Summaries of The Acts of Cyrano de Bergerac

							                                Summary of Cyrano de Bergerac

The First Act of Cyrano de Bergerac

A theater. Christian, Ligniere, Ragueneau, De Guiche, and Roxane all are present. Through
conversation, we hear that Christian and De Guiche both love her. De Guiche is married to the
niece of Cardinal Richelieu, and wants Roxane to marry his lackey—Valvert—so that De Guiche
can ensure his own access to her as his private mistress. Valvert would go along with this
because he is under the thumb of the powerful De Guiche. Ligniere wrote a cruel poem about De
Guiche’s plot, and so De Guiche has ordered 100 men to ambush and kill Ligniere. We find this
out when a pickpocket tells this to Christian to avoid Christian’s wrath after being caught picking
his pocket. Christian goes off to warn Ligniere by leaving written warning notes in all the local
bars. The play begins, Cyrano drives Montfleury from the stage, challenges all in the audience to
a duel when they demand that the play go on, explains to the angry crowd why he has done this
(Montfleury is a bad actor, the second reason is secret—we find out later Montfleury also loves
Roxane, and this disgusts Cyrano) and then pays the theater owner for the money he’ll lose when
all the audience members demand their money back. Cyrano doesn’t worry that Montfleury has a
powerful patron who may be angry at Cyrano’s preventing the performance. Cyrano gives a man
from the crowd a bad time when that man asks him if he has a patron to protect him. Cyrano then
asks if the man is staring at his nose. The man knows Cyrano’s reputation, his bad temper and
sensitivity about his nose and so is terrified. Cyrano kicks him in the butt and then Valvert, De
Guiche’s lackey, insults Cyrano’s nose by saying it is very large. Cyrano then insults his own
nose in more creative and witty ways, putting down Valvert’s pathetic attempt to insult him. He
then duels Valvert while composing a ballade (a poem) as he fences, and wins the duel and wins
over the crowd. A serving-girl offers Cyrano some food; he accepts only a little. He has no
money for food; that bag of gold he threw to compensate the theater-owner was all the pay he had
for the month. Cyrano’s friend Le Bret warns Cyrano his rash actions are making him enemies.
Cyrano confesses to Le Bret that he loves Roxane. The only thing he fears is for her to laugh at
him. His friend Le Bret tells Cyrano he has covered himself with glory in her eyes and that she
was very nervous when he was fighting the duel (implying she cares for him) and he should tell
her how he feels. Roxane’s duenna enters and asks Cyrano to meet Roxane the next day; Cyrano
is delighted and suggests Ragueneau’s pastry shop. Cyrano believes perhaps Roxane will tell him
she loves him, too. He feels so happy he feels invincible. Brissaille enters with the drunken
Ligniere, who explains the difficulty his poem has brought him. Cyrano volunteers to escort him
home safely, since he once saw Ligniere perform a lovely romantic gesture, and he goes off with
a crowd of admirers to fight the 100 men.

