There are many books that I hold near and dear to my heart. Masterpieces that have withstood the test of time—my time, measured in all its scanty weight of years. Indeed years may have flitted past since last I breathed in the musty scent of those pages, and yet when I finally remove the book from the shelf and cradle it once more in gentle hands, I know the story will greet me as an old and dear friend. Cyrano de Bergerac is such a book for me. Now some of you may cry “foul!” upon my, for it is—of course—a play and so not the typical novel one would pluck from the shelf. But the story is no less rich, the characters no less vivid, and the plot no less intense because it was penned for the stage. It has something for everyone. The action lover. The romantic. The connoisseur of wit. The critic. The comedian. And … the writer. Consider the following scenes from a writer’s point of view.
Bring me giants. I have so many projects going at the same time right now that it’s hard to fully relish the thrill of victory before diving back into the muck and grime of the next task. There are days when the sheer number of things on the to-do list are daunting, like an army of Uruk-hai stretching to the horizon. My pen feels heavy and burdensome in my hand. And then there are days where I can grit my teeth and dive into the fray with a battle cry on my lips. “I feel too strong to war with mortals—bring me giants!”
Sarah says
Cyrano de Bergerac is one of my favorites as well! I love how you applied these quotes to writing. :)
Gillian Bronte Adams says
They do fit so well, don't they, Sarah? I love that not only is Cyrano a heroic fighter worthy of the Three Musketeers, but he is a poet and a bit of a romantic as well. :)
Elizabeth Anne D. says
Yes! I love Cyrano de Bergerac! I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting someone who thought so highly of if before. (-: I think I love this play so much because I was introduced to it when I was nine, so it's mixed with a bunch of fond memories.(-: (I saw it, I didn't actually read it till a couple years later(-:) This reminds me that I need to read it again… Such beautiful quotes! I think they're especially relevant for writers!
Gillian Bronte Adams says
I've never actually seen it, but I've imagined it so vividly in my head from reading the script so many times that it would probably be difficult to watch someone else interpret the characters I've come to love so well!
*sigh* Cyrano has the best quotes. One of my favorite part is the duel toward the beginning where he composes a ballad while fighting telling his opponent what he's going to do next. It's brilliant.
Allison Ruvidich says
It's on my to-read list!! I just finished Shakespeare, so I'll probably move on to it soon. Thanks for posting! I'm glad you liked it!
Gillian Bronte Adams says
Yes, you must read it! It is simply splendid. Think Three Musketeers with a dash of Shakespeare and a dose of the Princess Bride.
Jake says
This post makes me unbelievably happy.
Cyrano de Bergerac has perhaps defined my writing more than any other story on the planet; the fantastic verse, the poetry, the soaring words! And that last line, filled with more bittersweet emotion than any other ending on this planet. Cyrano is such an incredible, complex character.
It's just amazing. And although it ranks slightly lower in my list of favorite stories – it holds number four – it has a special place in my heart.
If you haven't seen the movie Cyrano de Bergerac (1950), you should. It follows Brian Hooker's translation almost to the dot – cutting some scenes to economize time, but maintaining most of the original wording. Jose Ferrer – playing Cyrano – is perhaps the best depiction I've ever seen, and won an Oscar for Best Actor. It is (in my opinion) the best film adaption in history.
Gillian Bronte Adams says
Isn't he? *sigh* I would love to actually see it performed somewhere, but I'm slightly terrified that my concept of how it *should* be portrayed will leave the actual portrayal somewhat lackluster.
I will have to look into the movie though!
Jake says
Yes, you should! The movie is fantastic. In fact, it's so definitive that when I read the play, I always read it in Jose Ferrer's voice.