Wit is the name of the game in Cyrano de Bergerac. Characters are judged by their ability to soliloquize, rhyme, and compose at the drop of a hat. Our hero character, Cyrano himself, takes pride in his wit and never backs down from an opportunity to show off. This, his witty intelligence, comes to largely define his identity.
Questions About Cunning and Cleverness
- Is Christian dumb, or just lacking eloquence?
- Is Roxane intelligent? Or is she just a pretty face?
- Does Cyrano learn and change over the course of the play?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
In Cyrano de Bergerac, Rostand demonstrates that wit and beauty can indeed exist in a single person through the characters of Roxane, and, to a lesser extent, Christian.