Cyrano De Bergerac -by Edmond Rostand

OK, no question, Cyrano De Bergerac (UK Edition) (DE Edition) by Edmond Rostand, is a romantic play.  I think you either love it or hope you are not going to be made to go see it again!  Living in a theater wasteland (sorry San Antonio – great margaritas, theater not so much) I have to get my fix by reading plays.

Cyrano is by a poet about a poet and is in prose and poetry in this translation from the French.  Rostand died at 50 in the flu pandemic.

There is a quite good movie made in 1950 and some may be familiar with Steve Martin’s adaptation, “Roxanne.”

Readers of this blog know I am partial to swordplay, whether in Zenda or Illyria and this play is about an accomplished swordsman.

I hope I am not giving anything away to say that Cyrano supplies a friend with words to woo his love.  Here is a conversation where Rostand describes her eloquent suitor, not realizing that Cyrano has literally put the words in his mouth.

ROXANE (coming out of the house):
Ah! How handsome he is, how brilliant a wit! And--how well I love him!

CYRANO (smiling):
Christian has so brilliant a wit?

ROXANE:
Brighter than even your own, cousin!

CYRANO:
Be it so, with all my heart!

ROXANE:
Ah! methinks 'twere impossible that there could breathe a man on this earth
skilled to say as sweetly as he all the pretty nothings that mean so much--
that mean all! At times his mind seems far away, the Muse says naught--and
then, presto! he speaks--bewitchingly! enchantingly!

CYRANO (incredulously):
No, no!

ROXANE:
Fie! That is ill said! But lo! men are ever thus! Because he is fair to
see, you would have it that he must be dull of speech.

CYRANO:
He hath an eloquent tongue in telling his love?

ROXANE:
In telling his love? why, 'tis not simple telling, 'tis dissertation, 'tis
analysis!

CYRANO:
How is he with the pen?

ROXANE:
Still better! Listen,--here:--
(Reciting):
'The more of my poor heart you take
The larger grows my heart!'
(Triumphantly to Cyrano):
How like you those lines?

Funny, exciting, sad, tragic and romantic!

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