De Guiche is an opposing double to Cyrano. He represents everything that Cyrano would become if Cyrano were to use his wit for flattery and social climbing. De Guiche is a violent, vengeful, and bitter man. As the play’s villain, he constantly plans to have Cyrano killed, and he is unafraid to admit it.

He serves as a symbol of misguided aristocracy and ineffective leadership. His troops do not respect him. They approve of him only late in the play, when he leads a complex military maneuver for the French and then helps rescue Roxane from the dangers of battle. He does become a better person near the end of the play—a change stemming from Cyrano’s remarkable example of kindness, heroism, and respectability.