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Cyrano de Bergerac Edmond Rostand
Act II, scenes vii–xi
Will you let my soul pass from my leather
jerkin and lodge beneath your embroidered doublet?
Summary — Act II, scene vii
Cyrano's company of guards tumbles into the shop, ecstatic
over Cyrano's triumphs the night before. The whole city is in a
tumult over the sensation he created. Carbon, the captain of the
guards, tries to lead Cyrano out into the adoring throng, but Cyrano
refuses to go. People begin rushing into the store, doting on Cyrano.
Prominent men ask for the details of the night before; Cyrano's
friends see an opportunity for him to help his career, but he refuses
to provide any details. De Guiche enters with a message of admiration,
and Cyrano presents to him the song of the Cadets of Gascoyne. De Guiche
suggests that his uncle, Cardinal Richelieu, the most powerful man
in France, might be willing to help Cyrano. But again Cyrano refuses.
During the hubbub, a cadet appears with a set of hats belonging
to the men Cyrano defeated the previous night. De Guiche reveals
that he hired the hundred men, and he angrily storms out of the
store. The crowd dissipates, and only the guards remain.
Summary — Act II, scene viii
Le Bret argues that Cyrano is ruining his chances of becoming
a successful man or a famous poet. Cyrano says he will live according
to his ideals and that he has no interest in making friends with
unworthy men. Suddenly, Christian enters.
Summary — Act II, scene ix
The other guardsmen, not privy to Cyrano's vow to Roxane,
tease Christian and warn him never to mention Cyrano's nose. Christian, upset
that he is being teased, asks Carbon what to do when Gascons grow
too boastful. Carbon replies that he must prove a man can be a Norman
and still have courage. So when Cyrano begins to tell the story
of his fight with the hundred men, Christian repeatedly interrupts
him with references to his nose. Cyrano fills with anger, and the
cadets expect him to attack Christian. Remembering his promise to
protect Christian, however, Cyrano controls himself. Christian's insults
continue until at last Cyrano angrily sends away the cadets. Expecting
him to kill Christian, they hasten from the room.
Summary — Act II, scene x
Rather than killing Christian, Cyrano embraces him and
reveals that he is Roxane's cousin. Christian proclaims that he
simply cannot write to Roxane because he is too stupid—he thinks
she will lose all feeling for him the moment she reads his words.
Struck by a powerful idea, Cyrano offers to write letters for Christian—though
he says he is only interested in practicing his comic poetry, inwardly,
he burns for the opportunity to express his feelings to Roxane.
Christian agrees, and they embrace again.
Summary — Act II, scene xi
The cadets return to the room, stunned to see that not
only is Christian still alive, but that he is embracing Cyrano.
Lise's musketeer decides to follow Christian's lead and insults
Cyrano's nose. Cyrano knocks him over a bench. The cadets, pleased
to have their old Cyrano back, rejoice.
Analysis — Act II, scenes vii–xi
The structure of Act II is important for several reasons.
It introduces the plot's main event: Cyrano's plan to woo Roxane
for Christian by writing the letters himself. It shows Cyrano at
the peak of his sensational popularity following his triumph at
the theater and in the duel against a hundred men. It also shows
how his pride and virtue compel him to shun his popularity.
Rostand expresses in words the code of behavior to which
Cyrano swears. Cyrano's refusal of Richelieu's patronage is significant. Rather
than pander to money and power by taking a great offer to become
financially and politically backed by the most powerful man in France,
Cyrano prefers to live by the ideals and values that he holds dear.
Moreover, Cyrano's argument with Le Bret over Cyrano's rash behavior
shows his allegiance to integrity, impetuousness, bravery, wit,
the pursuit of glory, and the idealization of love and women—all
in the face of great enmity. These connote the most important, recurring
themes of the play.
Another important theme of Cyrano de Bergerac is
the traditional contrast between inner worth and outward appearance, embodied
mainly in the opposing characters of Cyrano and Christian. Christian
and Cyrano are opposites in several ways. One is ugly, the other
handsome. One is smart and artistic, the other simple. One is confident,
the other noticeably shy but effectively charming. Cyrano, despite
his awkward physical appearance, is the “most delightful
man under the sun,” a consistently brilliant and soulful man. Christian
is beautiful to look at, but he lacks wit, poetry, and fire. By working
together to woo Roxane, they form a more powerful single character,
a “romantic hero.” This romantic hero has the best of both worlds:
Cyrano's inner beauty and Christian's outer beauty. Though together
they form a romantic hero, Cyrano and Christian also risk becoming
perceived as part fraud and part coward.
