After Act 2: Do you think the agreement between Cyrano and Christian is practical? What problems do you foresee in it? Why does Cyrano make this agreement with Christian? What will he gain? What is your impression of Roxanne after her conversation with Cyrano? Is she deserving of Cyrano's love? Explain.
During and after Act 3: Describe Cyrano's mixed feelings when he speaks to Roxane unseen. Why might be be both happy and sad? An idealist is someone who follows his or her beliefs beyond the point of practicality and who acts as if the world were better than it really is. From what you have seen of Cyrano so far, show how he is an idealist.
Do you think a love like Cyrano's is actually greater than a love like Christian's? Why or why not?
Comment on any of the irony of the play: verbal, situational, and/or dramatic.
Comment on any of the major topics covered so far in the play.
I think that if Christian we smart he wouldn't make an agreement with Cyrano. Cyrano seems like the type of person who doesn't let anything stop him, and what he wants, he gets. He isn't going to let Christian's love for Roxanne, or her love for him get in the way. Christian's chances of getting out of this agreement with Roxanne are very slim. Roxanne seems like the type who can be persuaded, and with Cyrano's personality I know that it is a possibility. Christian better watch out, or Roxanne will be taken from him.
ReplyDeleteOk, I don't know if i'm alone here, but i thought it was kind of selfish for Cyrano to make the agreement with Christian. If he loves her so much, he should've just come right out and told her so. I also think that just because he must protect Christian doesn't mean he has to be nice to him. If i was insulted, by anyone, i wouldn't do nothing. Its also kind of cool to see that Cyrano is so humble that he refuses financial and political backing from the most powerful man in France: He prefers to live by the ideals and values that he holds close. Along those lines, Cyrano shows his allegiance to integrity by his argument with LeBret. These are some of the main themes i have noticed in the play. Also, the outward appearance is contrasted by inner worth and inner beauty. Not everyone has to be beautiful on the outside to be beautiful on the inside.
ReplyDeleteWhat any idiot. Let's all give the competition a huge advantage, shall we. Cyrano just failed. Cyrano made the agreement hoping Christian would say sometime about him writing the letter. That'll never happen, if Christian has any sense, he'll say he wrote it. The talk with Roxane was interesting, especially Roxane asing him to protect Christian. I know I wouldn't, especially after all the puns about his nose. I don't know if Roxane is eserving of Cyrano's love, we'll see. Now all I can say is CYRANO, MAN UP
ReplyDelete-LUKAS [=(:)
I'm still not sure about Cyrano. I think he's just going to use Christian to get to Roxane. I also think that Christian might have the same idea and try to use Cyrano to get to Roxane. On the other hand, I don't think Roxane is worth it. I think she's going to end up breaking both their hearts.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sammy about still not being sure about Cyrano. Although I liked him in the beginning of the play when he showed his self confidence and humor, my feelings about him are starting to change now. I think that he has the wrong intentions with this agreement, and that he is just going to be using Christian. I think that if Cyrano really loved Roxanne he would just come out and tell her, and not use Christian to get to her. However, I do think that Cyrano will end up being able to win Roxanne's love over Christian.
ReplyDelete-Allie Wisnieski
I don't think the agreement between Cyrano and Christian is fair. I agree with Lukas that Cyrano is basically handing Roxane over to Christian. It isn't really fair because Cyrano does all the work only for Christian to get all the credit.I think that Cyrano will get tired of Christian getting all the praise for his work and Cyrano will tell Roxane about the agreement. Cyrano only made this agreement with Christian so he can express to Roxane how he feels. I think that Roxane is being very selfish and she doesn't deserve Cyrano's love. What I don't understand is how Christian doesn't realize that Cyrano loves Roxane,too. I mean, come on! Cyrano is writing all these amazing love letters about Roxane and Christian still can't make the connection!
ReplyDelete-Megan Diliberti
I don't think that Christian and Cyrano's plan is going to work. For one thing, they both love the same girl, and that usually doesn't work out. I think that Cyrano is going to get bored talking and want to talk to Roxanne personally. He is going to get tired of writing and Christian taking the credit. Cyrano wants to wants to make the agreement so that he can speak freely to Roxanne about his love for her. I don't think this will be enough and Cyrano will want more: to be with her. I think that Roxanne is deserving of Cyrano's love after reading the first few pages of Act III. She is not only beautiful, but also witty like Cyrano and smart.
