Epic Beards
A man’s beard is a beautiful thing, soft to the sight and touch. Jack anticipated growing a beard and could not wait until the day come. He knew it marked the end of his boyhood and that it was the epitome and culmination of what defines a man, and now I see him no other way. Beards represent more than just having facial hair. Beards should reflect personality and lifestyle.
Beards dated back to early BC times and became somewhat popular during the period 800 BC-600 AD. The ancient Greeks became very proud of their beards, and if you could grow a sizeable full beard, it was a sign that you were very wise and of high statuses, like that of the Gods. Speaking of the Gods, Zeus, the God of the sky in ancient Greek Mythology, had a magnificent, mighty beard which made him the protector of all Gods and humans. His brothers Hades the underworld ruler, and the sea ruler, Mount Olympus Poseidon, also had beautiful beards.
Least not, we forget Otto the Great, the German King who was a swearer of his beard when making important decisions about his rule. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States and America’s first President to have a beard, was told in a letter by an 11-year-old girl named Grace Bedell. She wrote him to say he would look better if he had whiskers. He was famous for The Gettysburg Address, abolishing slavery during the Civil War. Over the centuries, beards have adorned some famous faces and came back to mainstream society in the 20th Century by the counterculture with the “beatniks” of the 1950s and the 1960’s hippie movement. After the Vietnam War, beards exploded into popularity.
Stars and Stripes
Uncle Sam even has a beard, the iconic nickname for the United States given to the country back in 1813. The name Sam was linked to a meat packer from the state of New York, who supplied barrels of meat for the soldiers in the US Army during the war of 1812, which the soldiers began referring to it as “Uncle Sam’s” grub with the local press picking up on the story the rest was history. We all know who Uncle Sam with his white beard, pointing finger, and stars and stripes suit in red, white, and blue.
Ben Feldman quotes, “You’ve got a problem. Part of what you own isn’t yours. It belongs to Uncle Sam. May I show you how much belongs to Uncle Sam”.
Kris Kringle
The vast snowstorm comes to echo the icy soul. Frost spikes in different shapes hang from the house’s eaves and windows as the pine’s sweet smell lingers ghostly through the house.
Christmas Eve in our beloved old home, and I am up late waiting to catch a sight of one of the famous beards of all Santa. The celestial beard looks like squishy puffs of white magic trickling down like soft ripples on a divine wedding gown.
Pat Boone quotes, “The greatest thing is not to believe in Santa Claus; it is to be Santa Claus.”
Wizardry and The Arts
The wizard’s domain only accepts the pure hearts of integrity. Merlin knew the source of his magic was divine. He could feel charmed everywhere in flora and fauna and all around him, and he knew it was his will to do what was right, and that magic was more about intention. This gave him his legendary abilities. “Merlin’s Beard” is a common wizarding expression used to show surprise.
Merlin is a mythological figure prominently featured in King Arthur’s legend and best known as an enchanter. Let’s not forget Gandalf, the iconic elderly bearded wizard, for the entirety of fantasy fiction; throughout history, his beard varies in length.
William Shakespeare may have died almost 400 years ago. Still, his work is more popular than ever, and he is possibly the most famous and celebrated playwright and poet of all times and his work has been translated into 200 languages. The most popular being a Mid Summers Night Dream. Shakespeare was viewed as both an adept political influencer and a social critic; he was also known to have pushed English’s literary rules beyond what any other writer had before him. His beard and mustache style was a unique combination that resembled and looked like a chin strap and was styled, so the thick hair accentuated the jawline.
“He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man. He that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him.”
― William Shakespeare
Portrait of a Bearded Man, Leonardo Da Vinci possibly a self-portrait. Leonardo Da Vinci devoted his life to growing and grooming his beard, and his beard was captivating and handsome. He was a painter, architect, inventor, and interested in the sciences. Leonardo was so influential in everything he did, including growing his long curly locks on his face accompanied by a long curly mustache. Some of Leonardo Da Vinci’s most famous works include The Last Supper in 1498 and the Mona Lisa in 1503. These are recognized worldwide. The Mona Lisa is in Louvre Museum and is one of the most emblematic portraits in art history.
Moving through the depths, it moves strong and powerful, and you become aware of the currents—the fine perfume spray of the salty water hitting your face and the wind becoming the orchestral conductor.
Ernest Hemingway was an award-winning American novelist and short-story writer, and his economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th Century fiction. Ernest Hemingway was adventurous, and his public image became admired by many. His beard, however, achieved legendary status; he was a risk-taker and someone who made his own rules; he and his beard were inseparable. His most loved works were the novels For Whom the Bell Tolls 1940 and The Old Man and the Sea 1952. Hemingway claimed he grew his beard to give him something to do, but his beard and his many adventures would be an inspiration to “The Sun Also Rises” and “A Farewell to Arms.”
Pop Culture
“Who am I? I’m Sam Von Schmamm the Hessian… that’s who I am”-
Yosemite Sam
that’s who I am”
Well, we certainly cannot talk pop culture and not mention the most iconic beard-toting cartoon character of all times. Yosemite Sam is a character of the Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies series of short films produced by Warner Brothers. He was named after Yosemite National Park in California, USA. Sam was a wild cowboy and was famous for rooting, tooting, pistol shooting, and yelling out lots of gibberish about catching a rabbit that he never could catch. And an honorable mention in the cartoon world 6 of Snow White’s seven dwarfs had beards. Even though he never caught the rabbit, his long red beard and mustache made him look very onery.
John “Grizzly” Adams 1812-1860 was a famous California mountain man and a trainer of the fierce Grizzly bear and other wild animals he would capture for circuses and zoological gardens. He was known for his love of Grizzly Bears, and many say he looks like one, with a full, thick, and heavy dark brown beard and mustache. He had a Grizzly Bear named Benjamin Franklin that he trained and lived with him as his pet. In 1974 an independent film was created and produced by Charles E. Sellier. The film was “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams,” and a made for television series was also produced from 1977-1978, starring Dan Haggerty, who portrayed Grizzly Adams.
“Everyone is crazy about a sharped dressed man.”
ZZ Top American Rock Band formed in Houston, TX, in 1969. However, the Gibbons and Hill iconic beard duo did not don their beards until ten years after the band’s formation. ZZ Top is in the class of legendary beards known worldwide.
Fun Facts: According to the Guinness Book of World Records.
- The world record for the most significant number of victories in the Beard and Mustache Championship currently is eight and is held by Karl- Heinz Hille from Germany.
- Living man with the longest mustache belongs to Ram Singh Chauhan from India. The record was recorded in Rome, Italy, at 14 feet.
- Living man with the longest beard goes to Canadian Sarwan Singh; his beard measured 8 feet 2.5 inches long.
- Beards come in many shapes and styles, and today have become more popular than ever. We love beards, and we need more of them so let them grow.
