Rating: 
Summary: Long nose
Review: Cyrano De Bergerac is a story that takes place in the 1640's about a swordsman who has a rather large nose who falls in love with his very intellectual and beautiful cousin Roxanne. Cyrano cannot find a way to tell Roxanne the way he fells about her until a foolish man insults his nose. So instead of killing him Cyrano uses the man to his advantage and uses him to translate poems to Roxanne without her knowing that it is Cyrano who is making these wonderful poems of love which Roxanne is intrigued by. It ends up finally that Cyrano cannot keep playing these games and eventually Roxanne marries the other man. Cyrano goes to war and doesn't see Roxanne for years until they meet for one last time.
Overall this book had a great plot but dragged on at parts and the reading was somewhat confusing but if you understand sayings like "Now then, you Picaroons, Perk up and hear me mutter. Here's you bout bustle around some cull, and bite his bung." Then I think you'll enjoy the rest of the text. So If you like love and adventure with great characterization I would definitely recommend this book other wise I would stay far away from this book.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best plays of all times
Review: Cyrano de Bergerac is the quintessential Romance of "the Genius against society". However, the main theme is: "Dramatization of the idea that the meaning of true love is a response of one soul to the virtues,or the beauty of the soul,of another being and that love is not concerned with physical appearances."The plot-theme is: "The love triangle between a gallant, witty, poet-soldier who, because of an ugly long nose is unable to profess his passion to the woman he loves; the woman, and a handsome man who loves the same woman (who in turn loves him) - the ugly poet composing beautiful poems and verses for this handsome man to win over the woman-thus, lending him his soul." Cyrano.." glorifies all that is heroic in man - self-esteem, fearlessness, intransigent integrity and above all - independence of spirit . At the end of the play Rostand shows that the human spirit shall remain unbroken and unbent - whatever may be the suffering or loss. The link between the theme of the genius' struggle (here, Cyrano's struggle) against mediocrity, compromise and cowardice, and the theme of love is that important events of the latter are determined by the former (particularly the climax) in a single plot-structure. One unique feature of this play is that all the characters directly involved in the central plot, by the end of the story are positive characters, without any malice or envy or hatred. I have not read any other play of serious literature with such charming and yet profound poetry, wit and humor - it will make you sigh, it will make you roll on your belly, it will bring tears to your eyes. The pain of Cyrano is heart-wrenching. I weep everytime I read the story-and almost all the while. One of the drawbacks of "Cyrano.." is that despite its celebration of Man the Hero, while one experiences an exalted sense of hero worship, one does not experience the same sense of benevolence with respect to this world - the world is portrayed as a place, where, ultimately, where man cannot achieve his values though his spirit is untouched by pain. (The same applies to the novels of Victor Hugo - who shares Rostand's sense of hero-worship). This play does not deal with any complex philosophical issues (such as the plays of Schiller). However, it carries in its simple message and in its portrayal of probably the most lovable hero of 19th century fiction, a depth of meaning and relevance which is timeless. With its glowing Romantic spirit, "Cyrano.." ought to go down in history as one of the most enduring plays of all time - as a testament to the indestructibility of the human spirit.
Rating:
Summary: Incomparable wit and ingenuity
Review: Edmond Rostand established a name for himself, and a superlative magnum opus, when he wrote this singular and playful work of cunning, heroism, & love. While many may know vaguely of the legendary tale of the real Cyrano, few have surprisingly actually read this delightful gem of a play based only nominally on the man himself. Cyrano de Bergerac incorporates all that is 17th century France in a nutshell: the romance, wit, bombast, refinement, gallantry, and pompousness. Cyrano embodies all of these and more. Rostand uses a seemingly endless flow of great witticisms and a keen use of wordplay that make the play enjoyable and fun to read. It reads similarly to a Shakespeare comedy -- albeit in a much more fluid and smooth manner. The outlandish tales of Cyrano single-handedly defeating 100 men in battle, of him being a scientist, poet, and warrior all at once make for an outrageously entertaining tale of bombast and hyperbole. Cyrano, when exhorted to seek his true love Roxane by his friend Le Bret, exclaims, "Come now, think a moment: this nose of mine, which precedes me by a quarter of an inch everywhere I go, forbids me ever to dream of being loved by even an ugly woman." Our hero, who personifies the intrepid soldier on the battlefield, rebuffs Le Bret's persistence by retorting, "So that she'll laugh in my face? No! That's the one thing in the world that I fear!" Cyrano, our affable and valiant swashbuckling hero, reveals that he is, despite the brazen posturing, a mere human after all. And, like everyone else, possesses his own unique set of fears. In the face of awkward human imperfection, Cyrano teaches us the need to transcend -- that love of another's soul must, in order for true happiness to be fully achieved, supersede the shallowness of physical appearance. A great lesson that more people should learn. "Pardon me for having involved you in a disastrous adventure."
