Cyrano De Bergerac Part 24

CYRANO No, it was not I!

ROXANE So it was you!

CYRANO I swear to you ...

ROXANE Ah, I detect at last the whole generous imposture: The letters ... were yours!

CYRANO No!

OXANE The tender fancy, the dear folly.... yours!

CYRANO No!

ROXANE The voice in the night, was yours!

CYRANO I swear to you that it was not!

ROXANE The soul ... was yours!

CYRANO I did not love you, no!

ROXANE And you loved me!

CYRANO Not I ... it was the other!

ROXANE You loved me!

CYRANO No!

ROXANE Already your denial comes more faintly!

CYRANO No, no, my darling love, I did not love you!

ROXANE Ah, how many things within the hour have died ... how many have been born! Why, why have you been silent these long years, when on this letter, in which he had no part, the tears were yours?

CYRANO [handing her the letter] Because ... the blood was his. ROXANE Then why let the sublime bond of this silence be loosed to-day?

CYRANO Why? [LE BRET and RAGUENEAU enter running.] [LE BRET and RAGUENEAU enter running.]

SCENE VI.

The Same, Le Bret and Ragueneau

LE BRET Madness! Monstrous madness! ... Ah, I was sure of it! There he is!

CYRANO [smiling and straightening himself] Tiens! Where else?

LE BRET Madame, he is likely to have got his death by getting out of bed!

ROXANE Merciful G.o.d! A moment ago, then ... that faintness ... that ... ?

CYRANO It is true. I had not finished telling you the news. And on Sat.u.r.day, the twenty-sixth, an hour after sundown, Monsieur de Bergerac died of murder done upon him. [He takes off his hat; his head is seen wrapped in bandages. [He takes off his hat; his head is seen wrapped in bandages.]

ROXANE What is he saying? ... Cyrano? ... Those bandages about his head? ... Ah, what have they done to you? ... Why? ...

CYRANO "Happy who falls, cut off by a hero, with an honest sword through his heart!" I am quoting from myself! ... Fate will have his laugh at us! ... Here am I killed, in a trap, from behind, by a lackey, with a log! Nothing could be completer! In my whole life I shall have not had anything I wanted ... not even a decent death!

RAGUENEAU Ah, monsieur! ...

CYRANO Ragueneau, do not sob like that! [Holding out his hand to him. [Holding out his hand to him.] And what is the news with you, these latter days, fellow-poet?

RAGUENEAU [through his tears] [through his tears] I am candle-snuffer at Moliere's theatre. I am candle-snuffer at Moliere's theatre.

CYRANO Moliere!

RAGUENEAU But I intend to leave no later than to-morrow. Yes, I am indignant! Yesterday, they were giving Scapin, and I saw that he has appropriated a scene of yours.72 LE BRET A whole scene?

RAGUENEAU Yes, monsieur. The one in which occurs the famous "What the devil was he doing in ..."

LE BRET Moliere has taken that from you!

CYRANO Hush! hush! He did well to take it! [To RAGUENEAU.] The scene was very effective, was it not?

RAGUENEAU Ah, monsieur, the public laughed ... laughed!

CYRANO Yes, to the end, I shall have been the one who prompted ... and was forgotten! [To [To ROXANE.] Do you remember that evening on which Christian spoke to you from below the balcony? There was the epitome of my life: while I have stood below in darkness, others have climbed to gather the kiss and glory! It is well done, and on the brink of my grave I approve it: Moliere has genius ... Christian was a fine fellow! ROXANE.] Do you remember that evening on which Christian spoke to you from below the balcony? There was the epitome of my life: while I have stood below in darkness, others have climbed to gather the kiss and glory! It is well done, and on the brink of my grave I approve it: Moliere has genius ... Christian was a fine fellow! [At this moment, the chapel bell having rung, the NUNS are seen pa.s.sing at the back, along the avenue, on their way to service.] [At this moment, the chapel bell having rung, the NUNS are seen pa.s.sing at the back, along the avenue, on their way to service.] Let them hasten to their prayers ... the bell is summoning them ... Let them hasten to their prayers ... the bell is summoning them ...

ROXANE [rising and calling] Sister! Sister!

