Jan 24 - "Cuchulainn's Boyhood Deeds"

Irish Literature came around during the Anglo-Saxon literature period and includes some aspects of that type of literature but does not seem to have as much despair and death that is found in more traditional Anglo-Saxon works. In the literary work, “Cuchulainn’s Boyhood Deeds”, this piece of Irish literature tells of several warrior-like actions that are performed by a young man named Cuchulainn. Themes of battle and masculinity are explored in this work as we see this young man embark on a coming of age journey. Cuchulainn and his charioteer travel far from their home over vass mountains where they encounter a man who appears to be a mighty warrior. The charioteer warns Cuchulainn that this man is dangerous and must be killed skillfully; Cuchulainn immediately goes to kill the warrior, “He flung the spear at him, and it pierced him and broke his back. He removed the trophies, and the head with them.” (115). This success of killing a great warrior shows the reader that Cuchulainn has great potential to be a powerful leader. This is not so much incorporating a theme of death but rather this written work showcases the strength of a warrior in the Anglo-Saxon literature period. As Cuchulainn meets another fierce opponent, he manages to again showcase great fighting skills, “He threw the spear at him and tore him asunder where he stood. He went up and cut off his head.” (115). Cuchulainn shows an unbreakable vigor as he goes about encountering many ferocious warriors. After Cuchulainn heads back towards his home with the charioteer, they spot some wild deer in which Cuchulainn inquires if men prefer deer brought in dead or alive and the charioteer replied with alive. Then, Cuchulainn went after the deer, “... caught the deer nearest to him, the handsomest of all… he tethered it between the rear shafts of the chariot.” (116).  This is yet another illustration of the motivation and strength that Cuchulainn possesses. Overall, this piece of Irish literature strays away from the misery and death associated with Anglo-Saxon literature and focuses more on warriors and their impressive feats of strength and power.

Greenblatt, Stephen. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: the Major Authors. W.W. Norton & Company, 2013.

Comments

  1. Haley WilliardJanuary 24, 2019 at 2:56 PM

    You highlighted Cuchulainn's masculinity and leadership skills nicely. The compare/contrast between traditional Anglo-Saxon literature and Irish literature like "Cuchulainn's Boyhood Deeds" is a nice touch because they are very different, yet similar. This is a very good analysis of a piece of literature that is not the easiest to understand.

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