Edmond Rostand to the actor portraying Cyrano minutes before the play's initial performance.
Rating:
Summary: Incomparable wit and ingenuity
Review: Edmond Rostand established a name for himself, and a superlative magnum opus, when he wrote this singular and playful work of cunning, heroism, & love. While many may know vaguely of the legendary tale of the real Cyrano, few have surprisingly actually read this delightful gem of a play based only nominally on the man himself. Cyrano de Bergerac incorporates all that is 17th century France in a nutshell: the romance, wit, bombast, refinement, gallantry, and pompousness. Cyrano embodies all of these and more. Rostand uses a seemingly endless flow of great witticisms and a keen use of wordplay that make the play enjoyable and fun to read. It reads similarly to a Shakespeare comedy -- albeit in a much more fluid and smooth manner. The outlandish tales of Cyrano single-handedly defeating 100 men in battle, of him being a scientist, poet, and warrior all at once make for an outrageously entertaining tale of bombast and hyperbole. Cyrano, when exhorted to seek his true love Roxane by his friend Le Bret, exclaims, "Come now, think a moment: this nose of mine, which precedes me by a quarter of an inch everywhere I go, forbids me ever to dream of being loved by even an ugly woman." Our hero, who personifies the intrepid soldier on the battlefield, rebuffs Le Bret's persistence by retorting, "So that she'll laugh in my face? No! That's the one thing in the world that I fear!" Cyrano, our affable and valiant swashbuckling hero, reveals that he is, despite the brazen posturing, a mere human after all. And, like everyone else, possesses his own unique set of fears. In the face of awkward human imperfection, Cyrano teaches us the need to transcend -- that love of another's soul must, in order for true happiness to be fully achieved, supersede the shallowness of physical appearance. A great lesson that more people should learn. "Pardon me for having involved you in a disastrous adventure."
Edmond Rostand to the actor portraying Cyrano minutes before the play's initial performance.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest plays ever written
Review: Edmond Rostand's masterpiece, Cyrano de Bergerac, is one of the greatest plays ever written. It is a mix of everything: a tragedy, romance, comedy, and pseudo-history, all in one. Like all great playwrights, Rostand weaves highly witty remarks throughout his texts, many of them laugh-out-loud funny; Cyrano's famous lengthy monologue about how he could have been insulted better and Christian's "nosy" berating of Cyrano are classic moments. The play is also highly tragic: the plot twists and turns, not playing out as one would expect, and it leaves one absolutely brimming over with emotion by play's end. Cyrano is one of the great tragic characters in all literature -- a sharp-witted, swashbuckling poet, and a big softy to boot. He is one of the most complex characters ever to appear in a play, his range of emotion and depth of complexity presenting a supreme challenge to the actor. The play is also a great romance, tragic as it is, and contains much magnificent poetry, including many romantic lines that rival the best of Keats and Yates. I referred to the play as a "pseudo-history" because it uses the real Cyrano de Bergerac as a basis for the play's title character, referring to real events in his life and extrapolating from there in the grand Dumas style. Those who disparage the play as unrealistic or idealistic are missing the point, not to mention the heart, of the play. This is an epic play in the grand French Romantic tradition; actions are deliberately fanciful, circumstances abound, and actions and situations are occasionally hyperbolic. This is all by design; therein lays the play's appeal. Rostand, in writing it, shows his complete mastery of the art. His ability to take Cyrano, who comes off as such as so pompously arrogant in the first act, and make him imminently lovable by the end of the play is a testament to his brilliance. The quasi-love triangle is also very effective; through it, Rostand is able to comment on the fleetingness and sometimes randomness of love without being too heavy-handed. The suspense is omnipresent, tragedy always looms just around the corner, but a laugh is never too far away. For those who love poetry or romance, this work is an absolute must. Emotions hit a fever pitch at several points in the play; it will reduce many to tears, as it almost did me. This is an absolute and essential masterpiece that remains a cherished classic in the annals of writing for the stage.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest plays ever written