ReplyDelete-- Nicholas Seymour
Cyrano is a strong, confident man who needs to remember who he is. I think the reason that he is unable to let Roxane know that he is in love with her is because he doesn't want to hear the outcome of what may happen after he has said it. He wants to stay within his comfort zone, which to me seems quite odd for Cyrano. A whole different side of Cyrano is shown when his mind is thinking about Roxane. If Cyrano could just remember who he is and that nothing said bothers him, his love for Roxane wouldn't be as complicated. Making the pact with Christian was not a smart choice which shows his weakness for his love for Roxane. I consider his pact with Christian as lying which doesn't always get you to where you want to be in the long run. He is lying to himself and lying to Roxane. He is giving Christian an advantage because now not only does Roxane think Christian is handsome but he is now good with words all of a sudden. I am not doubting Cyrano's abilities to winning Roxane back with showing his true self eventually because we must remember Cyrano is smart and witty. But, the question that still remains is, will Christian return his bargain of the deal to Cyrano?
ReplyDeleteI, like many others have said before, cannot come to a full conclusion about Cyrano. I often think that I have him figured out, but then his next action throws me off track.
ReplyDeleteI think that the pact is actually a good idea- I think that it will teach many lessons. First, it will teach Roxane that looks are not everything. Once she finds out that it is Cyrano who is writing all of these letters, she will realize that she is actually in love with him, not Christian. In Act 3, she begins to quote many lines from the letters. If she spends more time with Christian, she will see that her attraction for him does not go past good looks, and then she will realize that someone else must be writing the letters.
I think that Roxane IS deserving of his love. She obviously appreciates poetry, since she loves reading Cyrano's letters. She would like to be able to hear those words coming from the true source.
Do you think that a relationship between Roxane and Cyrano would last? WHy or why not?
-Jenna Lee
I can understand why Cyrano would be both happy and sad to talk to Roxane unseen. He would be happy because its finally him telling Roxane how he feels instead of Christian saying it for him. Cyrano would also be sad because he's probably thinking of telling Roxane who is actually speaking. He would also be sad because she thinks its Christian speaking not Cyrano. Cyrano is an idealist because he looks at the world like there isn't much bad in it and he follows his beliefs about poetry and other things like an idealist would. I'm confused on what an idealist is. Can anyone help me with that? I don't know whose love is deeper between Cyrano and Christian. Just because Christian doesn't know how to express himself doesn't mean that he doesn't love Roxane as much as Cyrano does. is there irony is what Cyrano says in how he can promise her that Christian will write often? I think it's dramatic irony.
ReplyDelete-Megan Diliberti
Cyrano is obviously an idealist because he continues to act as the voice of Christian, even though Roxane will never know that it was actually him. I can understand why he does this (to express his love for her in some way), but I think if he is so confident he should be able to tell Roxane that he loves her directly.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I think Cyrano's love for Roxane is much deeper than Christian's. Cyrano has had years to know Roxane while Christian has only known her for a short time. Also, Cyrano, I think, really, deeply cares for Roxane because he doesn't try to stop Christian, he just wants Roxane to be happy.
I do have a question though: How long after Cyrano's big fight is Act III set?
In answer to Sammy's question, it is the next morning. My thoughts on Act III are uncertained. There is Cyrano's and Christian's plan for Roxane to hear and see their love though Christian does not realize that Cyrano loves Roxane too. I think eventually one of them will stop asking for each others help and either Cyrano will finally express his love directly to Roxane or Christian will get the courage to speak his own words that are every bit as witty as Cyrano's.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sammy all the way on this one. Both Cyrano and Christian are using each other to win over Roxane. Christian gets to seem all brilliant and witty using Cyrano's words. Cyrano gets to express his love for Roxane with all of these letters he is writing. Cyrano is a very intelligent man he is not just helping Christian because Roxane asked him to, he is helping Christian to win over Roxane in the end. In both stories it is not helping either of the men. Cyrano is hiding his feeling, and letting Christian use his writing talents as if they were his. Christian is lying to Roxane, cheating her because he is not acting as himself. Using and taking advantage of others never gets you anywhere. -Katie Rinehart
ReplyDeleteI know that Roxane will truly find who she is really falling for. Cyrano's words came out of the hesitant mouth of Christian. What she heard was Cyrano's voice and what she saw was the face of Christian. Looks in today's society are what seem to matter most but overtime, words will speak louder than what you physically see. Words can meaningfully express a feeling but looks can only tap into one's mind for a short term. What we now find in act three is that Roxane listens to words more than the first intial physical attraction. All Christian could say was the theme of love but he couldn't elaborate on this feeling. He was more physical while Cyrano is more of a character who expresses himself through words and truly respects the being of a woman. The sadness of Cyrano isn't physically shown. It is internally shown through the ache in his heart. The words represent his happiness because he can speak to Roxane through a more beautiful face and tell her how he feels about her from the heart without loosing his confidence as he seems to when Roxane is brought about. Cyrano has an advantage: more so than not, looks can't always buy happiness or what you want; it is what is in the inside that counts.
