Honor

Maintaining and preserving one's honour is very important to all the characters throughout The Mabinogion and many adventures are initiated by a character seeking make amends for slighting another's honour (for example, Pwyll's sojourn in Annwn to make reparation for his insult to Arawn King of Annwn) or to avenge an insult to the honour of another who cannot defend him/herself (as when Peredur vows to meet Cei in battle for the insult to the dwarf and the she-dwarf, or Gereint's pursuit of Edern son of Nudd because of the insult to Gwenhwyfar's handmaiden). A character can also undertake adventures in order to increase their honor (Peredur) or to restore lost honor (Gereint and Owein).

Honor has to be lived up to, and the actions of all the main characters are often dictated by what is honorable. For example, Arthur and Cei agree that leaving a nobleman...