Cyrano De Bergerac Sacrifice
The word sacrifice is defined as the act of forfeiting one thing for another thing considered to be of greater value. The theme of sacrifice is one that is exemplified throughout both Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, the story of a selfless hero, and Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, which depicts the life of a woman in the 19th century. In these two plays, sacrifice takes many forms: the entity that is given up can be a something material, something physical, or even something abstract. Comparable examples of sacrifices can be seen in both plays, whether it be for love, for the happiness of others, or for pride.
In Cyrano de Bergerac, the protagonist, Cyrano de Bergerac, makes many sacrifices. For example, the poetic swordsman shows that …show more content…
The first illustration of sacrifice in this play is seen when Nora describes the sacrifices she has made in order to pay her debt: "Every time Torvald gave me money for new clothes and such, I never used more than half; always bought the simplest cheapest outfits." (Ibsen 977). This act of frugality shows how Nora will go to great lengths so that she can secretly pay the money she owes for Torvald's trip. While Cyrano sacrificed his life, which is a physical aspect, Nora chose to sacrifice something material such as clothing for her love of Torvald. Later, Mrs. Linde explains to Krogstad why she had to leave him: "Don't forget, I had a helpless mother and two small brothers. We couldn't wait for you, Nils " (1005). Mrs. Linde, who gave up the man she loves to provide for her family, proves that she will give up her own love so that others can be happy. This is similar to Cyrano, who also suppresses his love so that others could find happiness. Finally, when Torvald and Nora are in the middle of a heated argument, Torvald shows his unwillingness to give up his pride when he exclaims "No one gives up honor for love" (1017). With this simple statement, Torvald exhibits both his dispassionate attitude towards love and the importance of pride to a man of that time period. Unlike Cyrano, Torvald's refusal to sacrifice honor has negative
In Cyrano de Bergerac, the protagonist, Cyrano de Bergerac, makes many sacrifices. For example, the poetic swordsman shows that …show more content…
The first illustration of sacrifice in this play is seen when Nora describes the sacrifices she has made in order to pay her debt: "Every time Torvald gave me money for new clothes and such, I never used more than half; always bought the simplest cheapest outfits." (Ibsen 977). This act of frugality shows how Nora will go to great lengths so that she can secretly pay the money she owes for Torvald's trip. While Cyrano sacrificed his life, which is a physical aspect, Nora chose to sacrifice something material such as clothing for her love of Torvald. Later, Mrs. Linde explains to Krogstad why she had to leave him: "Don't forget, I had a helpless mother and two small brothers. We couldn't wait for you, Nils " (1005). Mrs. Linde, who gave up the man she loves to provide for her family, proves that she will give up her own love so that others can be happy. This is similar to Cyrano, who also suppresses his love so that others could find happiness. Finally, when Torvald and Nora are in the middle of a heated argument, Torvald shows his unwillingness to give up his pride when he exclaims "No one gives up honor for love" (1017). With this simple statement, Torvald exhibits both his dispassionate attitude towards love and the importance of pride to a man of that time period. Unlike Cyrano, Torvald's refusal to sacrifice honor has negative