This is certainly the case with Cyrano de Bergerac. Edmond Rostand's historical romance is a masterpiece of heroic storytelling, larger-than-life characters, and impeccable comic timing; unless we take Cyrano's nose to be a metaphor for the existential burden of mankind, the play is not a referendum on human existence. The story of Cyrano's tragic love for Roxane, and of the elaborate scheme he concocts with Christian to win her, is based on one very old, very simple literary theme: the contrast between inner worth and outward appearance. Cyrano is ugly but brilliant and valiant; Christian is beautiful but simple and unpoetic. The conflict inherent in that difference is the thematic engine of the play. The values embodied in Cyrano's character-- honesty, courage, wit, passion, extraordinary power of will

Perhaps most importantly, Cyrano's argumen

Cyrano's death scene is marvelously appropriate to his life: As he says, he is denied the chance to die in battle on the sword of a hero; he is ambushed by a falling log instead. But Cyrano always manages to one-up his fate of failure, and he dies fighting, not a mortal hero, but the specters of Falsehood, Cowardice, Compromise--all his "old enemies." Throughout the play, Cyrano has suffered privation both because of his appearance and because of his unwillingness to sacrifice

Another important theme of Cyrano de Bergerac is the very old and simple theme of the contrast between inner worth and outward appearance, embodied mainly in the characters of Cyrano and Christian. Cyrano, ridiculous to look at, is the "best friend and the bravest soul alive," a brilliant man at everything he tries and a great soul; Christian is beautiful to look at, but his character lacks poetry and fire. By working together to woo Roxane, Cyrano believes that they will almost form a single person. (This idea recurs throughout the play: In the Fifth Act, after both Christian and Cyrano have died, Roxane exclaims "I never loved but one man in my life, / And I have lost him--twice...

Some common words found in the essay are:
Roxane Roxane, Edmond Rostand's, Christian Cyrano, Cowardice Compromise--all, Le Bret, Fourth Act, Roxane Cyrano, , Southern France, Christian Soul--in, inner worth, inner worth outward, cyrano de, cyrano de bergerac, de bergerac, worth outward appearance, outward appearance, worth outward, appearance cyrano, white plume, theme contrast inner, contrast inner worth, contrast inner, christian beautiful, throughout play,
Approximate Word count = 785
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)