Motif: Kin Killing
Because of honor and pride, family is very important in ancient times. Kin killing is used frequently in medieval literature because it is the ultimate form of betrayal thus allowing an insight into a characters being. (If a character is willing to kill his family he must be honor-less and almost out of their mind) Look at Eifneison, by portraying him as a "kin-killer" the author forces the reader to question his motives and sanity. Was he insulted that the boy would not come to him as the book literaly suggests? Or was there some deeper reason for his sin. Eifneison perhaps was racist against the foreign irish, jealous that the boy was destined to be king, or perhaps just crazy.I believe that the slaying of ones family is used in Branwen to show a personal insecurity within Eifneison. I feel that his cruel acts are his way of acting out as a younger brother to a king.