Character Analysis
Like his siblings, Eilif is less of a full-fledged character and more the embodiment of a character virtue. Eilif embodies boldness; his fate derives completely from this aspect of his character. In this way, he corresponds to the figure of Julius Caesar, in the song Mother Courage and the cook sing in Scene IX. Let's check out that verse:
You saw courageous Caesar next
You know what he became.
They deified him in his life
Then had him murdered just the same.
And as they raised the fatal knife
How loud he cried: You too, my son!
The world however didn't wait
But soon observed what followed on.
It's courage that had brought him to that state.
How fortunate the man with none! (IX, 99-113)
These lines sum up Eilif's life in Mother Courage. He is praised by the general for his bold move, after stealing cattle from the local peasantry to feed the army, and is treated like a hero. Compare that to the line about Caesar being "deified" by the Romans. Later, Eilif pulls the same move during peacetime and gets arrested and executed. We could compare this to Caesar's betrayal and assassination by his senators. Both Caesar and Eilif are bold, but they use their boldness in the wrong situations. And that is enough to cost them their lives.
See more on Caesar in our "Allusions" sections.