"Cyrano de Bergerac": summary, plot of the play

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Cyrano de Bergerac is the title of a heroic comedy by French playwright Edmond Rostand. It was written in 1897, has a poetic form and consists of five acts. The first performance took place on the stage of the Paris theater "Porte Saint-Martin", the main role in the play "Cyrano de Bergerac" was played by the legendary French actor Benoit-Constant Coquelin. To this day, the popularity of this brilliant comedy is still great, and the production is quite often resumed on many stages of the world.

The article is devoted to the summary of "Cyrano de Bergerac" by Edmond Rostand, the history of writing and some other issues.

About the prototype of the main character

I wonder if this is a real face. This person's full name is HerculeSavignin Cyrano de Bergerac. However, we know that the word "Cyrano" is not part of the name, it was added to the surname by him from the name of the family estate.

A native of Paris, born in 1619, the true Cyrano entered the military service in the royal guard, participated in several battles. He was wounded, treated, retired and died 15 years later from the effects of an old wound. Hercule Savignen Cyrano de Bergerac was a French poet, writer and playwright, as well as a philosopher and guardsman. Thanks to his novel-dilogue "Another Light", which tells about life on the moon, he is considered the forerunner of science fiction. He lived in the world for only 36 years.

Judging by how many pamphlets and satirical works were written by this man, in which he ridiculed real people and criticized the existing view of the world, de Bergerac's temperament was really difficult, quarrelsome and freedom-loving. This is confirmed by the memoirs of his friend Henri Lebret.

It is quite obvious that Rostand had in mind this particular historical person. According to the plot, the main character is a Parisian wit, a bully and a fearless duelist. In a playful exchange in one of the scenes of the play, he introduces himself as saying:

and I am de Bergerac, Savinius-Cyrano-Hercule!

Yes, and his friend in the play is very similar to the real name - Le Bret.

But it so happened that few people know about the prototype of the famous hero today. The literary "nosed" Cyrano completely overshadowed the realof a person, and when pronouncing this name, only the story once told by Edmond Rostand pops up in the memory of the one who heard it.

Characters

The content of the play "Cyrano de Bergerac" is based on real historical events. This is France of the 17th century (at the beginning of the play there is even a special remark telling about the time: the first four acts are marked in 1640, the events of the fifth - in 1655). The romantic-heroic story is dedicated to a brave warrior, the best French swordsman named Cyrano de Bergerac, who also had a poetic gift, a brilliant mind and… an outstanding nose.

The list of characters in the play is quite large. Among them, besides the protagonist, the beloved of the poet Roxanne, the young Baron Christian de Neuvilet, the dangerous and noble rival Count De Guiche, the owner of the confectionery and the poet Ragno, the friend of the hero Le Bret, Captain Carbon de Castel-Jalou, as well as the Gascon guards, marquises, cavaliers, lackeys. There are extras in some scenes - townspeople and townspeople, children, actors, nuns, street vendors, thieves and other people.

Below, consider a summary of the play "Cyrano de Bergerac" by action.

Action one

The place where events begin to unfold is the auditorium of the Burgundy hotel before the scheduled performance. Slowly, the audience begins to gather. The lackeys, not yet busy, play cards, the pages fool around, the marquises exchange impressions, the barmaid offers drinks. Finally comes to light the hall chandeliers, Lampmaker.

Ragno and Linier are waiting for the appearance of Cyrano deBergerac, who is characterized as "an interesting fellow", "a thug and a desperate brave man." Young Christian de Neuvilet waits with bated breath for his beloved Roxana to appear in the box.

Ragno reports that Cyrano has banned Montfleury, who plays the lead role in another performance, to go on stage, but he, not intending to obey, is about to appear.

The performance begins, and here it is - the first event that cannot be missed in the summary of Cyrano de Bergerac. The protagonist, as soon as the actor comes out, gives a voice from the stalls and, threatening Montfleury with reprisals, disrupts the performance. The public dissatisfied disperses. The marquises, led by de Guiche and Valver, consider themselves offended.