CYRANO [holding her back] No! No! do not leave me to fetch anybody! When you come back I might not be here to rejoice ... [The NUNS have gone into the chapel; the organ is heard.] [The NUNS have gone into the chapel; the organ is heard.] I longed for a little music ... it comes in time! I longed for a little music ... it comes in time!

ROXANE I love you ... you shall live!

CYRANO No! for it is only in the fairy-tale that the shy and awkward prince when he hears the beloved say "I love you!" feels his ungainliness melt and drop from him in the sunshine of those words! ... But you would always know full well, dear Heart, that there had taken place in your poor slave no beautifying change!

ROXANE I have hurt you ... I have wrecked your life, I! ... I!

CYRANO You? ... The reverse! Woman's sweetness I had never known. My mother ... thought me unflattering. I had no sister. Later, I shunned Love's cross-road in fear of mocking eyes. To you I owe having had, at least, among the gentle and fair, a friend. Thanks to you there has pa.s.sed across my life the rustle of a woman's gown.

LE BRET [calling his attention to the moonlight peering through the branches] [calling his attention to the moonlight peering through the branches] Your other friend, among the gentle and fair, is there ... she comes to see you! Your other friend, among the gentle and fair, is there ... she comes to see you!

CYRANO [smiling to the moon] [smiling to the moon] I see her! I see her!

ROXANE I never loved but one ... and twice I lose him!

CYRANO Le Bret, I shall ascend into the opalescent moon, without need this time of a flying-machine!

ROXANE What are you saying?

CYRANO Yes, it is there, you may be sure, I shall be sent for my Paradise. More than one soul of those I have loved must be apportioned there ... There I shall find Socrates and Galileo!

LE BRET [in revolt] [in revolt] No! No! It is too senseless, too cruel, too unfair! So true a poet! So great a heart! To die ... like this! To die! ... No! No! It is too senseless, too cruel, too unfair! So true a poet! So great a heart! To die ... like this! To die! ...

CYRANO As ever ... Le Bret is grumbling!

LE BRET [bursting into tears] [bursting into tears] My friend! My friend! My friend! My friend!

CYRANO [lifting himself, his eyes wild] [lifting himself, his eyes wild] They are the Gascony Cadets! ... Man in the gross ... Eh, yes! ... the weakness of the weakest point ... They are the Gascony Cadets! ... Man in the gross ... Eh, yes! ... the weakness of the weakest point ...

LE BRET Learned ... even in his delirium!...

CYRANO Copernicus said ...

ROXANE Oh!

CYRANO But what the devil was he doing ... and what the devil was he doing in that galley?

Philosopher and physicist, Musician, rhymester, duellist, Explorer of the upper blue, Retorter apt with point and point, Lover as well,-not for his peace!

Here lies Hercule Savinien De Cyrano de Bergerac, Who was everything ... but of account!73 But, your pardons, I must go ... I wish to keep no one waiting ... See, a moon-beam, come to take me home! [He has dropped in his chair; ROXANE's ROXANE's weeping calls him back to reality; he looks at her and gently stroking her mourning veil.] weeping calls him back to reality; he looks at her and gently stroking her mourning veil.] I do not wish ... indeed, I do not wish ... that you should sorrow less for Christian, the comely and the kind! Only I wish that when the everlasting cold shall have seized upon my fibres, this funereal veil should have a twofold meaning, and the mourning you wear for him be worn for me too ... a little! I do not wish ... indeed, I do not wish ... that you should sorrow less for Christian, the comely and the kind! Only I wish that when the everlasting cold shall have seized upon my fibres, this funereal veil should have a twofold meaning, and the mourning you wear for him be worn for me too ... a little!

ROXANE I promise ...

CYRANO [seized with a great shivering, starts to his feet] Not there! No! Not in an elbow-chair! [All draw nearer to help him.] [All draw nearer to help him.] Let no one stay me! No one! Let no one stay me! No one! [He goes and stands against the tree.] [He goes and stands against the tree.] Nothing but this tree! [Silence.] She comes, Mors, the indiscriminate Madam! ... Already I am booted with marble ... gauntleted with lead! [He Nothing but this tree! [Silence.] She comes, Mors, the indiscriminate Madam! ... Already I am booted with marble ... gauntleted with lead! [He stiffens himself. stiffens himself.] Ah, since she is on her way, I will await her standing ... [He draws his sword.] Sword in hand!

