Cyrano De Bergerac Part 25

1. In literature, improbabilities (such as Polyphemous, the one-eyed giant in the 1. In literature, improbabilities (such as Polyphemous, the one-eyed giant in the Odyssey) Odyssey) often serve as metaphors or allegories for something metaphysical or psychological or moral. What are the improbabilities in often serve as metaphors or allegories for something metaphysical or psychological or moral. What are the improbabilities in Cyrano-certainly Cyrano-certainly the character's nose is one-and do you think they work? Why? And what purpose do they serve? the character's nose is one-and do you think they work? Why? And what purpose do they serve?2. One often hears of great men and women whose accomplishments seem to be compensations for some lack or defect: a failed father, an unloving mother, short stature, poverty. Cyrano's panache is his great achievement. Do you think he has developed this quality in compensation for his unattractive nose? If so, what sort of clues does the play provide?3. What can be made of the friends.h.i.+p between Christian and Cyrano? Without the goal of wooing Roxane, would they be friends at all? Are they alter egos-that is, is there any Christian in Cyrano or Cyrano in Christian?4. Is Roxane worth the fuss made over her? Is she a heroic character in any way?5. Would it be possible for a man like Cyrano to exist and flourish today-with his panache intact? What are some of the things he might set out to do in today's world?

FOR FURTHER READING.

OTHER WORKS BY EDMOND ROSTAND.

Le Gant rouge (The Red Glove), 1889 1889 Les Romanesques (The Romancers), 1894 1894 L'Aiglon (The Eaglet), 1900 1900 Chantecler (1910) (1910) La Derniere Nuit de Don Juan (The Last Night of Don Juan), published posthumously in 1921 published posthumously in 1921 WORKS BY THE HISTORICAL.

CYRANO DE BERGERAC.

La Mort d'Agrippine (The Death of Agrippine), 1654 1654 Le Pedant joue (The Pedant Imitated), 1654 Histoire comique des etats et empires de la lune (Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon), 1657. 1657.

Histoire comique des etats et empires du soleil (Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon), 1662 1662 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF.

CYRANO DE BERGERAC.

Translated by Lowell Bair. New York: New American Library, 1972. With an afterword by Henry Hewes. Excellent unrhymed translation; commentary in the afterword on various stage productions and translations of Cyrano Cyrano into English. into English.

Translated by Anthony Burgess. New York: Applause Theatre and Cinema Books, 1998. This version by the British novelist was used by Derek Jacobi for the Royal Shakespeare Company's Cyrano Cyrano in 1983, as well as for the subt.i.tles in Jean-Paul Rappeneau's French film version. in 1983, as well as for the subt.i.tles in Jean-Paul Rappeneau's French film version.

Translated by Christopher Fry. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Introduction and notes by Nicholas Cronk. A rhyming-more precisely, "chiming"-verse translation. The excellent introduction places Rostand in his literary and historical context.

Translated by Brian Hooker. New York: Bantam Cla.s.sics, 1981. Good verse translation made at the request of American Shakespearean Richard Mansfield; used on stage and in film by such fabled Cyranos as Walter Hampden and Jose Ferrer.

Translated by Edwin Morgan. Manchester: Carcanet Press, 1992. A verse translation into the native Glaswegian of this talented Scots poet; a tour de force.

Translated by Louis Untermeyer. 1954. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2000. Blank verse translation.

FRENCH EDITIONS OF.

CYRANO DE BERGERAC.

Edited by Claude Aziza. Edition revue et augmentee. Paris: Pocket, 1998. Includes a "Dossier Historique et Litteraire" with contemporary reviews of Cyrano as well as a.n.a.lyses of the work's structure, characters, etc.

Edited by Patrick Besnier. Paris: Gallimard, 1999. Includes a chronology, well-chosen critical materials, and a fine introduction by Besnier.

Edited by Pierre Citti. Paris: Livre de Poche, 1990. Contains excellent notes and a preface. Le Bret's Life of Cyrano Life of Cyrano is included in the Annexes. is included in the Annexes.