Review: Edmond Rostand's masterpiece, Cyrano de Bergerac, is one of the greatest plays ever written. It is a mix of everything: a tragedy, romance, comedy, and pseudo-history, all in one. Like all great playwrights, Rostand weaves highly witty remarks throughout his texts, many of them laugh-out-loud funny; Cyrano's famous lengthy monologue about how he could have been insulted better and Christian's "nosy" berating of Cyrano are classic moments. The play is also highly tragic: the plot twists and turns, not playing out as one would expect, and it leaves one absolutely brimming over with emotion by play's end. Cyrano is one of the great tragic characters in all literature -- a sharp-witted, swashbuckling poet, and a big softy to boot. He is one of the most complex characters ever to appear in a play, his range of emotion and depth of complexity presenting a supreme challenge to the actor. The play is also a great romance, tragic as it is, and contains much magnificent poetry, including many romantic lines that rival the best of Keats and Yates. I referred to the play as a "pseudo-history" because it uses the real Cyrano de Bergerac as a basis for the play's title character, referring to real events in his life and extrapolating from there in the grand Dumas style. Those who disparage the play as unrealistic or idealistic are missing the point, not to mention the heart, of the play. This is an epic play in the grand French Romantic tradition; actions are deliberately fanciful, circumstances abound, and actions and situations are occasionally hyperbolic. This is all by design; therein lays the play's appeal. Rostand, in writing it, shows his complete mastery of the art. His ability to take Cyrano, who comes off as such as so pompously arrogant in the first act, and make him imminently lovable by the end of the play is a testament to his brilliance. The quasi-love triangle is also very effective; through it, Rostand is able to comment on the fleetingness and sometimes randomness of love without being too heavy-handed. The suspense is omnipresent, tragedy always looms just around the corner, but a laugh is never too far away. For those who love poetry or romance, this work is an absolute must. Emotions hit a fever pitch at several points in the play; it will reduce many to tears, as it almost did me. This is an absolute and essential masterpiece that remains a cherished classic in the annals of writing for the stage.
Rating:
Summary: A play as great as its hero
Review: If you want to know what drama ought to be like, read "Cyrano de Bergerac". This play combines all that makes an great play-brilliant humor,heart-wrenching emotions,a good plot-structure,an original story and admirable heroic characters.Full of breath-taking poetry and profound moral lessons on the nature of love, of freedom of the human spirit and the essence of individualism,"Cyrano de Bergerac" is a work of sheer genius.
Rating:
Summary: L'indice d'un homme bon, courtois, spirituel...
Review: My rating is for the play; I've only glanced at the English translation. I'm not too sure if this play should really be called "An heroic comedy", I find it more to be a tragedy. A play of tragic unrequited love, sacrifice, courage and charm, with some amusing moments, for instance when members of the aristocracy and others are made to look foolish compared to the wit and heart of Cyrano, or the scene where Christian and Cyrano meet for the first time.
Cyrano was a real French poet of the 17th century. A bit of knowledge about his time helps to appreciate the play...for instance, one of the reasons why Christian feels unable to speak to Roxanne with his own words is because she was part of that fashionable trend amongst certain ladies of society called "les precieuses" (ridiculed by Moliere) characterized by an overblown admiration of fancy talk, excessive romantic sensibility, and intellectual posturing. Christian, a man of perhaps more basic passions and few words with women, but in no way a dummy (see his wit when meeting Cyrano), rightly felt inhibited before the precious Roxanne.
"Cyrano" was written at the end of the 19th century, is neo-romantic in style and one of the last French plays to be written in verse rather than prose. The charming, witty and poetic ryhme of its verse, which fully develops each of the characters in keeping with the play's romantic theme, is what makes it so wonderful. It is like a poem. In translation the play therefore loses much of its grace and beauty.
The play has been filmed a few times. Skip the Steve Martin "Roxanne" movie (very loosely based on the play) and see the real thing: "Cyrano de Bergerac" directed by J.P. Rappeneau with G. Depardieu in the leading role. Both the film and Depardieu are absolutely fantastic and very true to the play. The lines in the film follow (excepting one or two pages) the original lines of the play.
