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Cyrano de Bergerac
Christian is a foil to Cyrano de Bergerac: a shallow, inexperienced, slow-thinking man who’s been blessed with a beautiful face. By himself, Christian could never woo Roxane, as he doesn’t have the brains or wit. Only when he and Cyrano work together—Christian supplying the physical beauty, Cyrano providing beautiful love letters—do they succeed in seducing Roxane. Where Cyrano is capable of admiring a woman for her mind and soul as well as her physical beauty, Christian seems to love women for their beauty and nothing else. But while Christian isn’t a deep thinker or a noble hero, Rostand shows that he’s still a decent man, and capable of acts of great kindness. Shortly before he’s killed in the Siege of Arras, for example, Christian discovers that Cyrano loves Roxane, too, and selflessly insists that Cyrano tell Roxane about his feelings. In the end, Christian attains a kind of dignity for himself, in spite of his weak mind, and it’s partly out of personal respect for Christian that Cyrano refuses to tell Roxane about his feelings until the very end of the play.
Baron Christian de Neuvillette Quotes in Cyrano De Bergerac
The Cyrano De Bergerac quotes below are all either spoken by Baron Christian de Neuvillette or refer to Baron Christian de Neuvillette. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, Scene 2
Quotes
LIGNIERE (tasting his rivesalte in sips):
Magdalene Robin--Roxane, so called! A subtle wit--a precieuse.
CHRISTIAN:
Woe is me!
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Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2, Scene 6
Quotes
ROXANE:
Then you will be his friend?
CYRANO:
I swear!
ROXANE:
And he shall fight no duels, promise!
CYRANO:
None.
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Act 3, Scene 1
Quotes
ROXANE:
You would vex a saint!. . . But 'tis your jealousy.
CYRANO (starting):
What mean you?
ROXANE:
Ay, your poet's jealousy!
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Act 3, Scene 4
Quotes
CHRISTIAN:
And how know you I cannot speak?--
I am not such a fool when all is said!
I've by your lessons profited. You'll see
I shall know how to speak alone! The devil!
I know at least to clasp her in my arms!
(Seeing Roxane come out from Clomire's house):
--It is she! Cyrano, no!--Leave me not!
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Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 12
Quotes
ROXANE:
That he shall be faithful!
CYRANO:
Doubtless, but. . .
ROXANE:
That he will write oft?
CYRANO (pausing):
That, I promise you!
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Act 4, Scene 10
Quotes
CYRANO (in despair. to Roxane):
He's gone! 'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees
Importance in a trifle!
ROXANE (warmly):
Did he doubt
Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!
CYRANO (taking her hand):
But are you sure you told him all the truth?
ROXANE:
Yes, I would love him were he. . .
(She hesitates.)
CYRANO:
Does that word
Embarrass you before my face, Roxane?
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Act 5, Scene 5
Quotes
ROXANE:
Ah!
Things dead, long dead, see! how they rise again!
--Why, why keep silence all these fourteen years,
When, on this letter, which he never wrote,
The tears were your tears?
CYRANO (holding out the letter to her):
The bloodstains were his.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 6
Quotes
CYRANO:
That night when 'neath your window Christian spoke
--Under your balcony, you remember? Well!
There was the allegory of my whole life:
I, in the shadow, at the ladder's foot,
While others lightly mount to Love and Fame!
Just! very just!
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Explanation and Analysis:
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Baron Christian de Neuvillette Quotes in Cyrano De Bergerac
The Cyrano De Bergerac quotes below are all either spoken by Baron Christian de Neuvillette or refer to Baron Christian de Neuvillette. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, Scene 2
Quotes
LIGNIERE (tasting his rivesalte in sips):
Magdalene Robin--Roxane, so called! A subtle wit--a precieuse.
CHRISTIAN:
Woe is me!
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2, Scene 6
Quotes
ROXANE:
Then you will be his friend?
CYRANO:
I swear!
ROXANE:
And he shall fight no duels, promise!
CYRANO:
None.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 1
Quotes
ROXANE:
You would vex a saint!. . . But 'tis your jealousy.
CYRANO (starting):
What mean you?
ROXANE:
Ay, your poet's jealousy!
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 4
Quotes
CHRISTIAN:
And how know you I cannot speak?--
I am not such a fool when all is said!
I've by your lessons profited. You'll see
I shall know how to speak alone! The devil!
I know at least to clasp her in my arms!
(Seeing Roxane come out from Clomire's house):
--It is she! Cyrano, no!--Leave me not!
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 12
Quotes
ROXANE:
That he shall be faithful!
CYRANO:
Doubtless, but. . .
ROXANE:
That he will write oft?
CYRANO (pausing):
That, I promise you!
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Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 10
Quotes
CYRANO (in despair. to Roxane):
He's gone! 'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees
Importance in a trifle!
ROXANE (warmly):
Did he doubt
Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!
CYRANO (taking her hand):
But are you sure you told him all the truth?
ROXANE:
Yes, I would love him were he. . .
(She hesitates.)
CYRANO:
Does that word
Embarrass you before my face, Roxane?
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 5
Quotes
ROXANE:
Ah!
Things dead, long dead, see! how they rise again!
--Why, why keep silence all these fourteen years,
When, on this letter, which he never wrote,
The tears were your tears?
CYRANO (holding out the letter to her):
The bloodstains were his.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 6
Quotes
CYRANO:
That night when 'neath your window Christian spoke
--Under your balcony, you remember? Well!
There was the allegory of my whole life:
I, in the shadow, at the ladder's foot,
While others lightly mount to Love and Fame!
Just! very just!
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
