"Cyrano de Bergerac" by Edmond Rostand.

Essay by ibyomom917Junior High, 9th gradeA+, April 2003

download word file, 3 pages 3.0

Downloaded 46 times

In Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, Cyrano, the main character, professes his love to Roxane, whom he has loved for quite a while, but finds she is in love with another man. This man, Baron Christian de Neuvillette is in his own company, the Guards, but Cyrano does not kill him, because Cyrano is an honorable man and a great friend. An honorable person is describes as being a person deserving of a good name and public esteem. He displays these qualities through three examples: first, he saves Ligniere when one-hundred men are going to the Porte de Nesle to kill him; second, Cyrano promises Roxane that he will do his best to protect Christian during war; last, Cyrano tells Christian on his death bed that Roxane loves Christian, and not Cyrano. These examples show that Cyrano de Bergerac is an honorable man and a first-class friend.

The first time that Cyrano de Bergerac shows Cyrano as an honorable man and a first-class friend is when he will not let an angry mob of one-hundred men kill "one poor poet," (46) referring to Ligniere.

Instead, he marches down with him to the Porte de Nesle and drives them away. Also, he does this as his friend.

Le Bret: But why help this... this drunkard here?

Cyrano: Because this drunkard... once in his life has done one lovely thing:/ After the Mass... he saw... the lady of his heart take holy water for a blessing. So/... this fellow here--runs headlong to the font/ and bends down and drinks it dry! (46)

Cyrano believes drinking the holy water dry was an act of love, and for it he likes Ligniere. Therefore, as his friend, he marches down with him and protects him.

The next occasion in which Cyrano is shown...