Bendigeidfran, King of Britain, son of Llyr and Penarddun, brother of Branwen, Manawydan, Nisien, and Efnysien. Bendigeidfran’s main actions were in the second part of the Mabinogion where he tried to create peace between Britain and the Irish by marrying off his Sister Branwen to the Irish king Matholwch. This would have gone well but Bendigeidfran’s brother kills his horses and a war is started. In the end after Bendigeidfran wades across a giant canal because he is also a giant. He ends up getting poisoned by a spear and having his head cut off which then is buried and protects Britain from invasion until it is dug up. Bran is seen as a protector and a provider as he also had a magical “horn of plenty” that provided food and drink in abundance for all that asks. He also seems to get bigger and smaller during different situations and is said to be so big that no boat or house has ever been able to contain him.
Peredur son of Efrawg or The Fisher King
Bendigeidfran is seen as a symbol of his country and as a protector for it. This is largely do to the fact the fact that he is a giant large enough to never have been contained by boat or house. This idea is furthered in The Mabinogion when he is compared to the mountains and forest’s as he wades across the Irish canal. As the king represents his country the idea of never being contained in another house gives the idea that his country cannot be contained by anyone but themselves as well as seeming to be much larger and more powerful. Bendigeidfran also protects after death by having his head lobbed off to be buried in London to protect the nation from invasion. By doing all these things Bendigeidfran is used to glorify Britain in the same way the Aeneid did for Rome. Bendigeidfran was most likely created to empower the Welsh and have them buy into he idea of their background so that they would be proud of their history.
Although Bendigeidfran is a hero and a giant who wades across giant bodies of water I find him to be to perfect and a pansy. First, if you’re a giant who can’t fit into a house and can wade across an ocean just for fun. How much of a pansy are you if you get struck by a little spear and then die from it. The Irish are small people I doubt their spears could have been that big, perhaps like a Horse dying from 3 Advil. Second, it is no fun to read about somebody who is invincible. If he can walk across water he should be able to wreak havoc and destroy anybody who comes into his path. I would compare him to super man, somebody who should be able to kill anybody he wanted to based of pure advantage in size and strength, not to mention magical powers, but then they die from some little flaw that needed to be made up so they could die. I do give him credit though for having his head cut off and still being able to talk and entertain people.
Hyperbole: An exaggerated statement used to heighten effect.
Bran is an over exaggeration as I have a hard time believing that there was a man that large. However his idea of hugeness is used to heighten the effect of his nation and his people and all the things that are associated with his power.
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