Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, Alexander Guy Holborn Spiers

Cyrano de Bergerac (Bantam Classics (Pb)) (Vintage Classics) (Dover Thrift Editions) (World Classics (Abe Books)) (Enriched Classics) (French Texts) (Kennebec Large Print Perennial Favorites Collection) (Clasicos de Siempre: Joyas del Teatro) (Clasicos Seleccion) (Pacemaker Classics (Audio)) (19th Century French Plays S.)

by Edmond Rostand and Alexander Guy Holborn Spiers

This is Edmond Rostand's immortal play in which chivalry and wit, bravery and love are forever captured in the timeless spirit of romance. Set in Louis XIII’s reign, it is the moving and exciting drama of one of the finest swordsmen in France, gallant soldier, brilliant wit, tragic poet-lover with the face of a clown. Rostand’s extraordinary lyric powers gave birth to a universal hero—Cyrano De Bergerac—and ensured his own reputation as author of one of the best-loved plays in the literature of the stage.

This translation, by the American poet Brian Hooker, is nearly as famous as the original play itself, and is generally considered to be one of the finest English verse translations ever written.

Reviewed by Danielle Renee Wallace on

4 of 5 stars

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This story was pretty much unlike any story I've read!
Cyrano de Bergerac is a satire, however, the last two acts take on a much more solemn feel.
I loved the story. However, I did not approve of everything (like the lying). The theme of appearance versus reality was good, though.
(Also, for your info, I did not have this very copy but had the story in my literature book.)

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  • Started reading
  • 8 September, 2018: Finished reading
  • 8 September, 2018: Reviewed