French poet and dramatist, Edmond Rostand, in his romantic drama, Cyrano de Bergerac, depicts the major differences between courage and cowardice through contrasts in his characters. His purpose is to give the reader different impressions for each character. Rostand establishes a dramatic and challenging tone in order to effectively convey to his readers of early 17th-century France that there is a distinct difference how courage and cowardice can define the characters, as well as the major role both traits play in developing the thoughts and actions of the characters.
Courage is one of the most important characteristics of Cyrano de Bergerac’s worthy hero. Cyrano’s courage is almost teeming with reckless behavior, and his flashy bravery …show more content…
Speak to her, Speak, man! CYRANO. Through my nose? She might laugh at me; That is the one thing in this world I fear!” (50) In Cyrano’s mind, she is the only person in the world that has the ability to make fun of his ugliness and his big nose, so the thought of potentially being made fun of by his love, is the one thing in the world that renders him a coward. He fears being laughed at by Roxane, more than death itself. Speaking makes Christian afraid because he knows how highly speech is valued in society, and he is afraid of fears being made fun of because he is not smart enough. This fear does not only apply to society for Christian, he also believes this to be true because of Roxane. She is a known intellect, and Christian is just a soldier with a “rough and ready soldier’s tongue”, so he is afraid that anything he says wrong to Roxane will ruin his chances with her and ultimately cost the potential relationship for him. “CHRISTIAN. Bah! Anyone can pick a quarrel. Yes, I have sort of rough and ready soldier’s tongue. I know that. But with a woman—paralyzed, speechless, dumb. I can only look at them. Yet sometimes, when I go away, their eyes…” (98) Even Roxane displays a sign of courage in Act IV, stating “Oh I see! You are going to fight. I remain here. ALL. No—No! He is my husband! I will die with you!” (171) Roxane travels all the way to the battlefield and exposes herself to potential harm so she can join her “lover” Christian in death if necessary. She shows courage, fueled by love to be next to her husband when he dies. It is not exclusively the antagonists who display signs of cowardice, the protagonists do as well. It is their shining, valiant courage that Rostand uses to further differentiate between the two types of
Courage is one of the most important characteristics of Cyrano de Bergerac’s worthy hero. Cyrano’s courage is almost teeming with reckless behavior, and his flashy bravery …show more content…
Speak to her, Speak, man! CYRANO. Through my nose? She might laugh at me; That is the one thing in this world I fear!” (50) In Cyrano’s mind, she is the only person in the world that has the ability to make fun of his ugliness and his big nose, so the thought of potentially being made fun of by his love, is the one thing in the world that renders him a coward. He fears being laughed at by Roxane, more than death itself. Speaking makes Christian afraid because he knows how highly speech is valued in society, and he is afraid of fears being made fun of because he is not smart enough. This fear does not only apply to society for Christian, he also believes this to be true because of Roxane. She is a known intellect, and Christian is just a soldier with a “rough and ready soldier’s tongue”, so he is afraid that anything he says wrong to Roxane will ruin his chances with her and ultimately cost the potential relationship for him. “CHRISTIAN. Bah! Anyone can pick a quarrel. Yes, I have sort of rough and ready soldier’s tongue. I know that. But with a woman—paralyzed, speechless, dumb. I can only look at them. Yet sometimes, when I go away, their eyes…” (98) Even Roxane displays a sign of courage in Act IV, stating “Oh I see! You are going to fight. I remain here. ALL. No—No! He is my husband! I will die with you!” (171) Roxane travels all the way to the battlefield and exposes herself to potential harm so she can join her “lover” Christian in death if necessary. She shows courage, fueled by love to be next to her husband when he dies. It is not exclusively the antagonists who display signs of cowardice, the protagonists do as well. It is their shining, valiant courage that Rostand uses to further differentiate between the two types of