Cyrano starts a duel with Velver right in the hall, simultaneously writing and reciting a ballad:

You, my friend, can't beat me:

Why did you accept my challenge?

So what can I grab from you, The prettiest of all marquises?

Thigh? Or a wing piece?

What to hook on the tip of a fork?

So, it's decided: here, sideways

I'll be at the end of the package.

You are retreating… That's how!

Whiter than the canvas have you become?

My friend! What kind of weirdo are you:

Are you so afraid of steel?

Where did the old heat go?

Yes, you are sadder than an empty bottle!

I deflect your blow

And I'll get at the end of the package.

In wit and dexterity he has no equal - and the end of this duel is a foregone conclusion. Velvor is wounded, friends of Cyrano Le Bret and Ragno, althoughand consider his act insane, beam with delight, and the audience applauds.

In a subsequent conversation with de Bergerac, Le Bret learns that he is in love with his cousin Roxanne, although he believes that he has no right to love because of his ugliness, which he considers a huge nose. At this time, Roxanne's chaperone suddenly appears and reports that the girl asks him for a date. Cyrano shocked.

The drunk Linier is brought in. Frightened, he asks to be protected from the killers, who, as he learned, lie in wait for him at the Nelskaya Tower. Without hesitation, Cyrano goes with him and with the audience who want to gawk at the fight.

Act two

The events of this action fall in the early morning of the next day. The audience sees the hall of Ragno's confectionery, where the main character made an appointment with Roxana. Visitors talk about the battle at the Nelskaya Tower. There, an unknown daredevil repulsed hundreds of attackers, but Cyrano keeps quiet - he decided to write a letter to his beloved, being afraid to enter into conversation with her. But Roxana, who has come, unexpectedly admits to him that she is in love with the young Baron de Neuvilet. She asks the protagonist to patronize him in his service in the Gascon regiment, where Cyrano also serves. He reluctantly promises, and the girl leaves.

Followed by many people wishing to congratulate Cyrano on his victory yesterday. Count De Guiche, who entered the confectionery, offers Cyrano to go to his service, but he refuses. Meanwhile, the count confesses that he hired the thugs to take revenge on Linier, and after thatremoved.

The protagonist tells the gathered guards about the details of the battle at the tower, and young Christian, who is right there, tries to pry Cyrano with mentions of the nose, which he does not tolerate. The hero barely restrains himself, but, having learned who this impudent newcomer is, he hugs him, introducing himself as Roxana's cousin, and informs him that she is waiting for a letter from Christian. He is discouraged - he bitterly admits that he is not strong in the verbal expression of his thoughts. He is afraid to disappoint his chosen one. How to be?

Ties

And here it is - the beginning of the melodramatic line of the play, its plot.

Cyrano, who suddenly comes up with an idea that inspired him, invites Christian to "speak" for him in letters and even on dates:

Yes! We will take possession of her deep soul;

You are the charm of beauty, I am the spell of high poetry…

First, he hands a new friend a letter about his love that he wrote in a candy store before the meeting. Christian thanks him warmly.

Act three

As follows from the summary of the performance "Cyrano de Bergerac", at the beginning of this action we learn the essence of Roxanne's conversation with Cyrano. From this conversation, one can understand that Christian won the girl's heart not only with the exquisite style of letters, but also with speeches - that the main character, Roxanne, did not suspect every word.

Christian tried to rebel and refuse the poet's help, but the girl did not want to listen to one "I love" him. And onprompted by Cyrano's exquisite speeches, she even allows the enamored young man to kiss herself.

And then young people find out that a rival is about to appear - Count de Guiche, who dreams of seeing a girl before leaving for the war besieged and occupied by the troops of Louis XIII).

With the monk, the count sends a letter to the girl. Roxana reads it aloud, but changes its meaning: supposedly the letter contains an order to immediately marry her to Nevilet. The monk, obeying, enters the house with the couple to perform the ceremony. Before leaving, Roxana calls Cyrano and begs him to detain the Count and prevent him from entering the house.

