Cyrano de Bergerac Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. Two of the most important characters die and our hero doesn’t get to be with his lady love after a lifetime of unfulfilled longing. Why is this a comedy, not a tragedy?
  2. How does Rostand anticipate the action of some of the most important scenes? In other words, how does he prepare readers or give hints of an upcoming scene? What small details or minor characters does he use to do this?
  3. How does the beginning of the first act set the stage for the rest of the play in terms of tone and themes?
  4. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience understands the meaning of a certain situation in the play, but the characters do not. We noticed a lot of this going on in Cyrano de Bergerac; what kind of tone do these occurrences give to the play?