Cyrano de Bergerac Topic Tracking: Art and Poetry

Act 1

Art and Poetry 1: Raguneau believes so strongly in the importance of poetry that he uses his position as a baker to support starving poets, allowing them to trade works of poetry for food. He even bartered food for his admission to the theatre.

Art and Poetry 2: Cyrano is so offended by Montfleury's poor performance that he would sooner kill the man than allow him to appear onstage.

Art and Poetry 3: Cyrano believes that life should be lived as if it was a heroic poem - he goes so far as to compose a ballad about a duel as he is duelling, ending the poem as he kills Valvert.

Act 2

Art and Poetry 4: Ragueneau is so obsessed with poetry that he's willing to give away food to reclaim the poems that his wife tried to get rid of.

Art and Poetry 5: Cyrano is a wonderful poet, and he's much too terrified to tell her in person, so he relies on the written word to express his love to her.

Art and Poetry 6: Cyrano is fiercely protective of his plays. He believes that to attack his works of poetry and drama would be far more grievous a crime than anything anyone could do to him.

Act 3

Art and Poetry 7: Christian feels that he has learned enough from Cyrano, and wants to try charming her on his own, but he just doesn't have a poetic or artistic soul, so Roxane sees through his attempts, unimpressed.

Act 5

Art and Poetry 8: Even though Cyrano is dying, and this is his last chance to tell Roxane that he loves her, he still can't come out and say it. He only has the confidence to speak to her through his poetry.