Cyrano de BergeracCyrano de Bergerac

By Edmond RostandBy Edmond Rostand

““The last great romantic The last great romantic dramatist”dramatist”

The author- Edmond The author- Edmond RostandRostand

Lived in Paris with his wife (also a Lived in Paris with his wife (also a writer)writer)

Completed Cyrano in 1897Completed Cyrano in 1897Wrote plays for Sarah Bernhardt – Wrote plays for Sarah Bernhardt –

great French actressgreat French actressCoquelin – legendary comic star Coquelin – legendary comic star

played the lead in Cyranoplayed the lead in CyranoRostand died in Paris in 1918Rostand died in Paris in 1918

History of 17History of 17thth Century Paris Century Paris

1610 – Louis XIII becomes King of France.1610 – Louis XIII becomes King of France.1618 – The Thirty Years War begins – 1618 – The Thirty Years War begins –

Austria and Spain go to war with a group of Austria and Spain go to war with a group of German Princes.German Princes.

1624 – Cardinal Richelieu becomes first 1624 – Cardinal Richelieu becomes first minister of France.minister of France.

1634 – Spanish troops invade central and 1634 – Spanish troops invade central and northern Europe.northern Europe.

1635 – France declares war on Austria and 1635 – France declares war on Austria and Spain.Spain.

1639 - The real Cyrano is wounded in battle.1639 - The real Cyrano is wounded in battle.

1641 – Cyrano leaves the army and takes up 1641 – Cyrano leaves the army and takes up literature.literature.

1643 – Louis XIII dies, Louis the XIV becomes 1643 – Louis XIII dies, Louis the XIV becomes king.king.

1645 – Cyrano dies from head1645 – Cyrano dies from headinjuries from a log droppedinjuries from a log droppedon his head.on his head.

Terms you should Terms you should knowknow

Comic relief – a witty exchange, – a witty exchange, skit, or soliloquy that the author skit, or soliloquy that the author inserts to ease tensions within a inserts to ease tensions within a serious work.serious work.

MelodramaMelodrama – a romantic or – a romantic or sensational plot carried to the sensational plot carried to the extremes of emotion in weeping, or extremes of emotion in weeping, or dismay. The final act of Cyrano has dismay. The final act of Cyrano has been labeled melodramabeen labeled melodrama

Troubadours Troubadours lyric poets in lyric poets in

Southern France, Southern France, northern Italy, and northern Italy, and northern Spain, who northern Spain, who composed songs composed songs about courtly love. about courtly love.

A strolling minstrel. A strolling minstrel. The “real” Cyrano The “real” Cyrano

was said to be a was said to be a minstrel and great minstrel and great swordsmen.swordsmen.

Dramatic IronyDramatic IronyThe dramatic effect The dramatic effect

achieved by leading achieved by leading an audience to an audience to understand an understand an incongruity between incongruity between a situation and the a situation and the accompanying accompanying speeches, while the speeches, while the characters in the characters in the play remain play remain unaware of the unaware of the incongruity.incongruity.

Unrequited LoveUnrequited Love

"Let no one who loves be unhappy. "Let no one who loves be unhappy. Even love unreturned has it's Even love unreturned has it's rainbow."rainbow." -James Matthew Barrie-James Matthew Barrie

"Nothing takes the taste "Nothing takes the taste

out of peanut butter quite out of peanut butter quite

like unrequited love."like unrequited love." -"Charlie Brown"-"Charlie Brown"

            

TragedyTragedy

A drama or literary work in A drama or literary work in which the main character is which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances.unfavorable circumstances.

Themes and Motifs in CyranoThemes and Motifs in Cyrano

• Unrequited loveUnrequited love• Physical beauty vs. spiritual beauty Physical beauty vs. spiritual beauty

(is one more real than the other?)(is one more real than the other?)• HeroismHeroism• ArroganceArrogance• LoyaltyLoyalty• SacrificeSacrifice

More famous nosesMore famous noses

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