ReplyDeleteI think that it was very tricky of Cyrano to talk to Roxane unseen as if he were Christian. The reason i think that this was clever of him is because it is what he and Christian agreed to do in the first place. I do have one question about what De Guiche wrote about in his letter to Roxane. What did he mean about what he said about Roxane not liking Christian? Did he just assume that she doesn't like him or did she say something about that to lead him on?
ReplyDeleteI think that Roxanne is deserving of Cyrano’s love. Although, it seems like Cyrano is working really hard to gain Roxanne’s love and she is oblivious to everything that he has been doing, I don’t think that it’s her fault. An example of this would be when she read the letter from Cyrano, but she believed it was from Christian. This was a way that Cyrano was expressing his love for Roxanne, but she had no way of knowing that it was from him, not Christian. Therefore, I think she is still deserving of his love, although she may not seem like it.
ReplyDelete-Allie Wisnieski
I have to disagree with Allie. I think Roxane is just basing her love for Christian off his good looks and what she thinks is his romantic writings. She doesn't actually know the real Christian. In fact, in scene III when Christian is trying to be his true self, she gets frustrated and angry because he can't talk like his letters. This proves that Roxane doesn't love him, she loves his pretty words that aren't even his! She is in for a rude awakening when she finds out her Christian never wrote those things.
ReplyDeleteI think that there are many reasons why Cyrano would be both happy and sad. He is probably happy because, as we discussed in class, he can get his true emotions out to Roxane. He gets to tell her how he truly feels. However, he might be sad that he is expressing his emotions as Christian, not as Cyrano. I agree with Allie- I think that Roxane is deserving of Cyrano's love. I also agree with Sammy- Roxane does not love Christian. I think that it was a bad decision for them to get married because now Christian and Roxane might spend more time together without Cyrano there. I have a feeling that their marriage is not going to last long. Do you?
ReplyDelete-Jenna Lee
After i finished Act III, I would still say that my favorite character is still Cyrano. I think he is a classic model for an idealist because of his love for Roxane he followed his promise to her about keeping Christian safe and getting him to Roxane. He followed this past what most people would do, which would be somehow sabatoging it so he would end up with Roxane. Through out this he still remains rational in his actions by saying he will try his best to keep Christian safe and not promising anything, and when he thought of the clever way to keep De Guiche from the wedding.
ReplyDeleteAs we all could see right before the balcony scene, Christian froze up, he could not talk to Roxane. All that Christian could say was I love you. Cyrano is the real witty one, he is the one who deserves the love of Roxane. His speech comes so naturally lovely to him, and that is the main reason as to why Roxane is in love with Christian. Sure Christian has the good looks, but there is always more than just appearance. Roxane was distraught when Christian was not speaking from his heart, she wanted him to explain how much he loved her and why. If Christian really loved her this would come a little more effortless. He is in love with her just because she is beautiful, and Cyrano truly loves her. It only seems fair that Cyrano deserves her. - Katie Rinehart
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think that Cyrano's love is greater than Christian's love. The reason that it seems like it is, is because Christian doesn't know how to express it. On the other hand, Cyrano can express his love in great detail. However, I think that in order for any love to take place between Christian and Roxane, he needs to be able to express his love on his own, without the help of Cyrano. Also, in order for things to work between Christian and Roxane, she needs to be able to love him for the way he acts and speaks, not only for his looks.
