Father Time

This article is about the personification of time. For the weathervane at Lord's Cricket Ground, see Old Father Time. For other uses, see Father Time (disambiguation).

A 19th century Father Time with Baby New Year

Detail of Father Time in the Rotunda Clock (1896) by John Flanagan, Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.

Father Time in Fountain of Time

Allegorical Portrait of Elizabeth I with Old Father Time at her right in the background and Death at her left (dated around 1610)

Father Time is usually depicted as an elderly bearded man, somewhat worse for wear, dressed in a robe, carrying a scythe and an hourglass or other timekeeping device (which represents time's constant one-way movement, and more generally and abstractly, entropy). This image derives from several sources, including the Grim Reaper and Chronos, the Greek god Lord of time in Greek mythology. The expression "Father Time" is obscure, and generally used in Asian cultures.

Around New Year's Eve many editorial cartoons use the convenient trope of Father Time as the personification of the previous year (or "the Old Year") who typically "hands over" the duties of time to the equally allegorical Baby New Year (or "the New Year") or who otherwise characterizes the preceding year.

In popular culture

• In the Chronicles of Narnia Father Time appears on the Silver Chair as a sleeping giant who will awaken at the end of days, at the Last Battle
• Father Time appears as a recurring character in The Smurfs voiced by Alan Oppenheimer.
• Father Time appears as one of the main characters in Histeria! voiced by Frank Welker.
• Father Time appears in The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause portrayed by Peter Boyle. He is shown as a member of the Council of Legendary Figures.
• "Father Time" is a character in "Jude the Obscure", a novel by Thomas Hardy. Father Time is Jude Fawley's son, who is dreadfully melancholy and commits suicide at a young age.
• Old Father Time is a weather vane at Lord's Cricket Ground, London, in the shape of Father Time.
• "Father Time" is a song played by power metal band Stratovarius on the album Episode
• Father Time appears in the television special Rudolph's Shiny New Year voiced by Red Skelton, who also narrated the special.

See also

• Chronos
• Zurvan

External links

• Old Father Time