Act III, scenes i–iv
Summary — Act III, scene i
Ragueneau sits outside Roxane's house conversing with
her duenna. He tells the duenna that his wife, Lise, ran off with
a musketeer and that his bakery is ruined. He says that he tried
to hang himself but that Cyrano found him, cut him down, and made
him Roxane's steward. The duenna calls up to Roxane, telling her
to hurry. They are going to a discussion group on the tender passion.
Cyrano strides into the scene followed by a pair of musicians, whose
services he won in a bet over a fine point of grammar. The musicians
are terrible, however, and Cyrano sends them off to play an out-of-tune serenade
to Montfleury.
Roxane comes down, and she and Cyrano talk about Christian. Roxane
says that Christian's letters have been breathtaking—he is more
intellectual than even Cyrano, she declares. Moreover, she says
that she loves Christian. She recites passages of the letters to Cyrano,
who makes a show of critiquing the poetry. Roxane says that Cyrano
is jealous of Christian's poetic talent. The duenna cries out that
de Guiche is coming, and Cyrano, hastened by the duenna, hides inside
the house.
Summary — Act III, scene ii
De Guiche tells Roxane that he has come to say farewell.
He has been made a colonel of an army regiment that is leaving that
night to fight in the war with Spain. He mentions that the regiment
includes Cyrano's guards, and he grimly predicts that he and Cyrano
will have a reckoning. Afraid for Christian's safety if he should
go to the front, Roxane quickly suggests that the best way for de
Guiche to seek revenge on Cyrano would be for him to leave Cyrano
and his cadets behind while the rest of the regiment goes on to
military glory. After much flirtation from Roxane, de Guiche believes
he should stay close by, concealed in a local monastery. When Roxane implies
that she would feel more for de Guiche if he went to war, he agrees
to march on steadfastly, leaving Cyrano and his cadets behind. He
leaves, and Roxane makes the duenna promise she will not tell Cyrano
that Roxane has robbed him of a chance to go to war.
Summary — Act III, scene iii
Roxane expects Christian to come visit her, and she tells
the duenna to make him wait if he does. Cyrano presses Roxane to
disclose that instead of questioning Christian on any particular
subject, she plans to make Christian improvise about love. Cyrano
agrees that he will not tell Christian the details of her plot,
a gesture Roxane appreciates. She conjectures that Christian would
prepare a speech to her if he knew. Roxane and the duenna leave,
and Cyrano calls to Christian, who has been waiting nearby.
Summary — Act III, scene iv
Cyrano tries to help Christian prepare for his meeting
with Roxane. He urges Christian to learn lines Cyrano has written.
But Christian refuses. He says he wants to speak to Roxane in his
own words, and Cyrano bows to Christian, saying, “Speak for yourself,
sir.”
Analysis — Act III, scenes i–iv
Rostand's play does not hold musketeers in high esteem.
This dislike becomes immediately apparent when the distasteful Lise
runs away with one. Many of the references to the musketeers and
to Dumas's The Three Musketeers are overwhelmingly
negative. By this point, the musketeers have been developed as symbols
of an antiquated and corrupt past. Rostand uses the musketeers as
moral foils, contrasting them with more noble characters, such as
Cyrano, Roxane, and even Christian. For instance, when Lise's despicable
actions with the musketeer drive Ragueneau to desperate measures,
Cyrano saves Ragueneau's life, consoles him, and finds him a job.
Cyrano cleans up the mess made by the musketeers.
Cyrano's development as a heroic and moral character becomes even
more remarkable in these scenes. He displays his knowledge of music,
language, and mathematics. Despite his affection for Roxane, Cyrano
enjoys helping Christian win her love, a fact that exemplifies Cyrano's
attraction to challenges of all kinds. But he also displays modesty:
when Roxane praises the letters, which he secretly wrote, Cyrano
does not believe that they have truly affected her. He realizes
this impact, or allows himself to realize it, only when Roxane recites
many of the lines back to him by heart. Cyrano may be proud, but
he is also unbelievably humble.
These scenes present Roxane as an expert moderator who
has powerful skills of persuasion. First, she convinces Cyrano about
the beauty of the letters. But her most important achievement is
persuading de Guiche to forgo taking vengeance upon Cyrano. Perhaps de
Guiche's reluctance can be attributed to his feelings for Roxane, but
it is her persuasive flirting that clearly affects him.
The contrast between Cyrano and Christian intensifies
in these scenes: Cyrano is humble and reserved, and Christian is
proud and supremely confident, yet simple-minded. Given Cyrano's
incomparable love for Roxane, his ability to maintain a strong sense
of reserve as she compliments the letters is remarkable. In comparison, Christian
is more excited than Cyrano, though he did not even write the letters.