LE BRET Cyrano!

ROXANE [swooning] [swooning] Cyrano! Cyrano! [All start back, terrified.] [All start back, terrified.]

CYRANO I believe she is looking at me ... that she dares to look at my nose, the bony baggage who has none! [He raises his sword.] [He raises his sword.] What are you saying? That it is no use? ... I know it! But one does not fight because there is hope of winning! No! ... no! ... it is much finer to fight when it is no use! ... What are all those? You are a thousand strong? ... Ah, I know you now ... all my ancient enemies! ... Hypocrisy? ... What are you saying? That it is no use? ... I know it! But one does not fight because there is hope of winning! No! ... no! ... it is much finer to fight when it is no use! ... What are all those? You are a thousand strong? ... Ah, I know you now ... all my ancient enemies! ... Hypocrisy? ... [He beats with his sword, in the vacancy.] [He beats with his sword, in the vacancy.] Take this! And this! Ha! Ha! Compromises? ... and Prejudices? and dastardly Expedients? Take this! And this! Ha! Ha! Compromises? ... and Prejudices? and dastardly Expedients? [He strikes.] [He strikes.] That I should come to terms, I? ... Never! Never! ... Ah, you are there too, you, bloated and pompous Silliness! I know full well that you will lay me low at last ... No matter: whilst I have breath, I will fight you, I will fight you, I will fight you! That I should come to terms, I? ... Never! Never! ... Ah, you are there too, you, bloated and pompous Silliness! I know full well that you will lay me low at last ... No matter: whilst I have breath, I will fight you, I will fight you, I will fight you! [He waves his sword in great sweeping circles, and stops, panting. [He waves his sword in great sweeping circles, and stops, panting.] Yes, Yes, you have wrested from me everything, laurel as well as rose ... Work your wills! ... Spite of your worst, something will still be left me to take whither I go ... and to-night when I enter G.o.d's house, in saluting, broadly will I sweep the azure threshold with what despite of all I carry forth unblemished and unbent ... you have wrested from me everything, laurel as well as rose ... Work your wills! ... Spite of your worst, something will still be left me to take whither I go ... and to-night when I enter G.o.d's house, in saluting, broadly will I sweep the azure threshold with what despite of all I carry forth unblemished and unbent ... [He starts forward, with lifted sword.] [He starts forward, with lifted sword.] ... and that is ... ... and that is ... [The sword falls from his hands, he staggers, drops in the arms of [The sword falls from his hands, he staggers, drops in the arms of LE BRET LE BRET and and RAGUENEAU.] RAGUENEAU.]

ROXANE [bending over him and kissing his forehead [bending over him and kissing his forehead] That is? ...

CYRANO [opens his eyes again, recognizes her and says with a smile] [opens his eyes again, recognizes her and says with a smile] ... My plume! ... My plume! [Curtain.] [Curtain.]

Inspired by CYRANO DE BERGERAC.

Edmond Rostand's beloved tragicomic character has inspired other works almost from the moment he appeared on the Paris stage for the first time in 1897.

MUSIC.

Cyrano de Bergerac has been transliterated into many musical forms-from Dutch composer JohanWagenaar's fourteen-minute Overture to has been transliterated into many musical forms-from Dutch composer JohanWagenaar's fourteen-minute Overture to Cyrano de Bergerac, Cyrano de Bergerac, Opus 23 (1905), to Estonian composer Eino Tamberg's opera (1974) called, not surprisingly, Opus 23 (1905), to Estonian composer Eino Tamberg's opera (1974) called, not surprisingly, Cyrano de Bergerac. Cyrano de Bergerac. In fact, in 1899, just two years after Rostand's play opened in France, Victor Herbert's comic operetta In fact, in 1899, just two years after Rostand's play opened in France, Victor Herbert's comic operetta Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac premiered on Broadway. The three-act work, with a book by Stuart Reed, portrays the nasally endowed hero as particularly boastful, playing up Cyrano's roosterly theatricality. premiered on Broadway. The three-act work, with a book by Stuart Reed, portrays the nasally endowed hero as particularly boastful, playing up Cyrano's roosterly theatricality.

