Cyrano de Cyrano de BergeracBergerac

By Edmond Rostand

Pre-Reading Discussion

1. Would you rather have inner beauty or outer beauty? You may only choose one and if you choose inner beauty, then you are pretty ugly and if you choose outer beauty, you are gorgeous, but a pretty, mean and nasty person. Discuss the reasons for your choice.

Pre-Reading Discussion

• 2. Do you have 1 physical quality of trait that you are self-conscious about? What is it and why are you self-conscious about it? How does this affect you and have you ever felt alienated because of this difference?

Pre-Reading Discussion

• 3. What does our society value more highly-inner beauty or outer beauty?

Pre-Reading Discussion

• 4. How does a boy win the heart of a girl? List all of the ways a guy can impress a girl and win her over, include what his personality has to have.

Pre-Reading Discussion

• 5. What are the elements of your ideal mate?

About the author• born in Marseilles, France in 1868 • as a college student in Paris, he fell in love

with French literature and theater. • first play, Le Gant Rouge, was produced

when he was only 20 years old • Each new play proved more successful

than the previous one, and Rostand’s name lured prominent actors and actresses to star in his productions.

•Late 19th century theater dominated by grim, realistic stories and unsentimental characters

Realism - the depiction of subjects as they appear in everyday life In theater, a movement towards greater fidelity to

real life

•Rostand felt that the French people had forgotten the values and ideals that made them a proud and virtuous people, the qualities and character that made them honorable and specifically French.

Drama in the 1800s…

• Cyrano de Bergerac was sensationally popular and Rostand’s greatest triumph

• Rostand departed from the realist tradition to present a historical romance, set in the 1640s and featuring a swashbuckling hero who is also a poet, using words as effectively as weapons.

• Audiences loved the play’s passionate love story, comedy, fast-paced action, and tragic ending.

• Above all, they responded powerfully to the larger-than-life character of Cyrano, the genius hero with a ridiculously long nose.

Along comes Cyrano…

Your nose is . . . very big.

Yes, very.

Valvert: Cyrano:

Rostand Forever• Rostand died in 1918, but his most popular

creation continues to live on in hundreds of productions.

• Most recently, 2 popular films: the French Cyrano de Bergerac, starring Gerard Depardieu, and the modernized American adaptation, Roxanne, starring Steve Martin (1987).

The Play’s the Thing…• Though written in 1897, the play evokes

an even older era: France during the age of Louis XIII.

• In the 19th century, it was popular to recall this seventeenth-century era as France’s golden age—a time when men were musketeers, women were beautiful heiresses, and the wit flashed as brightly as the swordplay.

• In fact, Alexandre Dumas had published his famous romance, The Three Musketeers, a half-century before Cyrano took to the stage. Cyrano parodied, paid homage to, and proved itself a blatant copy of Dumas’s popular novel.

• Play within a play

The Play’s the Thing…• Nineteenth-century audiences viewed

Cyrano’s honesty, courage, wit, passion, and extraordinary willpower as the embodiment of this lost golden age.

• When first performed in Paris on December 28, 1897, the audience applauded for a full hour after the final curtain was drawn. Played for 500 performances. A classic was created on that night, and an unforgettable hero of literature was born.

• Vaguely follows Aristotle’s unities– One basic geographic location– One main character- the remainder of

characters are merely “bit actors”

Will the real Cyrano de Bergerac please stand

up?• The real Cyrano de Bergerac is a novelist and playwright who lived from 1619 to 1655, around the same time as the fictional Cyrano. The real Cyrano probably inspired the idea for Rostand’s protagonist, but the play’s events, as well as its other characters, are solely the product of Rostand’s imagination.

Cyrano de Bergeracthe historical character

• Born Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac in 1616 – big nose and all…

• From prominent – not noble – family• Wrote poetry, political pamphlets, some

plays – Moliere did in fact use two scenes written by Cyrano!

• His high courage and equally high spirit made him many enemies and gained him a reputation as a romantic hero

Romanticism & the Romantic Hero

Romanticism – the main source of inspiration for Romanticism came from the events and ideologies of the French Revolution. Romanticism is a movement away from the “Age of Enlightenment” that preceded it, wherein the focus was on reason and logic.

Characteristics of Romantic Literature -- Love of Nature, Emotional Expression, Artist - the Creator, Nationalism, Exoticism, and Supernatural

The Romantic HeroRomantic Hero - literary archetype of a character that rejects established norms and conventions, has been rejected by society, and has the self as the center of his or her own existence.

The Romantic HeroCharacteristics of the romantic hero:1.Usually protagonist 2.focus on character's thoughts rather than actions. 3.placed outside the structure of civilization;

represents the force of physical nature, yet with a sense of power and often leadership, that society has impoverished itself by rejecting.

4.introspection, the triumph of the individual over the restraints of theological and social conventions, wanderlust, melancholy, misanthropy, alienation, and isolation.

• However, another common trait of the Romantic hero is regret for his actions, and self-criticism, often leading to philanthropy, which stops the character from ending tragically.

Cyrano de BergeracA Romantic Comedy

• Complexity of plot• Contains elements of satire• Unlikely hero triumphs because of his

defects• Mimics bourgeoisie manners • Trivialized cult of appearances - dandy• Extensive monologues using subtle wit,

alliteration, and double entendres

Three Main Characters:• Cyrano de Bergerac: He is a long-nosed, fencing,

poetry writing, fighting, loving, man convinced that no one will ever love him because of his ugly features

• Christian: dumb as a rock, Gascon (soldier) of Cyrano’s, handsome, loves Roxane and wishes to win her, but fears he can’t because of his lack of expression.

• Roxane: “Madeline Robin” She is the most woman around. She is also the smart and cousin to Cyrano. She is loved by Cyrano, Christian, and many others.

• Ligniere: mischievous poet, angers DeGuiche with poem ridiculing him

• Raguenueu: poet and pastry cook, later works for Roxane

• Lise: wife of Raguenuau, leaves him after Act II• Le Bret: officer in Cyrano’s regiment, Cyrano’s

confidant, first learns of Cyrano’s love for Roxane• Carbon de Castel Jaloux: captain of Cyrano’s

regiment

Friends of Cyrano

Opponents of Cyrano:

• Count de Guiche: ambitious nobleman and military commander, in love with Roxane, hates Cyrano, experiences a change during the play, known as the Duke in Act 5

• Viscount de Valvert: follower of DeGuiche, wooer of Roxane, gets insulted by Cyrano

• Montfleury: fat, untalented actor, insulted by Cyrano

My, what a big nose you have!

Symbols•Cyrano’s nose•The love letters•The plume•War/fighting

Cyrano’s Themes

•Values and Virtue •Inner and Outer Beauty •The Danger in Deception •Appearance versus Reality•Honor Loyalty Sacrifice

Key Concepts•Chivalry•Courtly Love

Requirements for a man to be a true gentleman:

• 1. create poetry with ease and brilliance• 2. excel at swordplay and wordplay• 3. man of action and man of culture• 4. fight bravely• 5. compose music

Character list -1. Cyrano de Bergerac - 2. Roxane -3. Baron Christian de Neuvillette  -4. Comte de Guiche  -5. Ragueneau  -6. Le Bret   -7. Ligniere -8. The duenna - 9. Vicomte de Valvert - 10. Montfleury -11. Carbon de Castel-Jaloux - 12. Bellerose -13. Lise -14. Capuchin monk-15. Mother Marguerite de Jesus, Sister Claire, Sister Marthe -16. Cardinal Richelieu -