The Second Act of Cyrano de Bergerac

Ragueneau’s pastry shop. It’s full of chef apprentices baking. Ragueneau’s wife, Lise, makes
sacks for their pastries out of Ragueneau’s poet-friends’ poems (which they give to Ragueneau as
payment for his pastries since they have no money and since Ragueneau is a sympathetic poet and
lover of poetry himself). Two children come in and buy some pastries; Lise insists they use a
poem to wrap the pastries and Ragueneau has difficulty choosing which poem to sacrifice (to use
to wrap the pastries). When Lise isn’t looking, Ragueneau calls the kids back and trades them
more pastries to get the poem back. Cyrano enters and Ragueneau congratulates him on the duel;
Cyrano asks his friend to clear the place when he gives the signal so that he can meet with
Roxane in private. Ragueneau’s poet-friends arrive to eat all his food without paying him—
except with poetry. They’re all excited and talking about the man who single-handedly fought
100 men last night. None of them knows it was Cyrano. Cyrano is absorbed in writing a love
letter to Roxane that he intends to give to her himself, so he does not sign it. Later Ragueneau
gets his poets out of the room so Cyrano can see Roxane alone. Cyrano fills the poetry-sacks
with pastry for Roxane’s duenna and tells her to go eat them in the street. Cyrano and Roxane
reminisce about their childhood together. She bandages his hand (injured in the fight the previous
night) while she shyly admits she loves someone in his regiment. Cyrano’s hopes rise. She
describes the man she loves, and when she says he is handsome, and that they’ve never spoken,
Cyrano’s hopes are dashed, but he cannot and does not show it. In response to Roxane’s saying
they’ve never spoken to each other, Cyrano asks her if he should be uncultured, unlettered—what
then? She says someone so good-looking must be eloquent, and if he is not, she’ll die. She wants
Cyrano to protect this man she loves, Christian, who has just joined Cyrano’s regiment. She
knows it is custom for these Gascon men to provoke outsiders to duels, and she doesn’t want
Christian hurt in a duel. Cyrano promises to protect him. The soldiers enter, along with a poet
and a reporter who want to write about the fight. Cyrano refuses to talk to the press about his
having fought the 100 men. A moment later De Guiche also enters and after Cyrano recites a
poem about the Cadets, De Guiche offers the services of his uncle (the Cardinal Richilieu) as a
patron, though the Cardinal would want to rewrite a few lines of Cyrano’s work here and there.
Cyrano refuses. He wants total artistic independence and freedom; he could not stand anyone
telling him to change anything he has written. A cadet comes in and shows everyone a bunch of
hats (impaled on a sword) from the men Cyrano defeated. The cadets joke about how the man
who sent those 100 assassins must be angry today. De Guiche reveals that he was the man who
sent the assassins, and the laughter stops. Cyrano makes all the hats slide off the sword and land
in a pile at De Guiche’s feet, asking De Guiche if he would return those hats to his friends. De
Guiche asks Cyrano if he’s ever read Don Quixote. Cyrano says he has recognized himself in that
noble character. De Guiche advises him to re-read the chapter about the deluded Quixote fighting
a windmill, which could bring about his downfall: a veiled threat since Cyrano insulted De
Guiche by refusing his offer of his Cardinal-uncle’s patronage and by defeating his 100 men. De
Guiche angrily leaves. Cyrano has again ‘tossed away a bag of gold’ and invoked the wrath of a
powerful man with political connections. Le Bret criticizes Cyrano for his stubbornness and
throwing away such a great opportunity. Cyrano contrasts his own life as a totally free artist and
writer with the life of a protégé, whose creativity is squashed and corrupted. Christian enters and
talks with the cadets. They warn him not to mention anything related to noses around Cyrano.
Christian senses his fellow cadets do not respect him because he is not a Gascon, and he asks
Carbon de Castel-Jaloux how to prove himself. Carbon advises him to show them that he has
courage. The cadets ask Cyrano to recount his adventures from last night. While Cyrano tells the
story, Christian keeps interrupting with references to noses. The first time it happens Cyrano asks
who that cadet is, and upon finding out his name is Christian, he decides to continue with the
story, without harming Christian. Christian makes Cyrano progressively more and more furious
with his comments, until Cyrano kicks the cadets out of the room and embraces Christian, telling
him he’s a brave man, and stating that Roxane is his own cousin. Christian confesses he fears he
will not win the heart of Roxane, whom he loves from afar, because she is a precieuse, an
intellectual, and he is not that intellectual or eloquent. Cyrano says that Christian can borrow his
eloquence, and together they will make the perfect hero for her. He gives Christian the unsigned
love letter he has written, says all Christian need do is sign it himself, and tells Christian that as a
poet he writes such things all the time to any woman; though it is not specifically for Roxane
she’s vain enough (like any woman) that she will think it is for her. He tells this lie so Christian
will not suspect he (Cyrano) actually loves her. The cadets re-enter and are shocked Christian is
still alive. A musketeer thinks it is now okay to make fun of Cyrano’s nose, does so, and Cyrano
knocks him down.
The Third Act of Cyrano de Bergerac

