Genre
High Fantasy
Setting and Context
The setting is the fictional land of Prydain.
Narrator and Point of View
It is narrated in third-person.
Tone and Mood
The tone is adventurous, hopeful, tense, and somber. The mood fluctuates between excitement, optimism, and suspense.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Taran. The antagonist is Arawn.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is the battle between good and evil as Taran and his allies strive to defeat the wicked forces. Taran, along with his companions such as Eilonwy, Gurgi, Fflewddur, and Prince Gwydion, must unite to confront Arawn. Arawn possesses the Black Cauldron and creates an army of undead warriors known as the Cauldron-Born. With this army, he poses a grave threat to Prydain and its inhabitants.
Climax
The climax occurs when Taran kills an undead warrior with Dyrnwyn causing all of the Cauldron-Born to die simultaneously.
Foreshadowing
The importance of the magical sword Dyrnwyn is foreshadowed throughout the story. It foreshadows the climax where Taran wields Dyrnwyn to defeat the Cauldron-Born.
Understatement
"The stable is my castle and the scullery my realm. I seek no other." Achren's description of her living situation downplays her current circumstances and the loss of her former power.
Allusions
The story draws heavily from Welsh mythology and folklore. Many characters, places, and events are inspired by Welsh legends.
Imagery
"Her yellow eyes blazed, her whiskers twitched, her tufted ears went flat against her head." This description paints a detailed picture of Llyan's aggressive demeanor.
Paradox
Taran, as the High King, wields great power commanding armies and making important decisions. However, he is also vulnerable in his position facing the pressures and responsibilities that come with leadership.
Parallelism
The parallelism lies in the portrayal of friendships as sources of strength in times of adversity. Whether it's Taran's unwavering loyalty to Gwydion or the steadfast friendship between Taran, Eilonwy, and Fflewddur Fflam.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
"Roaring columns of fire writhed through the smoke." This is personification attributing human-like qualities of movement to the fire.