ReplyDelete-Allie Wisnieski
Roxane only loves Christian for his looks. Since Cyrano is writing the letters and telling him what to say, she can't love Christian for what he says. If she says she loves him because of his words, she is saying that she love Cyrano. I think that Cyrano should just come out and tell Roxane, because she likes the way the letters are put. Even though she might not like him back, you would think it would make him feel better that she likes Christian for what he really is, and not for what she thinks he is.
ReplyDeleteAfter finishing act III of the play, i would have to agree with MK. I personally feel that Cyrano's love for his cousin, Roxane is much greater than Christian's love for her. If Cyrano did not love Roxane as much as he does I do not think that he would be protecting Christian like she asked him to do in one of the earlier acts. I also do not think that he would be assisting Christian in trying to get Roxane. He has basically just set up a wonderful plan to eventually tell Roxane that he was the one who was really speaking to her and writing beautiful love letters and that it was never Christian. Who knows if he will eventually end up going through with that plan... Or if he will just let Roxane be happy with Christian, the man who has not been speaking to her through his own words.
ReplyDeleteI think that the agreement that Cyrano and Christian made was not very practical. Cyrano may be able to speak his feelings, but I think that without Roxane knowing that it is him, there is really no point. Also, they overlooked the fact that Christian isn't going to be able to speak for himself once he talks with Roxane face to face. I can also see Cyrano becoming so emotional that he will just eventually tell her that it is him. Also, I am not sure if Roxane is deserving of Cyrano's love. She seems to lust for Christian for his appearance, but also for his eloquence. So it would/will be interesting to see how she reacts to Cyrano if/when he reveals that it was him all along.
ReplyDelete-- Jon Wisnieski
I think the pact will fall apart and crumble. Cyrano can say all he wants, but sometime or another Roxanne is going to get Christian alone. Whether Roxanne is going to be shocked in a bad way or astonished that he went through the trouble, I can't say. However she reacts will determine to me if she really loved him or not. I think Cyrano has given up and is using this as a last resort to get out his feelings. I believe that soon he won't be satisfied with just that anymore and go out to get her for himself.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the pact was very practical. It doesn't really benefit Cyrano at all. Even though he gets to express his feelings for her through Christian, she doesn't know its him so its pretty pointless. I think that if Cyrano never comes out and says that its him, Roxanne will be happy with Christian and forget Cyrano. But the pact will break if Christian is ever alone with Roxanne. He doesn't know how to talk like Cyrano does, and Roxanne might start to suspect something.
ReplyDelete- Luke Fitzgibbon
Cyrano must be a mess when he is talking to Roxanne unseen. He thinks that he loves her and is enjoying expressing himself to her, but he also knows that he is doing it for Christian and he can't have Roxanne. Cyrano is an idealist because he continues on his fantasy that Roxanne loves him, even though he knows that she loves Christian. Cyrano's love for Roxanne is greater than Christian's love for her. Cyrano loves her enough that if she wants someone else, that is what he will give her.
ReplyDeleteNicholas Seymour
In reading through Act III, I would have to say that Cyrano's love is probably greater than a love like Christian's. Even if Cyrano's intentions aren't genuine and even if he doesn't know it, he is letting someone else share the 'glory' of admiration and eloquence. He is acting 'behind the scenes' to assure the thoroughness of the plan for both he and Christian. The only drawback to this kind of love, the kind Cyrano has, is that it requires total devotion to a set plan, or things will unravel beyond repair. This kind of love has little room for error and in my opinion, De Guiche is a major obstacle for these relationships. It seems that anything can happen...
