Who is Cyrano de Bergerac:
My nose is enormous...I carry it with pride, because a big nose is a sign of affability, kindness, courtesy, wit, generosity, and courage.
With whom I'm in love? Come now, think a moment: this nose of mine, which precedes me by a quarter of an hour wherever I go, forbids me to dream of being loved by even an ugly woman. You ask me whom I love? The answer should be clear to you! Whom else would I love but the most beautiful woman in the world?
Cyrano loves Roxane, but he knows she could never love someone as ugly as him. Christian de Neuvillette, on the other hand, is more than handsome enough for a woman like Roxane, only he is tongue-tied and dull-witted whenever he's around her. So Cyrano decides to pen the words for him to say to woo the lovely lady, words that come from Cyrano's own heart.
Together, we can win her heart! ... Shall we complete each other? We'll walk together: you in the light, I in the shadows. I'll make you eloquent, you'll make me handsome.
The story of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, with the love triangle between Cyrano, Christian, and Roxane, is one I've long been familiar with, but I'd never read or seen the actual play. Then, last year, Sam @ Book Chase read and reviewed it, and put it on my radar. So when I saw that I needed to read a Classic Play for Karen's Back to the Classics Challenge, I knew immediately that I wanted to read this one. And it's a fun read; it has lots of wit and action and is very entertaining, though it also made me cry at the end. Cyrano is quite the memorable character. He writes poetry, fights, and gives no quarter to anyone. But it's his own words that describe him best:
I prefer to lead a different kind of life. I sing, dream, laugh, and go where I please, alone and free. My eyes see clearly and my voice is strong. I'm quarrelsome or benign as it suits my pleasure, always ready to fight a duel or write a poem at the drop of a hat. ... I may not cut a stylish figure, but I hold my soul erect. I wear my deeds as ribbons, my wit is sharper than the finest mustache, and when I walk among men I make truths ring like spurs.
I ended up really liking this play. And someday, I hope to see it performed onstage.
Happy Reading!
I'd love to see Cyrano on the stage as well. It is such a lovely play. Have you seen the new show they are doing? Instead of having a large nose, Cyrano is a small person.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the new show! What an interesting take on it.
DeleteSo glad to hear you enjoyed this one. I'd love to see it performed onstage someday, too. :)
ReplyDeleteIt would be so fun seeing it live onstage!
DeleteI've never read it, but now I want to!
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot to like about this one! :)
DeleteIt is such a great play & it does make you cry at the end, doesn't it? I thought the French movie with Depardieu as Cyrano was pretty good. Non, merci!
ReplyDeleteOh, Depardieu would make an amazing Cyrano! And I did cry at the end...it's just so sad! But so good, too. :)
DeleteI have actually read it a couple of times over the years and also saw a movie based on it and featuring Steve Martin(!!!) years ago. I enjoyed every one.
ReplyDeleteOh, I like the Steve Martin movie version of this play! That's a fun one. :D
Deletei read this in high school, (gasp) 62 years ago, but i still recall it as a great and fun play...
ReplyDeleteIt's a very memorable story! I'm not sure I would have liked it as much, though, if I'd had to read it when I was in high school.
DeleteNever read the play or knew who the author was but I've known about this story practically all my life and from the quotes Edmund Rostandt is a very fine writer.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very well-known story, isn't it? :)
DeleteI read this a few years ago and thought it was fun - I'm glad you enjoyed it! I would love to see a performance of it too.
ReplyDeleteIt'd be so great onstage with all the quick banter and the fighting! :)
DeleteI actually read this one a few months ago with my grandson, and we both loved it. Even read the exact edition you picture here.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fun play! I really liked Cyrano.
DeleteI'm glad you ended up liking this.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't sure I would when I started reading it, but it ended up being a fun read...though it is sad at the end.
DeleteThere's something about seeing things on stage- the performances. I've never read this either!
ReplyDeleteLive performances are the best! With Covid, I haven't been to any for almost two years now. It's sad. But maybe next year.
DeleteA classic
ReplyDeleteIt really is. :)
DeleteWhat a lovely quote at the end! I have never seen the play either but now I would love to! Or, read at least :)
ReplyDeleteI really like the part in that last quote where he says, "I hold my soul erect." I aspire to that. :)
Delete"My nose is enormous...I carry it with pride, because a big nose is a sign of affability, kindness, courtesy, wit, generosity, and courage." That is HILARIOUS!! Glad you enjoyed the play!
ReplyDeleteAren't those lines great? And there are so many of them like that in this play. :)
DeleteYou are killing this challenge this year Lark! Kudos to you. :D I've seen the Steve Martin and Gerard Depardieu versions on film but never read the play.
ReplyDeleteI need to watch the Depardieu film of Cyrano sometime. And I think I might actually finish all twelve categories this year for this reading challenge. Which will be a first for me! :D
DeleteI would love to see this play performed also.
ReplyDeleteIt would be so great.
DeleteI don’t know if i could read the play, but i recently saw a trailer for a new movie abt him, that i am really interested in seeing — it looks amazing, though it is a musical, and i might have some reservations about that lol
ReplyDeleteCyrano as a musical...that could work, depending on who writes the songs. (And who sings them!) ;D
DeleteI've never seen the whole play but I've seen a couple of movies with parts of the play in it so I know what it's about. Sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know the whole story of Cyrano now, and not just the few parts I knew before. :)
DeleteThis play sounds like so much fun. I have got to read it sometime! I loved the movie Roxanne, and it sounds like it captured the fun and wit and heart of the original.
ReplyDeleteOnly the movie has a much happier ending. :)
DeleteNever read the play but I did see a film adaptation a long time ago, with Daryl Hannah and Steve Martin. I remember liking it. Hope you get to see the play onstage someday! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Steve Martin version of this story is a lot of fun. But then he always makes me laugh. :)
DeleteCyrano is a fun one. I saw you mentioned Steve Martin in Roxanne. That was my first exposure to Cyrano, so after loving that movie, I definitely wanted to check out the actual play.
ReplyDeleteI'd really like to see this play performed live someday! It's such a great story.
DeleteI guess the original came out in 1897 - I had to look that up b/c I had no idea. It would be fun to see it live onstage. I too liked the Steve Martin movie. Is the play as comical?
ReplyDeleteThe play has some very comical moments, and parts that made me laugh out loud. But the ending is very sad.
Delete