Edited by Patrice Pavis. Paris: Cla.s.siques Larousse, 2000. Designed for use by French students, this edition contains many useful lexical and historical footnotes.

Edited by Jacques Truchet. Paris: Imprimerie nationale, 1983. The definitive edition of Cyrano, Cyrano, exhaustively researched, contains a wealth of material relating to the play's composition as well as extensive historical information on the historical Cyrano. exhaustively researched, contains a wealth of material relating to the play's composition as well as extensive historical information on the historical Cyrano.

CRITICISM IN ENGLISH.

Outside of scholarly journals, there is not a great deal of literature in English about Edmond Rostand and Cyrano. The Cyrano. The play is discussed in the following works: play is discussed in the following works: Amoia, Alba della Fazia. Edmond Rostand. Edmond Rostand. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1978. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1978.

Eliot, T. S. "'Rhetoric' and Poetic Drama." In Selected Essays. Selected Essays. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1950. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1950.

CRITICISM IN FRENCH.

Much more is available in French. Readers may consult the following: Andry, Marc. Edmond Rostand: Le Panache et la gloire. Edmond Rostand: Le Panache et la gloire. Paris: Plon, 1986. Paris: Plon, 1986.

De Margerie, Caroline. Edmond Rostand; ou, Le baiser de la gloire. Edmond Rostand; ou, Le baiser de la gloire. Paris: B. Gra.s.set, 1997. The most thorough biography to date. Paris: B. Gra.s.set, 1997. The most thorough biography to date.

Garcia, Carole, and Roland Dargeles. Edmond Rostand: Panache et Tourments. Edmond Rostand: Panache et Tourments. Paris: Editions Jean Curutchet, 1997. Paris: Editions Jean Curutchet, 1997.

Gerard, Rosemonde. Edmond Rostand. Edmond Rostand. Paris: Fasquelle, 1935. Memoirs of Rostand's wife, including of the opening night of Paris: Fasquelle, 1935. Memoirs of Rostand's wife, including of the opening night of Cyrano. Cyrano.

Ripert, Emile. Edmond Rostand. Edmond Rostand. Paris: Hachette, 1968. Paris: Hachette, 1968.

1.

The oldest stage in Paris, built in 1548 in the former palace of the Dukes of Burgundy.

2.

Pastoral play by Balthazar Baro (1585-1650), staged at the Hotel de Bourgogne in I63I .

3.

Heavy drinker.

4.

Jean de Routrou (1609-1650) and Pierre Corneille (1606-1684), playwrights and great rivals; Corneille is considered to have written some of the greatest tragedies in the French language, including Le Cid. Le Cid.

5.

All famous actors at the Hotel de Bourgogne.

6.

Important social figures who personified a style of behavior known as "preciosity" that emphasized delicacy and refinement.

7.

L'Academie francaise, the body of distinguished French writers created by Cardinal Richelieu in 1635.

8.

Names of members of l'Academie francaise.

9.

Typically precious names taken from Antoine Baudeau de Somaize's Dictionnaire des Precieuses Dictionnaire des Precieuses (1660). (1660). Poet and friend of Cyrano de Bergerac, whose writings he edited; D' a.s.soucy's real name was Charles Coypeau (1605-1677).

10.

Sweet wine made in the Pyrenees. first century B.C. minister under Roman emperor Augustus and great patron and protector of men of letters, especially of Horace and Virgil. Poem of eight lines.

11.

A character in the play La Clorise La Clorise (see note on p. 7), whose name recalls (see note on p. 7), whose name recalls Phaedo, Phaedo, Plato's discourse on the immortality of the soul. Plato's discourse on the immortality of the soul.

12.

Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674), painter of great political figures (he painted Cardinal Richelieu) and religious scenes.

13.

Jacques Callot (1592-1635), an engraver famous for the accuracy of his works as well as for a series of masques representing traditional characters of the Italian form of comedy known as commedia dell'arte. The reference is to a historical character in Cleopatre Cleopatre (1647), a play by Gautier des Costes, sieur de La Calprenede (1609-1663). (1647), a play by Gautier des Costes, sieur de La Calprenede (1609-1663).

14.