To Get You Started...

Edmund Rostand’s play Cyrano de Bergerac defines romantic situations and feelings that we have all experienced or observed. Finding the right words to express our affection so often remain tantalizingly beyond our reach. Strong emotions translated into language too often sounds like the residue of trite greeting card sentiments. It would be magical to have a Cyrano to make our passion sing.

Cyrano’s story addresses the feelings of “otherness” and inadequacy when we find ourselves falling in love. Strong feelings of infatuation can lead to strong feelings of insecurity.... We become self-conscious about everything from physical appearance, socio-economic status, and personal reputation, to tastes in friends, music, books or fashion....

As the humor and pathos whirl around Cyrano’s efforts to aid his rival, Christian, in wooing the lovely Roxane, Cyrano’s predicament relies on contrast and incongruity on several levels as the physically grotesque Cyrano’s elegant words replace the vapid sentiments of the conventionally handsome Christian.

Readings