Some Classical Aspects of Cyrano de Bergerac

Edmond Rostand's undisputed chef d'œuvre Cyrano de Bergerac, is usually and justifiably termed a neo-romantic play: a return to the dauntless, poetic, and somewhat bombastic vein of Hugo's Hernani and its contemporaries. A careful study of Rostand's dramaturgy, however, reveals that the classical premises, those originated by Aristotle, are applicable to Cyrano de Bergerac. First, the term tragedy as defined by Aristotle is applied to the play; then, it is discussed according to six constituent elements of tragedy set forth by Aristotle. In summary, the image of tragedy is the structural framework for Cyrano de Bergerac on which is superimposed the constituents of romanticism. (PEW)