American composer Walter Damrosch wrote an opera, Cyrano, Cyrano, in 1913, and Italian composer Franco Alfano also brought the story into the opera house, with his 1936 in 1913, and Italian composer Franco Alfano also brought the story into the opera house, with his 1936 Cyrano de Bergerac, Cyrano de Bergerac, in which the soft, spare, intricate music is reminiscent of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy, and in which Cyrano, a tenor, proffers a memorable, whispered serenade to his cousin Roxane in a balcony scene. in which the soft, spare, intricate music is reminiscent of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy, and in which Cyrano, a tenor, proffers a memorable, whispered serenade to his cousin Roxane in a balcony scene.

In 1971 Anthony Burgess, author of the novel A Clockwork Orange Clockwork Orange (1962), translated Cyrano into book and lyrics, composed incidental music, and created a wholly original musical. This acclaimed production led to a Broadway version starring Christopher Plummer, with new music composed by Michael J. Lewis. (1962), translated Cyrano into book and lyrics, composed incidental music, and created a wholly original musical. This acclaimed production led to a Broadway version starring Christopher Plummer, with new music composed by Michael J. Lewis. Cyrano de Bergerac, Cyrano de Bergerac, in two acts, opened on Broadway on May 13, 1973, and lasted for forty-nine performances. in two acts, opened on Broadway on May 13, 1973, and lasted for forty-nine performances.

FILM.

Cyrano has been filmed a number of times. The screen versions include a silent production in 1925 starring Pierre Magnier and Michael Gordon's 1950 version starring Jose Ferrer, for which the latter received an Oscar. (Orson Wells was apparently interested in making a version of it but abandoned the project in 1947.) But it was 1987's Roxanne, Roxanne, starring Steve Martin, that brought starring Steve Martin, that brought Cyrano Cyrano to life for contemporary audiences. Directed by Fred Schepisi to life for contemporary audiences. Directed by Fred Schepisi (Six Degrees of Separation) (Six Degrees of Separation) and adapted by Martin, and adapted by Martin, Roxanne Roxanne is a latter-day retelling of is a latter-day retelling of Cyrano Cyrano that sparkles with all of Rostand's rapier wit and florid romance while remaining faithful to the core of Rostand's play. that sparkles with all of Rostand's rapier wit and florid romance while remaining faithful to the core of Rostand's play.

Hot on the heels of audiences' love for Roxanne, the French reclaimed a national treasure with Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac (1990), starring Gerard Depardieu. Directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau, (1990), starring Gerard Depardieu. Directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau, Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac is a lavish seventeenth-century costume epic and one of the most expensive productions in the history of French cinema. The script as adapted by Rappeneau and Jean-Claude Carriere strives to maintain Rostand's original verse, and the international version is subt.i.tled with Anthony Burgess's droll rhymes. is a lavish seventeenth-century costume epic and one of the most expensive productions in the history of French cinema. The script as adapted by Rappeneau and Jean-Claude Carriere strives to maintain Rostand's original verse, and the international version is subt.i.tled with Anthony Burgess's droll rhymes.

COMMENTS & QUESTIONS.

In this section, we aim to provide the reader with an array of perspectives on the text, as well as questions that challenge those perspectives. The commentary has been culled from sources as diverse as reviews contemporaneous with the work, letters written by the author, literary criticism of later generations, and appreciations written throughout the work's history. Following the commentary a series of questions seeks to filter Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac through a variety of points of view and bring about a richer understanding of this enduring work. through a variety of points of view and bring about a richer understanding of this enduring work.

COMMENTS.

Gertrude Hall

Cyrano is so comprehensible! To Cyrano the world he lives in must be filled with striking generous deeds and sounding generous phrases. The world is slow in performing the first, so he performs them himself. Then, the care of exalting them cannot be left with the world, afflicted with dullness as with slowness, so he talks about them. I am sure Cyrano cares very little that himself should be in question. He merely wishes fine deeds and fine sentiments to be, and to make surest and shortest work, furnishes them himself. It is very innocent.

