Introduction and Background Information

 Edmond Rostand (French)  Lived from  Published Cyrano in 1897; it was a tremendous hit  Plays at the time were usually grim, unsentimental, and realistic  Cyrano was uplifting, funny, romantic, and escapist  Took audiences back to 17 th Century, France’s “Golden Age”  Cyrano was published about 50 years after The Three Musketeers (Alexandre Dumas) – Cyrano parodies the novel

 Men were swashbuckling: chivalrous, great swordsmen (musketeers), and witty  Women were beautiful: rich heiresses, graceful, demanded chivalry from men  Chivalry - romantic (poetry, letters, grand gestures) - funny (wit, conversation, public speaking) - brave (willing to fight, go to war, risk death)  Comes from the code of the knights (cheval = French for horse; chevalier = knight or cavalier)

 Cyrano de Bergerac was a real person – a novelist & playwright  Cyrano is a historical drama: a fictitious plot set among real events and people  Cyrano is the classic “love triangle” story that inspired the Steve Martin movie Roxanne.

WWhen was Cyrano de Bergerac written? 11897 WWhere and during what time period is Cyrano set? 117 th Century France WWhat is a “historical drama”? AA fictitious plot set again the background of real events and real people WWhat are some of the concepts of chivalry? RRomance, wit, courage, intelligence WWhy did audiences love Cyrano? IIt provided romantic escapism and harked back to France’s “Golden Age”