The Human Condition In Cyrano De Bergerac

634 Words2 Pages

Life as humans is anything but perfect. In the book “Cyrano de Bergerac,” Edmond Rostand conveys the aspects of the human condition through Cyrano’s honor and cowardly behavior. As the play progresses, Cyrano experiences the upbringings and downfalls of being human. Since the beginning of the play, the author suggests that Cyrano is a humble man. Cyrano accepts responsibility for ruining the play, and offers all of his money to the actors to keep them from having to take a loss on the night's theatre performance. The author soon reveals that Cyrano has no money when he is asked to dine and responds with, “I have no money,” which suggests that he is generous. Another one of his many gifts is his wit and unique ability to articulate words. Cyrano, a true musketeer, prizes his honor above all else. It is evident that he is admired when Le Bret says, “The most delightful man under the sun!” Later when Valvert insults him, Cyrano does what honor dictates, and kills Valvert while composing a ballade, also demonstrating his skill with a sword. Lastly, in Act Two Scene Three, Cyrano cannot bear to see his good friend Ragueneau be dishonored by his wife, and he …show more content…

Cyrano, despite being an honorable man, believed deeply that he was truly unlovable and let his honor get in the way of expressing his true feelings. Cyrano had several positive attributes such as his his generosity, wit, and skill with a sword, but he was also filled with regret. Rostand uses Cyrano’s honor and cowardness to proffer that the human condition is full of joy and sorrow. Sometimes positive attributes may lead to self doom. Cyrano took advantage of his honor and self confidence and lived a sorrowful life. It is inevitable to experience downfall, but it is possible to control emotion. Humans are gifted with qualities, but at the same time, it is not possible to live a life of

More about The Human Condition In Cyrano De Bergerac

Open Document