While the marriage ceremony is being performed, the noble Cyrano, wearing a mask and changing his voice, portrays a madman who arrived on Earth from the moon (here we learn a reference to the fantastic novels of the real de Bergerac, who wrote about life on the moon). While he fools the count with stories about the ways in which you can get to the moon, the monk completes the ceremony. The Count is furious when he learns Cyrano and the news of the wedding. He orders the main character and Christian to go to the regiment, which will immediately go to the front. We will finish the summary of "Cyrano de Bergerac" in this part by mentioning that Roxanne conjures the protagonist to take care of her husband and force him to write to her more often. Something, and this Cyrano is ready to promise her.

Fourth act

Events of this actiondeployed on the field at the besieged Arras. Tired and hungry soldiers sleep by the fires. We learn that every night, risking his life, Cyrano carries letters to Roxana "from Christian" through all enemy cordons.

Meanwhile, the regiment learns that a decisive enemy attack will soon begin, and the Gascons will not do well. Suddenly, right on the future battlefield, a carriage arrives under the control of Ragno, and Roxanne is in it. She is begged to leave, but she is determined to stay with her husband Christian, even on the eve of death. She confesses to him that at first she fell in love with him only for the beauty of his face, but later, under the influence of wonderful letters (which the indefatigable Cyrano sent her), her love changed:

Now, oh my love, I am passionate about the beauty of the invisible!

I love you, breathing all the passion, But I love only your soul!

Christian, realizing the enormity of the situation, exclaims:

I don't want this kind of love! Oh god!…

I loved your old love more!

Now Roxana, according to her, would love him even if he was ugly, because she fell in love with the soul of the writer. Kristan is despondent. Taking advantage of the fact that the girl moved away, he invites Cyrano to confess everything to her. Now he goes to the soldiers. But Cyrano does not have time to say who was the author of the letters - Christian was seriously wounded by the first volley of the enemy. He dies, Roxana finds the last letter on her chest. Her grief is so great that Cyrano remarks:

Yes, it wouldn't hurt me to die now:

She memourns in it!

Cyrano says the last words of this action, standing under a hail of bullets on Roxanne's carriage. She, who has fainted, he orders de Guiche to carry away from the battlefield. He gladly obeys.

Fifth act

The events of the last act take place fifteen years later, in 1655. On the stage - scenery depicting the park of one of the monasteries of France. From the conversation of the nuns, we learn that Roxana, dressed in mourning, has now settled in the monastery. Cousin Cyrano visits her every week. For the news he tells her, she calls him "my newspaper". Everyone knows that de Bergerac lives very poorly, but he is still eloquent and speaks only the truth about what he sees and hears. Which increases the number of his enemies.

Ragnot, who came running, tells Le Bret, who came to visit Roxanne, that a log suddenly fell on Cyrano walking down the street. Undoubtedly, Ragno believes, these were the machinations of spiteful critics. Cyrano received first aid, but is in poor condition. Both friends leave in a hurry.

Final scene

Our summary of Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac" is coming to an end.

Roxanne, sitting at her embroidery in the park of the monastery, is waiting for her Saturday "newspaper". Cyrano is late today. But then he appeared in a hat pulled down low, staggering. He speaks with great difficulty. He asks Roxanne for the last "Christian's letter" and she gives it. Cyrano reads it aloud and unexpectedly from memory. Roxanne is surprised by this. Finally, she guessed the roleCyrano in her relationship with Christian.

Cyrano is dying. Nearby is a weeping Roxanne and a faithful friend of Le Bret. Before dying, Cyrano shows nobility by saying:

…Christian was kind… beautiful and smart!

I swear he was worthy of your love.

Love him… But just a little bit

Your mourning applies to me now.

Above we reviewed the summary of Edmond Rostand's play "Cyrano de Bergerac" by action. But if you have free time, spend it on reading the work in full - you will not regret it.