Cyrano mini essay
Bielicki Jacob
Spiziri, Cope
English2 B
1 April 2015
Proof of the Long Nose Hero
The Oxford dictionary definition of a hero is, “a person, typically a man who is admired for his courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities,” to which Cyrano meets all qualifications in Cyrano de Bergerac written by Edmond Rostand. There is so much that goes into being a hero, though most include sufficient self-sacrifice in there definition. Cyrano goes through extreme self-sacrifice throughout the story, even up to his last words. Because Cyrano is self-couscous about his nose, he refuses to let himself get rejected by the women he loves. Since this is what he thinks is likely to happen he refuses to bring up the subject. This leads Cyrano to offer an unjust service for a man that he is yet to know or understand, and get him the woman that he himself is in love with. In a way, he is signing away his right to be loved. The only thing that he asks in return is that his love, Roxane, gets the perfect man, since in Cyrano’s eyes she is the perfect woman. “I may climb perhaps to no great heights, but I will climb alone,” is Cyrano stating that he will get to high places among men by himself or not at all. If he is to get Roxane’s love he feels that it is necessary to do so alone. In a way Cyrano’s emotions and actions contradict themselves. As he is fearful of rejection in the privacies of his mind, Cyrano is intensely courageous and equally witty in his everyday interactions. In his everyday activities, Cyrano fights for what he sees as right. He is prepared to fight for what he thinks and believes, to the death, with no shame. “Oh, yes, a poet. So, while we fight, I'll improvise a ballade for you, and as I end the refrain, thrust home,” this is a threat that Cyrano made after a man tried to insult him and provoked him into a duel. Cyrano is so prepared to fight with his life that he will duel a man in the streets over an insult. Also, the fact that he is able to compose a
Spiziri, Cope
English2 B
1 April 2015
Proof of the Long Nose Hero
The Oxford dictionary definition of a hero is, “a person, typically a man who is admired for his courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities,” to which Cyrano meets all qualifications in Cyrano de Bergerac written by Edmond Rostand. There is so much that goes into being a hero, though most include sufficient self-sacrifice in there definition. Cyrano goes through extreme self-sacrifice throughout the story, even up to his last words. Because Cyrano is self-couscous about his nose, he refuses to let himself get rejected by the women he loves. Since this is what he thinks is likely to happen he refuses to bring up the subject. This leads Cyrano to offer an unjust service for a man that he is yet to know or understand, and get him the woman that he himself is in love with. In a way, he is signing away his right to be loved. The only thing that he asks in return is that his love, Roxane, gets the perfect man, since in Cyrano’s eyes she is the perfect woman. “I may climb perhaps to no great heights, but I will climb alone,” is Cyrano stating that he will get to high places among men by himself or not at all. If he is to get Roxane’s love he feels that it is necessary to do so alone. In a way Cyrano’s emotions and actions contradict themselves. As he is fearful of rejection in the privacies of his mind, Cyrano is intensely courageous and equally witty in his everyday interactions. In his everyday activities, Cyrano fights for what he sees as right. He is prepared to fight for what he thinks and believes, to the death, with no shame. “Oh, yes, a poet. So, while we fight, I'll improvise a ballade for you, and as I end the refrain, thrust home,” this is a threat that Cyrano made after a man tried to insult him and provoked him into a duel. Cyrano is so prepared to fight with his life that he will duel a man in the streets over an insult. Also, the fact that he is able to compose a