FREE ESSAY ON CYRANO DE BERGERAC VS. ROXANE

CYRANO DE BERGERAC VS. ROXANE

Cyrano de Bergerac, the Play vs. Roxane, the Movie 
In an effort to attract the audience of today, the producers of the movie Roxane retold
the play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rustond in a way that is appropriate and at the
same time appealing. In order to give the audience of today a story that they can
understand and relate to, the producers have adjusted and manipulated the play itself. As
a result, several similarities and differences exist between the play Cyrano de Bergerac
and its movie reproduction.
The characteristics of a romantic hero in Rustond's time is not equivalent to the
characteristics of a romantic hero today. In the play for example, Cyrano, a very ugly,
old, yet intellectual man who loved Roxane, his cousin, with all his heart and soul was
unable to profess his love for fear that she will have rejected him because of his looks.
Enter Christian in the story, a young, average, yet handsome individual who also loved
Roxane. The two made a pact with each other to create Roxane's image of a perfect
romantic hero-one that was breath-takingly handsome and at the same token, smart in a fun
and interesting way. Together they charmed Roxane and she ultimately fell in love with
Cyrano's enchanting personality and Christian's captivating appearance. Cyrano is
portrayed as a great romantic hero because he died in silence to honor his friendship
with Christian. When all the while he could have accumulated enough courage to pronounce
his love for Roxane. During his life of silence, Cyrano looked after Roxane when
Christian died in the war. Everyday for fifteen years he would go to the convent, where
she stayed because of her vow to Christian, and recite to her the local news. In this
manner, he has proven himself worthy to the title of a romantic hero during Rustond's
time. On the other hand, someone in Cyrano's position in the present would not have
neccessarily kept his secret for that long. Eventually, that someone would probably
approach the person that they were in love with and declared their love. Just as Charlie
in the movie, the equivalent of Cyrano in the play, was about to tell Roxane that it was
him who wrote the letters illustrating his love for her with his alluring and sincere
words, before she had found out for herself. For this reason, the majority of people
today would appeal to the movie more than the play. 
Aside from the obvious fact that the play was set in a sophisticated, more actively
virtuous, and far less technologically-advanced period of time than the movie's present
time, is the distinct contrast of the two versions' endings. During Rustond's time, his
audience prefered stories with a much more dramatic part for the romantic hero, Cyrano.
At the time, Cyrano dying for honor and dignity was much more admired than if he were to
reveal the truth about himself and Christian to Roxane, and then living "happily ever
after" with her. On the contrary is the story of Roxane, the movie. Today, people would
much prefer a happy ending with the hero/ heroine finishing first and uniting with their
"damsel" in distress. 
Similarities exist in both the play and movie through people's fascination of each other.
Cyrano in the play and Charlie in the movie both value talent and personality in a
person, and yet they can't help to also add appearance on to the list. Cyrano was in love
with Roxane from the very beginning when they were young and playing pretend with each
other. He adored her friendly and mother-like personality. However, the adult Roxane also
attracted him to her because he thought she was the loveliest girl he had ever seen. In
the same fashion, Charlie fell in love with Roxane the minute he laid his eyes on her.
When he found out later on how incredibly smart and great to be around she was, he fell
in love with her even more than before. The minor difference between Charlie and Cyrano
is that although they both loved Roxane, they fell in love with her personality and looks
at different times. Furthermore, the admiration for both Cyrano and Charlie is credited
to their grand gestures. They sacrificed themselves for a good cause. Cyrano is respected
by his by Rustond's audience because, (1) he had given up all of his money to refund the
crowd watching a play at the beginning, and (2) lied to Christian about how Roxane chose
Christian over him so that Christian could die happy. Charlie's job as a firemen makes
him also respected in our time because he risked his life to save others, animals or
humans. 
As a result of Christian in both the play and the book, Roxane and Cyrano (a.k.a.
Charlie) are unable to be together immmediately or at all. His looks persuaded Roxane
that he was right for her-both his looks and false personality. Christian's fears to
approach Roxane as himself pushes Cyrano and Charlie to help him in order to transfer the
words of love from their hearts to Roxane. In the play, Christian served as a permanent
barrier for Cyrano's and Roxane's happiness because Cyrano refused to say that he loved
Roxane up until his death to honor his friendship with Christian. Although Christian
served as an obstacle in the movie, the block for Cyrano's and Roxane's happiness was
only temporary. At the end of the movie, Christian decided to go to Reno with one of
Roxane's friend. Therefore, Cyrano and Roxane were finally able to come together when
Cyrano had finally told Roxane the truth. All in all, Christian was a barrier to the
coming together of Roxane and Cyrano immediately or at all.
Overall, Cyrano de Bergerac interested the people of Rustond's time because Cyrano
reflected their views of a true romantic hero-someone who was willing to sacrifice the
profession of his love to honor his friendship with Christian. The ending of the story
was very dramatic and much respected as well as expected. On the other hand, Roxane got
people of today's attention because its plot was more light-hearted as a whole and ended
with the hero living "happily ever after".