At the end of scene iv, Christian seems somewhat unappreciative
of Cyrano and believes the wooing is complete. Christian doesn't
understand that his decision to speak to Roxane without Cyrano's
help might lead him down a difficult and disastrous path.
Act III, scenes v–xiv
Summary — Act III, scene v
Roxane and the duenna return. Roxane and Christian
sit outdoors, and Roxane asks Christian to tell her how he loves
her. He tries, but all he can say is “I love you,” “I adore you,”
“I love you very much,” and other simple variations. Angry, Roxane
goes into the house. Cyrano returns, ironically congratulating Christian
on his great success.
Summary — Act III, scene vi
Seeing a light in Roxane's window, Christian
asks Cyrano for help. In the dark, Cyrano hides underneath Roxane's
balcony while Christian stands in front of it. He throws gravel
at Roxane's window, and when she comes out, Cyrano whispers words for
Christian to recite.
Summary — Act III, scene vii
Moved by Christian's words, Roxane then asks why he speaks
so haltingly. Impatient, Cyrano thrusts Christian under the balcony and
takes his place, still hidden in darkness. Speaking in a low voice, he
confides in Roxane the things he has always longed to tell her.
As Roxane becomes more and more hypnotized by Cyrano's poetry, Christian
cries out from beneath the balcony that he wants one kiss. At
first, Cyrano tries to dissuade him, but he decides that he cannot
prevent the inevitable and that, at the very least, he would like
to be the one to win the kiss. Thus, Cyrano stands beneath Roxane's
balcony and persuades her to kiss him. Christian climbs up to receive
the kiss.
Summary — Act III, scene viii
A Capuchin priest enters, having found his way to Roxane's
house. He presents a letter from de Guiche. The letter says that
de Guiche has escaped his military service by hiding in a convent.
Pretending to read it aloud, Roxane says that de Guiche desires
the Capuchin to marry Roxane and Christian on the spot. The Capuchin
hesitates, but Roxane pretends to discover a postscript that promises
a great deal of money to the convent in exchange. Suddenly, the
Capuchin's reservations evaporate, and he goes inside to marry them.
Summary — Act III, scene ix
Cyrano waits outside to prevent de Guiche from disrupting
the impromptu wedding.
Summary — Act III, scene x
De Guiche appears. Covering his face with his
hat, Cyrano leaps onto de Guiche from a tree. Pretending to be a
person who has just fallen from the moon, he distracts de Guiche
with an insane speech about his experiences in space. At last he
removes his hat, reveals himself as Cyrano, and announces that Roxane
and Christian are now married.
Summary — Act III, scene xi
The couple comes out of the house. De Guiche coldly congratulates them
but orders Roxane to bid her husband farewell: the guards will go
to the war after all, and they will depart immediately. De Guiche triumphantly
tells Cyrano that the wedding night will have to wait. Under his
breath, Cyrano remarks that the news fails to upset him.
Roxane, afraid for Christian, urges Cyrano to promise
to keep him safe, to keep him out of dangerous situations, to keep
him dry and warm, and to keep him faithful. Cyrano says that he
will do what he can but that he cannot promise anything. Roxane
begs Cyrano to promise to make Christian write to her every day.
Brightening, Cyrano announces confidently that he can promise that.
Analysis — Act III, scenes v–xiv
The balcony scene is the most famous scene in Cyrano
de Bergerac. It is at once brilliantly funny and genuinely
touching. The humor of the play becomes more sophisticated in Act
III. In the earlier parts of the play, most of the humor stems from
Cyrano's outrageous behavior. Here, the humor begins to take the
form of elaborate dramatic irony. (Dramatic irony is a literary
device that occurs when the audience knows or perceives more than
the characters do.) For example, Roxane believes Cyrano to be Christian,
and de Guiche doesn't recognize Cyrano when he claims to have fallen
from space. The comic timing in this act is flawless. Cyrano's aside
about how he secretly does not mind that the wedding night will
be delayed comes at just the right moment. Another important source
of humor in Act III is parody: the balcony scene derives a great
deal of its humor by ridiculing the famous balcony scene in Romeo
and Juliet.
De Guiche, the play's main antagonist, begins to influence
the plot directly in this act. In Act I, de Guiche was in love with
Roxane. Now, he takes steps to fulfill his love. At first, Roxane
and Cyrano thwart those attempts. Roxane bribes the Capuchin, and
Cyrano distracts de Guiche with his spaceman ploy. But de Guiche's
decision to send the cadets to war throws the whole plot into upheaval.
De Guiche himself represents another reference to The Three
Musketeers: in that play, Cardinal Richelieu is the principal
villain, and here, the cardinal's nephew turns into the primary
antagonist.
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