Rating:
Summary: The most romantic play ever.
Review: Of all the books I've read in my long life, this is the one I keep coming back to, time and time again. I read it everytime I need to transport myself away from harsh reality into, well, a harsh fictional world, but a beautiful one.
Cyrano is, as he says himself, all things. A poet, a warrior, a critic, a writer, a man of courage and action, with one, famous, fatal flaw -- vanity. He has an absurdly large nose, which makes him think that no one will ever love him.
The original French is written in rhyme. And watch for the cameo by a young d'Artagnan!
You've seen Steve Martin's Roxane, you've seen The Truth About Cats and Dogs, maybe you've even seen Gerard Depardieu's film version of Cyrano -- but you've seen nothing until you've spent a wonderful day in 17th century France following the heart of Hercule Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac, who was all things, and all in vain.
Rating:
Summary: The tragic love triangle of Christian, Roxane, and Cyrano
Review: The scene that has made Edmond Rostand's verse drama in five acts, "Cyrano De Bergerac," a classic drama is the balcony scene, where Cyrano is feeding the inarticulate Christian the lines with which to woo the lovely Roxanne. Finally Cyrano pretends to be Christian and speaks to Roxanne directly, while hiding in the shadows. Cyrano loves Roxanne as well, but would never dare to speak to her in his own name, and the great irony is that he knows his words have won her heart, but for another man.
The scene resonates because the vast majority of young men have experienced the pangs of love for a woman who would not give them the time of day. The reason for such slights might not be a large nose, but as long as it is something that is beyond our control, we can feel an affinity with Cyrano. What makes his plight more tragic than our own is because he is both witty and romantic, using words like a rapier to best his enemies one moment and then uttering verbal bouquets that would surely win the heart of any maiden at whom they were directed. Still, the Fates conspire against Cyrano, for when Christian finally realizes that it is Cyrano's words that have won Roxane's heart for him and tries to make things right, the young man's death cements the parts they have chosen to play in this tragic love triangle. After the paradigmatic love triangle of Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot, that of Christian, Roxane, and Cyrano must rank second.
Yet in the end I find that the tragedy of "Cyrano de Bergerac" is not his alone, for there is a sense in which Roxanne's loss is even greater. For me, the key line in the play belongs to her, when in the final scene Cyrano is finally allowed to read the last letter that Christian wrote to his beloved, a letter written by Cyrano himself. The words are burned into his soul and it is when she realizes that it is too dark for him to read the words and he is reciting them, that the truth becomes clear to her. "I never loved but one man in my life," she laments, "and I have lost him twice." There is something to be said for a play that can be accurately reduced to a single line. Furthermore, in terms of romantic tragedy, the emotional impact of the ending is comparable to Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet," a comparison already warranted by the fact the plays have the two most famous balcony scenes in drama.
Rostand wrote "Cyrano" for the great French actor, Constant Coquelin, who specifically requested the final death scene. The play premiered on December 28, 1897, at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin, Paris. The fact "Cyrano" was effectively commissioned for a particular actor might explain why the playwright was able to take the French soldier, satirist, and dramatist, whose life had been the basis of many romantic but unsubstantiated legends into the central character of his drama. The historical Cyrano (1619-1655) is of interest for writing some of the first works of what we would consider science fiction, "Voyage dans la lune" (1657) and "L'historie des etats et empires du soleil" (1662). He was also considered a student of Pierre Gassendi, the writer of philosophical romances and a virile lover, so Rostand's characterization is rather suspect. But it is also one of the most memorable creation of 19th-century drama (along with Henrik Ibsen's Clara from "A Doll's House").
"Cyrano de Bergerac" represents one of the final examples of Romantic drama in France, but ironically the heroic comedy is the best known of all such works today. The only other one of Rostand's plays that has proven to be of interest is "L'Aiglon" ("The Eaglet"), a 1900 tragedy is six acts that tells the story of the Duke of Reichstadt, the son of Napoleon, who lived and died the virtual prisoner of Austria (Sarah Bernhardt played the title run in the first production). But clearly it is "Cyrano" that has made Rostand's name almost as memorable as that of his great dramatic creation.
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