ReplyDelete(suspenseful, no? :D)
--Hannah Zimmerman
I don't think this agreement will work out. I can see Christian later on taking advantage of Cyrano after awhile. Cyrano only agrees to this because he is in love with Roxane. He will only gain Roxane's appreciation, but not her love. Roxane is very mean to Cyrano and distasteful because she only likes Christian for his looks. She doesn't deserve Cyrano's love, because she mostly focuses on looks and not inner beauty that Cyrano has. -Ryan Albaugh
ReplyDeleteWhen Cyrano was talking to Roxane he must have felt amazing. He was telling Roxane how he feels about her indirectly because he was pretending to be Christian and therefore we can say it is a form of dramatic irony. At the same he could be sad that he is just pretending to be someone else that she loves and it's not real. I don't really understand how Cyrano would be an idealist, but I know that his love is much greater than Christians, because how expressive he is about how he feels. -Ryan Albaugh
ReplyDeleteI think that sooner or later Christian is going to make a fool of himself like he sort of did in the begining of act three and I predict that Cyrano will profit from it. As far as this scene goes I think it is cool and great for Cyrano that he actually got to talk to her but I am really surprised that he was so ok with Christian kissing her. Even with his logic of her not only kissing Christian but kissing the words he spoke it still seems like he should be a little upset. oh and I really wish they would stop calling each other cousin even though I know they are it is still just a little creepy.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Ryan because he said that Cyrano's love is much greater for roxanne than Christian's is. I think that when Cyrano is wexpressing love for Roxanne indirectly, he is still doing more than Christian will ever do. It is hard to see Chris. actually break down and talk directly to Roxanne and share his feelings. Yes, I think Chris. loves her a lot, but if he cannot express it right, the relationship will not work. If Chris. will start to interact with Roxanne, the plot would just stop. I think becasue Chris cannot find the will power to talk to Roxanne makes it interesting. If Roxanne loses interset in Chris. becasue of the lack of talking, Roxanne might fall for Cyrano.--Nick Farley
ReplyDeleteOne thing I notice in this play is the incredible use of verbal irony. In just the little things people say, you really have to stop and think about what they just said. In the contradictions and little puns, it really adds life to the storyline. It's a very witty dialog and makes it very interesting to read. In the part where Roxane is pretending to love De Guiche and she tells him that he should take Cyrano out of the fight, I love her response when she is asked if she pulls tricks on people often and she simply replies, "sometimes." The irony is marvelous!!!
ReplyDeleteIronic, isn't it?
--:D Hannah Zimmerman
Cyrano has way more love. Christian fails when he trys to show Roxanne what love he has to show. He does love her though. Cyrano's conversion with Roxanna under the balony was interesting. Cyrano was going all out, and still speaking as Christian. Then when she wanted a kiss from Chrisian, Cyrano try to stop it. He was kind of realizing that Christian was going to get her, but he got to express himself to her. It could be happy or sad. Cyrano loved Roxanne so much that he gave her a handsome man and his words. His love was more than Christian's.
ReplyDelete=LUKAS STEFFENSMEIER [=(:)
I do not think that a love like Cyranos is greater than Christian. In order to have true love, you have to have both, not just one. Since this is the case, both parts are equal. Even if someone has the greatest personallity there will not be love if you aren't attracted to them. On the other hand, you can be attracted strongly to someone but realize that they are a blundering idiot.
ReplyDeleteI think that Cyrano would be both happy and sad with his talk with Roxanne. He is probably happy, because Roxanne is in love with the person she thinks is Christian. She loves the way that Christian/Cyrano speaks and that should make Cyrano pretty happy. But he should also be sad about the discussion. Roxanne and Christian are getting married, and now Cyrano doesn't really have a chance. I don't think you can say one's love is greater than the other. They both love Roxanne but just have different ways to express the love.
ReplyDelete- Luke Fitzgibbon
I'm with Sammy on this one. I don't that Cyrano will follow through on this. And I definatly don't think that Roxane is worth all this trouble. I dout that she will fall for Christian writing the letters.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Cyrano will gain anything for this agreement. Personally he can only lose the love of his life.
In act III I think Cyrano was both happy and sad when talking to Roxane in place of Christian. He was happy that he was finally able to express his feeling about his love for her in person. He was also sad though because he wasn't able to let her know it was him. He made a couple mistakes because he was talking about things that had to do with him and not Christian like being laughed at because of his nose. He was sad that he had to change what he said to fit Christian. He was also happy that he was able to talk to Roxane without being seen because of his ugliness. There was irony because we knew that it was Cyrano talking and not Christian, while Roxane didn't know.
ReplyDeleteI think that in the end Roxane will fall for Cyrano. She already seems like she is hiding her love for Cyrano by liking Christian. She has him do stuff that Cyrano would do. I think that she is molding him to be like Cyrano so she doesn't have to fess up and tell cyrano. Roxane most likely wants Cyrano to make the first move, I know I would.
ReplyDelete