Polarity In Cyrano De Bergerac

Edmond Rostand’s comedic play Cyrano de Bergerac recounts the tragic heartbreak of an unsightly French poet as he aids his handsome but dull cohort Christian in capturing the heart of the beautiful Roxane. Cyrano de Bergerac, a colossal-nosed man with a masterful talent for wielding both words and sword, battles self-doubt and insecurity as he contends with his own feelings of love for Roxane. Throughout the play, Rostand reveals a stark polarity between Cyrano and Christian, illuminating the gaping disparity between the characters’ appearance and intellect while portraying the men as foils for each other.
From the play’s beginning, Rostand’s audience becomes keenly aware of the divergence between Cyrano’s intellectual substance and Christian’s physical attributes. While Cuigy pronounces Christian “a charming head,” the character describes himself as “...far from bright” (Rostand 1.4-5). In contrast,

As the duo contemplate aligning themselves to court Roxane, Christian, self-conscious of his lack of intelligence, explains to Cyrano “I am one of those who cannot talk of love...words refuse to come” prompting Cyrano, ever aware of his own physical liability, to counter “I’ll lend [the words] to you! You shall lend me your looks, your winning features and all-conquering charm, and we will make – between the two of us – one paragon, one hero of romance!” before concluding “We will complete each other. You will go on to certain victory...You’ll represent my absent beauty and I’ll be your wit.” (2.54-55). Burdened by their perceived faults, the characters construct a symbiotic scenario in which Cyrano’s gift for weaving words tempers Christian’s inability to articulate lyrically. As a result, Rostand unveils Christian’s lack of poetic eloquence as the faultless foil for Cyrano’s perfect