The street under Roxane’s balcony. Ragueneau’s wife Lise (a musketeer was flirting with her in
the last Act) has run off with that musketeer and left Ragueneau alone. He attempted to hang
himself, but Cyrano cut the rope and got him a job in Roxane’s household. Cyrano enters
followed by musicians whose services he won in a bet over grammar. He sends the musicians off
to serenade Montfleury (out of tune, to annoy him). Cyrano teases Roxane about the poetic and
beautiful things Christian says (speeches Cyrano wrote for him to memorize). De Guiche arrives,
Cyrano leaves, and De Guiche tells Roxane he’s come to say goodbye and that he’s in charge of
Cyrano’s regiment. She tells him if he really wants to hurt Cyrano (for having turned down his
offer of his uncle’s patronage) he should force the proud warrior to sit at home during the war by
keeping his regiment out of the war. She does this to keep Cyrano and Christian safe. De Guiche
sees in this (hating his enemies, assisting his revenge) a sign that she loves him (De Guiche) and
suggests a rendezvous at a monastery. Roxane says it is a sign of love (though she does not say
that this sign of love is not for De Guiche, but rather, for Christian). She thus tricks De Guiche
into holding back the dispatch order for Cyrano’s troops to go to the war front. She insists she
needs a hero in the war—him, so off De Guiche goes, happy. Cyrano arrives and asks Roxane on
what subject Christian must speak tonight and she says she wants him to speak about nothing or
everything, to improvise. However, when Cyrano offers Christian all his phrases for the
occasion, Christian refuses, saying he wants to speak for himself, since he now knows Roxane
loves him. Christian tries to tell Roxane beautiful and eloquent phrases, and falls flat in the
attempt. She becomes impatient and leaves him to go inside, saying his lack of eloquence
displeases her as much as if he had grown ugly. Christian begs Cyrano for help. The musicians
return and Cyrano posts them at opposite ends of the street, saying they should play a happy tune
if a woman walks by, a sad tune for a man, thus giving him a ‘warning bell’ should anyone
approach. Cyrano tosses a pebble at Roxane’s window and when she comes to it he whispers
from underneath her balcony to Christian, who repeats what he says. Cyrano finds this too
difficult and takes Christian’s place in the dark, speaking directly to Roxane. She notes a change
in his voice but Cyrano explains that he (supposedly Christian) speaks with his own voice for the
first time. Christian bursts out with a request for a kiss. Cyrano tells Christian to be quiet; he
goes too far. Christian presses Cyrano to ask for a kiss. A monk interrupts, asking for Roxane’s
house; Cyrano misdirects him down the street. Cyrano does successfully woo Roxane, and
Christian then climbs up to kiss Roxane. The monk comes back, delivering a letter from De
Guiche to Roxane. The monk doesn’t know what’s in the letter. De Guiche has sent his regiment
ahead but has remained behind himself, and he is coming to see Roxane. Roxane tells the simple
monk that the letter says the Cardinal demands he (the monk) perform a marriage ceremony for
her and Christian immediately, against her will, and when he gets suspicious (as to why she is so
reluctant to marry handsome Christian) she distracts him by also saying the letter instructs her to
donate money to the church. Cyrano goes outside to delay De Guiche until the ceremony is
finished. Cyrano swings from a tree branch down to the street in front of De Guiche, pretending
he’s fallen from the moon. He tells fanciful stories of how he devised ways to travel to the moon,
delaying De Guiche with his fantastic stories. Fifteen minutes later, the ceremony is over, and De
Guiche, finding out Roxane’s now married to Christian, takes his revenge. He immediately sends
Cyrano’s and Christian’s regiment off to the war front to fight with Spain, asking Christian
himself to deliver the dispatch order (that De Guiche had been holding back). Roxane makes
Cyrano promise Christian will write to her and that Cyrano will keep Christian safe.
The Fourth Act of Cyrano de Bergerac

