
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Wizards of Middle-earth are a group of beings outwardly resembling Men but possessing much greater physical and mental power. They are also called the Istari by the Elves. The Sindarin word is Ithryn...
as emissaries to aid Middle-earth. At their request, Círdan kept his knowledge of their origin and purpose a secret even from the other leaders of the elves. Although Curunír
Saruman
Saruman the White is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. He is leader of the Istari, wizards sent to Middle-earth in human form by the godlike Valar to challenge Sauron, the main antagonist of the tale, but later on aims at gaining...
(known to Men as Saruman) was declared to be their leader, Círdan perceived that Gandalf
Gandalf
Gandalf is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In these stories, Gandalf appears as a wizard, member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West...
was the wisest. He secretly gave Gandalf Narya, the Ring of Fire, telling him:
"Take this ring, Master, for your labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you."
Appendix B: "The Tale of Years," p. 366
Three hundred years later, Círdan's armies played a small role in the wars with the Witch-king of Angmar
Witch-king of Angmar
The Witch-king of Angmar, also known as the Lord of the Nazgûl and the Black Captain among other names, is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. In Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, he is the chief of the Nazgûl , the chief servants...
, but played a key role in the victory at Amon Sûl
Weathertop
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, Weathertop is a hill in the Eriador region of Middle-earth, the southernmost and highest summit of the Weather Hills...
. His ships tried but failed to rescue the last king of Arthedain, Arvedui
Arvedui
Arvedui is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.Arvedui was the son of King Araphant of Arthedain. He was born in T.A. 1864 and came to the throne in 1964 at the death of his father...
. The Havens at Mithlond provided anchorage for a fleet of ships sent by King Eärnur of Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
. Elves of Círdan's folk also participated in the Battle of Fornost, helping to defeat the Witch-king.
After the fall of the Dúnedain
Dúnedain
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Dúnedain were a race of Men descended from the Númenóreans who survived the sinking of their island kingdom and came to Eriador in Middle-earth, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion...
, Círdan was entrusted with the palantír
Palantír
A palantír is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy legendarium. A palantír A palantír (pl. palantíri) is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy legendarium. A palantír A palantír (pl. palantíri) is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy legendarium. A palantír...
of Elostirion. Círdan returned to his role orchestrating the continued migration of elves from Middle-earth to Valinor and kept an especially large white ship for the eventual departure of Gandalf and the other wizards.
Círdan took part in the White Council
White Council
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the White Council is a group of Eldar Lords and Wizards of Middle-earth, formed to contest the growing power of Dol Guldur, at the request of Galadriel...
after Sauron's return and years later sent his counsellor, Galdor, to speak on his behalf at the Council of Elrond. After the War of the Ring, Círdan reappears when Elrond, Galadriel
Galadriel
Galadriel is a character created by J.R.R. Tolkien, appearing in his Middle-earth legendarium. She appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales....
, Gandalf, Bilbo
Bilbo Baggins
Bilbo Baggins is the protagonist and titular character of The Hobbit and a supporting character in The Lord of the Rings, two of the most well-known of J. R. R...
and Frodo Baggins
Frodo Baggins
Frodo Baggins is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium.He is the main protagonist of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He was a hobbit of the Shire who inherited Sauron's Ring from Bilbo Baggins and undertook the quest to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom...
all arrived at the Havens to set sail for Valinor. Although Círdan remains in Middle-earth, he is not mentioned in the (brief and cursory) descriptions by Tolkien of the Fourth Age
Fourth Age
In the fictional world of middle earth "'the fourth age'" and the ages that preceded it, are time periods from J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth, described in his fantasy writings...
. He is characterized as being destined to set sail on the Last Ship to Valinor.
Adaptations
In the Lord of the Rings movie trilogyThe Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
directed by Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
, Círdan appears only briefly in the prologue of the first film, and at the end of the third film. He appears mostly as he is described in the book, but lacks a beard. His first appearance is during Galadriel's monologue at the start of the first movie, in a brief shot of the three Elven ringbearers. He appears for a second time in the scene at the end of the third movie
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
when Frodo, Galadriel, Elrond, Celeborn
Celeborn
Celeborn is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings as the Elven husband of Galadriel, Lord of the Galadhrim; and co-ruler along with Galadriel of Lothlórien. He was the father of Celebrían — the wife of Elrond — and thus the...
, Gandalf and Bilbo board the ship at the Grey Havens. He has no speaking role.
The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game
Círdan the Shipwright appears in the LOTR Trading Card Game as part of the Mount DoomMount Doom
Mount Doom is a volcano in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. It is located in the heart of the black land of Mordor and close to Barad-dûr, it is approximately high. Alternative names, in Tolkien's invented language of Sindarin, include Orodruin and Amon Amarth...
expansion pack.
External links
- The Encyclopedia of Arda — Círdan the Shipwright
- Círdan at The Thain's Book
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