Cyrano De Bergerac And Roxane Essay, Research Paper

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?.

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