About the Author: Edmond Rostand. Born April 1, 1868 in Marseilles (Southern France) into a successful family Married a poet, Rosemond Berard, when he was 22 (gave her a volume of poems for a wedding gift) - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
About the Author: Edmond Rostand Born April 1, 1868 in Marseilles (Southern France) into a successful family Married a poet, Rosemond Berard, when he was 22 (gave her a volume of poems for a wedding gift) First play (The Romantics) was performed when he was 26; it won a prize from the French Academy Admitted into the French Academy at 33 (youngest ever) In 1914, volunteered to fight in WWI, but was refused Wrote patriotic poetry Died in Paris in 1918 (only 50 years old)
Transcript
About the Author: Edmond RostandBorn April 1, 1868 in Marseilles (Southern France)
into a successful familyMarried a poet, Rosemond Berard, when he was 22
(gave her a volume of poems for a wedding gift)First play (The Romantics) was performed when he
was 26; it won a prize from the French AcademyAdmitted into the French Academy at 33 (youngest
ever)In 1914, volunteered to fight in WWI, but was
refusedWrote patriotic poetryDied in Paris in 1918 (only 50 years old)
About the Story: Cyrano de BergeracWritten in 1897Takes place in France, mostly during 1640, in
the 17th century before Louis XIV was on the throne
France was in a war with Spanish troops (In Act IV, there is a dramatic moment in French campaign to liberate parts of the Netherlands)
Written in rhyming verseVery popular…over 500 performances of the
play took place in France
About the Real CyranoPoet and dramatist who lives from 1619 to 1655Questioned the politics and religion of the time, which made
him unpopular with authoritiesAn independent thinker; opposed war and the death penaltyFought in the battle at the Seige of Arras and was woundedPictures show him with a thin mustache and large noseWrote Voyage to the Moon (about rocket and space travel)Was an exceptional swordsman and always defended his
friends; one story says he fought and won against 100 menSome stories say that he died after getting hit on the head
with a falling log or rafter. He died one year later at the age of 35.
ACT I, Scene iii-V, pages 26-57
Le Bret-Rick De Guiche---AndradeMontfluery--Tahj A Light Horseman- AustinCuigy--Stepheno A Woman-- DeashaeA Marquis--Will A Woman’s Voice--WesleeThe Marquis—Demaris A Musketeer--AustinAnother Voice--Griffin The Doorkeeper--GeorgeA Burgher—Da’je Refreshment Girl--DeshawnA Lady--Jordan Rageneau—DemarisA Nobleman—Rick A Voice---JavierA Page—Demaris The Boxes---RickBellerose—Deshawn The Duenna---JordanJodelet—George An Actress---TahjA Young Man--Jarae The Actress---DarceleThe Old Burgher—Da’je Another Actress---JavierThe Lady Intellectuals---All girls A Third Actress---DeshawnA Meddler—Andrade Lingniere---RickThe Meddler--George Brissaille---WesleeValvert—Weslee
ACT I, Scene iii-V, pages 26-57
Le Bret- RYAN De Guiche--- MOLLYMontfluery—JUSTIN A Light Horseman- GRAYCuigy-- JACK A Woman– KYLEA Marquis-- KATIE A Woman’s Voice– ERINThe Marquis— MICHAEL A Musketeer— DENTONAnother Voice-- GRAY The Doorkeeper— SPENCERA Burgher— VIRGINIA Refreshment Girl— RACHELA Lady-- GRACE Rageneau— WILLA Nobleman— JACK A Voice--- OLIVERA Page— XIANG The Boxes--- EVERYONEBellerose— AMY The Duenna--- A’NIYAJodelet— DEONTAE An Actress--- VIRGINIAA Young Man-- MICHAEL The Actress--- ISAIAHThe Old Burgher— QUENTIN Another Actress--- ERINThe Lady Intellectuals--GIRLS A Third Actress--- JADEA Meddler— DENTON Lingniere--- FREDRICKThe Meddler-- ISAIAH Brissaille--- OLIVERValvert— COLE
ACT I STUDY GUIDE INFORMATION
SETTING AND MOOD
Setting: Paris, 1640, the evening at the Hotel de Burgogne
Mood: happy, lighthearted, sad (Cyrano is lonely), serious suspenseful, adventurous
ACT I STUDY GUIDE INFORMATION
SYMBOLS
-Cyrano’s Nose-- weakness, individuality
-Bag of Money—idealism
-Macaroon—pride, won’t take charity
ACT I STUDY GUIDE INFORMATION
ARCHETYPES
-Hero—Cyrano is the hero because he fights the devil figures-Outcast—Cyrano is the outcast because of his nose.-Devil Figures—De Guiche and Valvert are devil figures because they plan to trap Roxane into an affair.
ACT I STUDY GUIDE INFORMATION
IMPORTANT LINES
Cyrano: “It would be grotesque if a tear ran down this nose! As long as it’s in my power to prevent it, I’ll never let the divine beauty of tears be sullied by such gross ugliness” (Rostand 51).
Cyrano: “When it bleeds, it must be like the Red Sea!” (Rostand 39)
Valvert: “Your nose is …um… very big” (Rostand 38).