The battle-front, Arras. Surrounded, the troops cannot get food and are starving. Cyrano crosses
the Spanish lines every late evening/early morning to deliver the love letters that he signs
‘Christian.’ He cannot bring food back as he must travel light. Cyrano tries to entertain the
troops and get their minds off their hunger. He gets an old piper to play songs to remind them of
home, so they cry from homesickness, not hunger—which is nobler, since homesickness is moral
and hunger merely physical. De Guiche enters; he knows he’s not well liked. The cadets pretend
to be having a fine time playing cards, smoking, not wanting him to know they’re miserable. He
boasts to them of his action in war the day before. De Guiche had taken off the scarf that
identified him as an officer in order to evade enemy fire. Cyrano points out that an officer should
not give up the privilege of being a target, and that had he been there he’d have picked up the
scarf and put it on. De Guiche says this is a safe thing to say since the scarf is in such dangerous
territory no one could get it. Cyrano then produces the scarf, amusing and impressing his
comrades. De Guiche uses the scarf to signal a spy. The spy will make sure the Spanish attack at
a certain point, while the French armies attack the Spaniards’ weakest point. He admits that by
doing this, he serves both the king (in terms of winning a military advantage with this ploy) and
his own need for vengeance, since they will probably all be killed, Cyrano and Christian included.
Christian says to Cyrano he’d like to put his love for Roxane into one last letter. Cyrano hands
him the farewell letter he’s written. Christian notices a teardrop, which Cyrano explains is just a
result of his getting so caught up in it; he got carried away with the beauty of the sentiments.
Christian now knows Cyrano loves Roxane, too. A carriage approaches. Roxane gets out of the
carriage. She explains she has charmed her way through the Spanish lines. De Guiche and
Cyrano try to persuade her to leave because it’s dangerous there. She refuses. De Guiche departs
to check his guns. Cyrano introduces Roxane to the cadets. She gives them her handkerchief to
use as a banner. She reveals she has brought Ragueneau (her foot-man) and all kinds of food,
which they distribute, and which the cadets eat hungrily, though when De Guiche returns they
hide it all. De Guiche announces he’s brought a cannon for them, and that if Roxane will not
leave the encampment he will also stay, to protect her. Cyrano and the cadets now express
admiration for De Guiche’s courage, and reveal the food they’d concealed. De Guiche turns
down the offer of food, saying he’ll fight as he is, further impressing them. They then accept him
as a true Gascon, one of their own. Cyrano tells Christian that if Roxane asks, he should not be
surprised that he has written her letters every day. Roxane enters and tells Christian she has come
because his letters brought her there. She confesses she now regrets having been so shallow as to
only love him for his looks. She now feels that is an insult, since his mind and spirit are so much
more beautiful. She’d love him even if he were ugly. Christian is heartbroken, since he knows
she loves Cyrano’s soul, and his looks mean nothing to her. Christian tells Cyrano she loves
him—Cyrano—and they should tell her the truth so she may honestly choose between them. He
calls Roxane and then exits. Roxane confirms to Cyrano what Christian has told him, that
Roxane now loves ‘Christian’ for his eloquence and intelligence, for his soul, not his looks, and
that she would love him even if he were ugly. Cyrano is about to tell Roxane the truth, when the
first volley of shots is heard, and cadets bring in Christian’s body. He’s been killed by the first
shots of the battle. Cyrano now feels he can never tell Roxane the truth, especially after she
discovers on Christian’s body the farewell letter covered in his blood and Cyrano’s teardrop. The
battle continues.
The Fifth Act of Cyrano de Bergerac

A convent, fifteen years later. The nuns await Cyrano’s weekly visit. He’s poor, often hungry,
with many enemies due to the political satires that he writes. Roxane is talking to De Guiche,
who is now the Duc de Grammont. De Guiche visits her only occasionally. Roxane has lived at
the convent all this time, carrying the letter close to her heart, remaining faithful to Christian. De
Guiche asks Roxane if she has yet forgiven him for how he behaved; she says she has. Le Bret
enters. De Guiche admits that though he’s now very successful, and Cyrano poor, Cyrano is the
better man; that things of the spirit matter more than material things. De Guiche calls Le Bret
aside and tells him that some other (evil, powerful) people are plotting to kill Cyrano and they
will try to make the assassination look like an accident, and De Guiche tells Le Bret to tell
Cyrano to be careful and to stay at home as much as possible. As Roxane talks with De Guiche,
Ragueneau enters and tells Le Bret of the ‘accident’ Cyrano’s suffered. Someone dropped a log
on Cyrano’s head from a height. A doctor attended to him but it’s probably hopeless. The two
men hurry off to find Cyrano. Later, Roxane’s alone, and Cyrano’s late for the first time in all
these years. He arrives, and Roxane works on her embroidery. Sister Marthe thinks Cyrano is
pale from hunger. Cyrano gives Roxane the news, as he always does, and then almost faints. He
asks to see Roxane’s letter from Christian. She gives it to him, he reads it aloud, and she notices
that though it’s too dark to read, he is still reading: from memory. She recalls his voice as the one
under the balcony and realizes the truth: Cyrano loves her, and she loved Cyrano’s soul all along.
Le Bret and Ragueneau enter and say he has doomed himself. Cyrano then finally admits the last
piece of news—today he was murdered—and reveals his fatal head injury. Cyrano says he’s
missed everything in his life, including the noble warrior’s death he always envisioned.
Ragueneau says Moliere (a famous playwright) has plagiarized one of Cyrano’s scenes, though
Cyrano’s just happy the scene went well and the audience liked it. He says it’s always been that
way—he gives the words to someone else from the darkness and obscurity, and they take the
credit, applause, kisses—and yet he bears them no grudge for it. Roxane says sadly that she has
unintentionally caused Cyrano so much pain. Cyrano tells Roxane not to feel badly, for she has
been the only woman friend, the only way for him to know womanhood and its sweetness, in his
life. He thanks her for her friendship, and then asks her only that when she weeps for Christian,
some part of those tears may be to mourn him, too. He then ‘duels’ with Death, a losing battle,
fights against Prejudice, Falsehood, Cowardice, Compromise, all his old enemies, and lies down
to die. All he has left is his white plume—his panache—the symbol of his purity, his courage,
integrity, and dignity.