On the other hand, I fancy it impossible to follow the whole play and not get the contagion of Cyrano's generosity.... When that night he entered G.o.d's house, and, in saluting, broadly swept the azure threshold with his very clean plume, what eloquent and touching tirade must he have made to Gascony Cadets in bliss, at the sure vision of his fighting not having been in vain, of his having inspired others-(remote audiences in America, among them)-to detest and fight the ancient enemies that were his: Lies, Compromises, Prejudices, base Expedients,-the whole mult.i.tude of things ugly and petty!

-from her Introduction to Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac (1910 ) (1910 )

T. S. Eliot

In plays of realism we often find parts which are never allowed to be consciously dramatic, for fear, perhaps, of their appearing less real. But in actual life, in many of those situations in actual life which we enjoy consciously and keenly, we are at times aware of ourselves in this way, and these moments are of very great usefulness to dramatic verse. A very small part of acting is that which takes place on the stage! Rostand had-whether he had anything else or not-this dramatic sense, and it is what gives life to Cyrano. It is a sense which is almost a sense of humour (for when anyone is conscious of himself as acting, something like a sense of humour is present). It gives Rostand's characters-Cyrano at least-a gusto which is uncommon on the modern stage. No doubt Rostand's people play up to this too steadily. We recognize that in the love scenes of Cyrano in the garden, for in Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet the profounder dramatist shows his lovers melting into incoherent unconsciousness of their isolated selves, shows the human soul in the process of forgetting itself. Rostand could not do that; but in the particular case of Cyrano on Noses, the character, the situation, the occasion were perfectly suited and combined. The tirade generated by this combination is not only genuinely and highly dramatic: it is possibly poetry also. If a writer is incapable of composing such a scene as this, so much the worse for his poetic drama. the profounder dramatist shows his lovers melting into incoherent unconsciousness of their isolated selves, shows the human soul in the process of forgetting itself. Rostand could not do that; but in the particular case of Cyrano on Noses, the character, the situation, the occasion were perfectly suited and combined. The tirade generated by this combination is not only genuinely and highly dramatic: it is possibly poetry also. If a writer is incapable of composing such a scene as this, so much the worse for his poetic drama.

Cyrano satisfies, as far as scenes like this can satisfy, the requirements of poetic drama. It must take genuine and substantial human emotions, such emotions as observation can confirm, typical emotions, and give them artistic form; the degree of abstraction is a question for the method of each author. In Shakespeare the form is determined in the unity of the whole, as well as single scenes; it is something to attain this unity, as Rostand does, in scenes if not the whole play. satisfies, as far as scenes like this can satisfy, the requirements of poetic drama. It must take genuine and substantial human emotions, such emotions as observation can confirm, typical emotions, and give them artistic form; the degree of abstraction is a question for the method of each author. In Shakespeare the form is determined in the unity of the whole, as well as single scenes; it is something to attain this unity, as Rostand does, in scenes if not the whole play.

-from The Sacred Wood: Essays on Poetry and Criticism The Sacred Wood: Essays on Poetry and Criticism (1920) (1920) The Nation Rostand is preeminently a poet of sentiment. He has fancy rather than imagination; delicacy and charm rather than pa.s.sion. He belongs to that great band of lesser French geniuses, such as Charles d' Orleans, Du Bellay, Voiture, and, among the moderns, Banville, Coppee, and Regnier-the poets of a silver rather than golden Latinity. For him sunlight and shadow flit across the earth's rough surface, and the playful, optimistic mood of the poet is admirably attuned to express them.

On the other hand, what Rostand lacks in originality and depth of thought he possesses in brilliancy and mastery of style. Except for Cyrano, he can scarcely be said to have created a real character; but he can spin a dramatic situation out of a mere physical or moral detail, he can lift his audiences out of themselves by a succession of scintillating images, and in one respect his style is a continuous creation-namely, in the "cliquetis des mots" or the humorous portrayal of moods through the mere clash and jingle of words.

-May 17, 1922 QUESTIONS.