Cyrano de Bergerac

Rostand, Edmond (1868–1918), translated by Kline, A. S. (contact-email)

Rostand’s Cyrano is a fiction invoking the real Cyrano de Bergerac, a seventeenth century French playwright, poet, and duellist, who was an early creator of science-fiction fantasy, in particular a comic history of a journey to the Moon. From the scanty details of the real Cyrano’s life documented by his friend Henri Le Bret, Rostand created a larger-than-life comic hero, whose wit, courage, spirit and ability partially overcome his physical defect, an embarrassingly large nose. Rostand cleverly and meticulously evokes the historical period in which his hero lived. The play is written in rhyming verse, as is this translation, stylistically supporting some of the play’s best wit and verbal effects. The plot centres around Cyrano’s unrequited and unrecognised love for Roxanne; his indomitable courage in the face of disappointment and failure; and the many ways in which he defends himself and attacks his enemies while never losing his sense of humour, his delight in words, and his panache. There are moments of rare beauty and pathos in the verse, and the overall effect certainly justifies the immense enthusiasm that greeted its first performances, and the many revivals of the play since, especially in film adaptation.

Author Details

Edmond Eugène Alexis Rostand, born on 1 April 1868 in Marseille, France, was a prominent French poet and dramatist. He was brought up in a prosperous Provençal family, his father being both an economist and poet. Rostand’s academic pursuits in literature, history, and philosophy at Collège Stanislas in Paris laid the foundation for his literary career.

His theatrical career commenced in 1888 with the one-act comedy, “Le Gant rouge”, which received only limited attention. A significant relationship developed with Emmanuel Chabrier in 1889, leading to collaborations in music and poetry. Rostand’s early works included a volume of poems, “Les Musardises,” and several plays, notably “Les Romanesques” in 1894.

Rostand’s reputation as a dramatist was established through his association with the actress Sarah Bernhardt. He wrote several plays for her, such as “La Princesse Lointaine” and “La Samaritaine,” with varying degrees of success. His magnum opus, “Cyrano de Bergerac,” debuted in 1897 to widespread acclaim, revitalising interest in verse drama. This hugely successful tribute to the historical figure Cyrano was translated into multiple languages.

Following “Cyrano,” Rostand wrote “L’Aiglon” for Bernhardt, focusing on Napoleonic history. His play “Chantecler,” reflected his poetic and idealistic inclinations.

Rostand married Rosemonde-Étienette Gérard, a poet and playwright. The couple had two sons. They resided in Villa Arnaga, Cambo-les-Bains, now a museum and a testament to Rostand’s life and the Basque cultural heritage. In 1901 he became the youngest ever writer to be elected to the Académie française.

Despite suffering from poor health, Rostand continued to write until his premature death at 50, on 2 December 1918, during the Spanish flu pandemic.

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Kline, A. S.

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