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Symbols In Cyrano De Bergerac

Decent Essays

In Cyrano de Bergerac, written by Edmond Rostand and directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau, many symbols can be found that give new meaning to the story. For instance, Cyrano’s nose, Christian’s blood including Cyrano’s tears and letters are three of the many symbols used. Cyrano de Bergerac is a story set in France about an ‘ugly’ musketeer trying to win a woman’s heart by giving his written letters to another man in love with the same woman.

Cyrano constantly praises his nose and mocks it, but it actually represents his insecurities and acts as a barrier in attaining Roxane’s love. “Cyrano: A great nose is the banner of a great man, a generous heart, a towering spirit, an expansive soul - such as I unmistakably am.” (Cyrano de Bergerac, Act I) …show more content…

The last letter written contained Cyrano’s tears and, soon, Christian’s blood. This may represent that Cyrano’s tears were the emotional part of the man who had been wooing her and Christian the physical.
“Roxane: ‘Why keep your silence for so long when all the time the tears on the letter were yours?” In the end, Roxane discovers the truth and announces that the tears were Cyrano’s, but Cyrano makes sure that she knows “Cyrano: ‘The blood was his(Christian’s).’” (Cyrano de Bergerac, Act V), meaning that they were both key in winning her love. The mixture of blood and tears merge Christian and Cyrano into the romantic hero. The combination helps Roxane realize their deception: the person she fell in love with didn’t actually …show more content…

By giving Cyrano a huge nose, this story teaches people that they shouldn’t always look on the outside, for sometimes looks are deceiving. Christian was good looking, but he wasn’t a man of words, and he needed Cyrano’s help to woo Roxane. Since Cyrano relied on words too much, he didn’t know how to live out of his poetry. In the end, for deceiving Roxane, both men payed dearly. These particular symbols demonstrate how something as simple as one’s looks get in the way of loving. Cyrano is always dreading his nose instead of focusing on his love for Roxane, and he let his insecurities get in the

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