Beard of Sorrow: Difference between revisions

* ''[[Ctrl+Alt+Del]]'': Ethan has been growing some stubble ever since [[Robot Buddy|Zeke]] left, return to alcoholism included.

* Subverted in ''[[Scary Go Round]]'' when Ryan shaves his beard in sorrow after Fallon breaks up with him.

* Anthony Carver in ''[[Gunnerkrigg Court]]'' grew a beard after Surma died (and sent Annie to the Court). He wasn't quite functional in dealing with people before, but after being left alone, he was [[Walking the Earth]] on some Court's errant (which may or may not have been a [[Snipe Hunt]], seeing how his presence tend to grate on the nerves of people, except his few childhood friends), using it to pursue his own - much more vague and crazy - purpose.

 

** M. Porcius Cato the Censor, who grew his beard during the civil war between Caesar and Pompey, and mourned every Roman citizen who died.

** This extends to myth as well. Charon, the Greek/Roman ferryman of the dead, is portrayed as being permanently dirty, disheveled and unshaven, since, as someone who always deals with the dead, he's in a constant state of mourning.

* A former example - Gary Weddle of Ephrata, Washington is a high school teacher. After the events of [[The War on Terror|September 11, 2001]], [http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/bizarre&id=8110072 he vowed not to shave his beard until Osama bin Laden was either dead or in US custody]. At the time of his decision he thought it would only take a few months; as time went on he had to start explaining to incoming freshman classes the whats and whys behind his facial hair, the students having been too young to remember the events of that day. Mr. Weddle ended up bearded for nearly ten years and ultimately bore some resemblance to the infamous terrorist before bin Laden's death in May 2011 allowed him to shave again.

* There's an old Italian custom; when a loved one has died, a man doesn't shave until the funeral.