Setting: A few weeks later; evening outside of Roxane’s house
Mood: Romantic
ACT III STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONSYMBOLS
-Jasmine, Lilies, Roses: represent love, beauty, and romance
-Balcony: represent barrier between Cyrano and Roxane; they put Roxane on a pedestal
-Darkness: represents secrecy
ACT III STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONARCHETYPES
-Star-Crossed Lovers: Cyrano and Roxane because they are cousins; Christian and Roxane because they are different stations in life.
-Damsel in Distress: De Guiche is after Roxane and she has to trick him to get away.
-Heaven vs Hell: Roxane on the balcony represents a goddess; Cryano is below in his own hell since he cannot tell her the truth.
-The Ritual: The wedding ceremony of Roxane and Christian is a ritual.
ACT III STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONIMPORTANT LINES
Roxane to Christian: “It would displease me if you became ugly.”
Cyrano to Roxane: “I’m speaking to you for the first time.”
ACT III STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONBRIEF PLOT SUMMARY
1. Christian tries to speak for himself and fails. 2. Cyrano speaks to Roxane under the balcony.3. Christian and Roxane marry.4. Cyrano distracts De Guiche during the
wedding ceremony by pretending he fell from the moon.
5. De Guiche sends Cyrano and Christian to war.6. Cyrano promises Roxane that Christian will
Setting:1 month later, daybreak; the soldiers’Camp in between battles; tents, weapons, and
drums; silence except for shots
Mood: Intense, Sad
ACT IV STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONSYMBOLS
-White Scarf: represents Cyrano’s honesty and integrity
-Food: represents hope
-Letter: represents death, Cyrano’s love, Roxane’s love for Christian
ACT IV STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONARCHETYPES
-Evil Figure with a Good Heart: De Guiche decides to stay with the soldiers and fight with them after Roxane arrives.
-Scapegoat: Christian dies on the battlefield with Roxane still thinking that he wrote her the letters.
-Damsel in Distress: Roxane risks her life to visit Christian before the next battle.
-Death and Rebirth: Christian dies in the evening.
ACT IV STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONIMPORTANT LINES
Cyrano: “I don’t believe in declining the honor of being a target.”
Roxane to Christian: “I’d still love you if you suddenly became ugly…”
Cyrano: “And now I too must die, since, without knowing it, she’s mourning for me in him.”
ACT IV STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONBRIEF PLOT SUMMARY
1. The soldiers have no food. 2. De Guiche and Cyrano have an argument.3. Cyrano writes the last letter to Roxane. 4. Roxane arrives at the camp. 5. Roxane says she loves Christian’s soul.6. Christian wants Cryano to tell Roxane the
truth. 7. Christian dies and De Guiche takes Roxane to
get her away from danger. 8. The soldiers continue to fight.
-Death and Rebirth—Autumn and dead leaves represent the death of Cyrano.
-Unhealable Wound—Roxane wears Christian/Cryano’s letter around her neck to remind her of her lost love.
-Light vs Darkness—It is dusk, signifying the end of Cyrano’s life.
-Battle between Good and Evil—Cyrano fights with death at the end.
ACT V STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONIMPORTANT LINES
Roxane: “I love you; you must live!”
Cryano: “While I remained in the shadows below, others climbed up to receive the kiss of glory.”
Cryano: “Yes, he’s coming, but I’ll meet him on my feet!”
ACT V STUDY GUIDE INFORMATIONBRIEF PLOT SUMMARY
1. The nuns discuss Roxane’s mourning and Cyrano’s poor state.
2. Roxane, Le Bret, and the Duke talk about Cyrano.
3. Ragueneau tells Le Bret of Cyrano’s accident. 4. Cyrano visits Roxane and reads the letter
aloud. 5. Roxane finds out he loves her and then Cyrano
dies.
Cyrano De Bergerac QuizDo not write the question; only write the answer
1. What does Cyrano do while he is fighting Valvert in the first scene?
2. When Roxane is telling Cyrano whom she loves, how did Cyrano know it wasn’t him before she mentioned a name?
3. How many men did Cyrano defeat in a fight defending his friend Ligniere?
4. Explain one symbol from Act I.
Cyrano De Bergerac QuizDo not write the question; only write the answer
5. What are some of the only things that Christian can say to Roxane when he first talks to her?6. How does Cyrano help Christian in the balcony scene?7. How does Cyrano distract De Guiche while Roxane and Christian are getting married?8. How many letters does Cyrano write a day to Roxane while they are at war?9. How does Christian know that Roxane really loves Cyrano and not him?
Cyrano De Bergerac QuizDo not write the question; only write the answer
1. What does Cyrano tell Christian right before he dies?2. How does Roxane finally figure out that Cyrano is the one who wrote the letters?3. How is Cyrano killed?4. What does Cyrano’s white plume symbolize?5. Explain one archetype from Act Five.6. Who is the visitor that Cyrano decided to keep waiting in the last scene?EC: What is the fairy tale story that Cyrano compares his situation to when Roxane kisses him?
