Play of the Week: Cyrano de Bergerac

Cyrano de Bergerac
by Edmond Rostand

This play could fall in to the genre of literature that centers around a disfigured and misunderstood romantic hero. Other plays and stories that fall into this same genre have been very successful: The Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast are two that spring to mind. Unlike the other two stories, it is not our hero Cyrano who has to under go a change to win the girl and his romantic advances are much more discrete.

But what is it that draws us to these types of stories? I'm sure that we all feel misunderstood and misrepresented by outside forces. The inner poet is seldom able to shine the way that we wish we could because of pressures in the world around us. Stories like this are important because they show empathy for how we all feel. At the same time they are dangerous because they can lead to a feeling of security caused be withdrawing to within ourselves. We are all faced with a choice like Cyrano as to whether we are going to pursue our happiness or let the world dictate that we are not worthy. Which is the better choice?

And then there is also the fun side of this story as well. My favorite representation is Monsterpiece Theatre's version: Cyranose


Happy Birthday:
June 27: Richard Rodgers (1902-1979)
June 28 Luigi Pirandello (1867-1936)