Genre
Old Irish Literature
Setting and Context
Ireland in the first century, prior to any real cohesive Christianity and during a period of instability within Ireland
Narrator and Point of View
Third person narrator telling of what happened from the point of view of an observer
Tone and Mood
Warlike, threatening, mystical
Protagonist and Antagonist
Cu Chulainn is the protagonist. Queen Medb is the antagonist
Major Conflict
The hand to hand combat on the bridge goes in for a period of months and is the major conflict in the text
Climax
The pushing back of Medb's army due to Fergus keeping his word to yield to Cu Chuliann when they meet
Foreshadowing
The debilitating illness that had taken over the men of Ulster foreshadows the fact that Cu Chuliann will be forced to defend the bull and Ulster single handed
Understatement
No particular examples in this work
Allusions
The text alludes to the tales of how the bulls were magic in origin and therefore posses a power greater than the possession of a bull would normally bestow
Imagery
The imagery is very mystical and described the metamorphosis from human like form to reptile to amphibian in a way that enables the reader to picture the sudden shape change and believe in the ability of he creature to change at will
Paradox
The nine day illness that sweeps the Ulster men paradoxically lasts for months
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the success of the characters who have honor and the ultimate failure of those who do not
Metonymy and Synecdoche
Ulster is used to represent all of the people living within its borders
Personification
The spear is personifies and given special powers that it bestows at will, giving an inanimate weapon the ability to make a decision and also the ability to judge the character of a man
