Illustration of Cyrano and some of the letters he wrote for Christian

Cyrano de Bergerac

by Edmond Rostand

Start Free Trial

Discussion Topic

Details of Cyrano's death in Cyrano de Bergerac

Summary:

Cyrano de Bergerac dies after being struck on the head by a falling log, an injury from an ambush arranged by his enemies. Despite his weakened state, he visits Roxane at the convent, where he succumbs to his injuries. In his final moments, Cyrano remains defiant and proud, imagining himself fighting off symbolic enemies as he dies.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

How is Cyrano killed in Cyrano de Bergerac?

Edmond Rostand's play Cyrano de Bergerac tells the story of a Gascon soldier who is what is known as a "Renaissance man." He is fierce in battle, he is a poet and writer, he is an expert swordsman, and he is a romantic lover, among other things. Cyrano is a man who holds strong opinions and is not afraid to back them with the force of his sword. He stands for what is right and has a strong sense of justice.

As a result, Cyrano is often the target of serious and determined enemies. One such incident happens early in the play, you'll recall, when DeGuiche goads Valvert into a duel with Cyrano so he (DeGuiche) can be with Roxane. The same thing happens when he is duped by Cyrano while Roxane and Christian get married--he sends the Gascons to the front line of battle hoping Cyrano will be killed. While there, DeGuiche also turns traitor and marks Cyrano and his troops as targets in battle. None of these attempts at killing Cyrano are successful.

Fifteen years later, Cyrano is still making enemies. He denounces falsehoods and pretenders--those who appear to be noble but are actually base and degenerate. And he does so quite publicly, unconcerned about the potential repercussions to his own well being. His friends are concerned for his safety and beg him to stop these public denunciations, but he does not. One of those false nobles, a pretender, hires someone to kill Cyrano. The hired killer tries to make his attempted murder look like an accident, so he drops a huge log out of a window, hitting Cyrano on the head. It is a mortal wound, though Cyrano is able to be with the woman he has loved from afar (Roxane) one last time before he dies.

Last Updated on
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Where does Cyrano de Bergerac die in Cyrano de Bergerac?

Cyrano de Bergerac dies at the convent near Paris where his beloved Roxane has been living for the past fifteen years. Cyrano has loved Roxane for a long time, but he helps his friend Christian woo and win her by writing Christian's letters for him and actually speaking to Roxane in the dark while pretending to be Christian.

Christian and Roxane marry, but shortly later, Christian and Cyrano go off to war. Roxane arrives unexpectedly right before the beginning of a battle. Cyrano is just about to tell her the truth of the whole matter (at Christian's insistence) when Christian is struck by a bullet and killed. Roxane faints, and Cyrano never tells her the truth.

The play then shifts ahead in time by fifteen years. Roxane is living in the convent, and Cyrano visits her regularly. One day, a mutual friend stops by to tell Roxane that Cyrano is dying. His enemies have finally caught up with him, and he has been hit on the head with a heavy log. Not long after, Cyrano walks in. He is clearly in pain, but he must see Roxane one last time. As Cyrano reads Christian's final letter to Roxane (that Cyrano actually wrote), the light fades, but Cyrano continues to “read” from memory. Roxane realizes that it was Cyrano who had written all those letters. He is the one she has really been in love with the whole time. Cyrano, now delirious, fights invisible enemies but dies smiling as Roxane tells him of her love and kisses him.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Last Updated on