The Tain Characters & Character Analysis

The Tain Characters

Cuchulainn

Cuchulainn is the primary hero and protagonist of Tain. His birth is significant, as he is essentially born (or at least conceived) three times, giving him three lineages - Burg, Ulster, and a race of semi-divine beings called the side. To associate Cuchulainn with the side accomplishes a justification for his superhuman powers, much as Hercules or other heroes in Greek mythology were semi-divine in their origins.

Cuchulainn, at a mere five years old, is capable of fantastic feats, including beating 150 boys at wrestling or "Shoot-the-Goal"; defeating the vicious guard dog of Culann the Smith, after which he became the "Hound of Culann," adopting his namesake; killing several men in combat; and lifting 30 warriors above his head on a bed.

At the time of the Tain, Cuchulainn is seventeen, in some ways a "beardless boy" (he must use a fake beard so men will fight him), but in...
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