Cyrano de Bergerac

1. Cyrano de Bergerac By Edmond Rostand

2. 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.

3. Drama in the 1800s… 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.

4. Along comes Cyrano… • 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. Yes, very. Your nose is . . . very big. Valvert: Cyrano:

5. 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).

6. 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

7. 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”

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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

11. The Romantic Hero Romantic 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.

12. The Romantic Hero Characteristics of the romantic hero: • Usually protagonist • focus on character's thoughts rather than actions. • 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. • 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.

13. 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

14. Cyrano de Bergeracabout the play • Cyrano de Bergerac – our hero • Roxanne his precieuse – a person of highly affected language manners and dress – appearance was of utmost importance • Christian de Neuvillette – good looking soldier • Compte de Guiche – the villain • Ragueneau – poet, baker friend of Cyrano

15. Cyrano de Bergeracabout the play • Ligniere – drunk singer of satiric songs • Valvert – a dandy friend of de Guiche • Montfluerry – a horrible actor • And many, many, more…..

16. My, what a big nose you have! Symbols • Cyrano’s nose • The love letters • The plume • War/fighting

17. Cyrano’s Themes • Values and Virtue • Inner and Outer Beauty • The Danger in Deception • Appearance versus Reality • Honor Loyalty Sacrifice

18. Key Concepts • Chivalry • Courtly Love

19. Character list - • Cyrano de Bergerac - • Roxane - • Baron Christian de Neuvillette  - • Comte de Guiche  - • Ragueneau  - • Le Bret   - • Ligniere - • The duenna - • Vicomte de Valvert - • Montfleury - • Carbon de Castel-Jaloux - • Bellerose - • Lise - • Capuchin monk- • Mother Marguerite de Jesus, Sister Claire, Sister Marthe - • Cardinal Richelieu -