The Role Of Romanticism In Cyrano De Bergerac

Romanticism plays a major role in many pieces of literature. Romanticism is defined as, “any work or philosophy in which the exotic or dreamlike figure strongly, or that is devoted to individualistic expression, self-analysis, or a pursuit of a higher realm of knowledge, can be discovered by human reason” (Galens and Spampinato 51). Characterizing a common archetype known as a Romantic Hero, these traits are exemplified in Cyrano de Bergerac, “Federigo’s Falcon,” and “Dante’s Inferno.”

Romanticism did not start out as just a category; it started as a movement that lasted for about forty years (Milne 706). Romanticism became prevalent in many regions of the world, specifically America and Europe. American Romanticism was shaped by the history,

When Edmond Rostand wrote this work, he based Cyrano on a real person. Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a soldier and a writer just as Cyrano is in Rostand’s work. Rostand, however, added one fictional trait to Cyrano-- his large nose. In his novel, Cyrano is everything a man should be. He is a heroic, romantic, and brave man. The only thing he does not have is good looks (Rostand; Galens and Spampinato 51). Throughout Rostand’s novel, he depicts Cyrano as a larger than life figure. He starts with Cyrano’s hatred towards a character known as Montfleury, an actor, like Cyrano. However, Cyrano believes Montfleury to be a buffoon. He thinks that Montfleury is a disgrace to the business. Cyrano’s large nose parallels his “larger than life personality” (51-52). It drives him to be the best man he can be because he cannot depend on his looks to get a girl’s attention (51-52). Originally written to be a romantic comedy, Rostand adds bits and pieces of poetry to give the work that “exotic or dreamlike” perspective (52). At the end of Rostand’s novel, Cyrano de Bergerac, Cyrano dies. Set by tradition, comedies were almost always predicted to have the cliche “happy ever after” ending. Contrary to this English tradition, the main character in Rostand’s work encounters a long, tragic death. This event adds to the element of romanticism in that when

Throughout the Decameron, several themes emerge. Romance and love are among them (Boccaccio 1; Constantakis 73). In comparison to other works within the Decameron, “Federigo’s Falcon” focusses more on courtly love (Constantakis 74). Coming out of the late middle ages, where the bubonic plague, flood, famine, and bankruptcy had devastated Florence, Boccaccio’s works were severely influenced. In the early fifteenth century, in which Boccaccio was writing, art and culture were brought back to life. This period became known as the Renaissance (75-76). Giovanni Boccaccio chose to set his tale, “Federigo’s Falcon,” during the Renaissance, a Medieval time period where a majority of marriages were arranged by parents. Often times the arranged marriages were not considered “true love,” causing the spouses to look for love elsewhere (Boccaccio 1). Federigo, the main character in Boccaccio’s work “Federigo’s Falcon,” is a noble and wealthy man who seeks to love a woman by the name of Monna Giovanna. Giovanna is a married, elite woman, who does not give Federigo a second glance. Only when Federigo looses everything is he able to win Giovanna over (Boccaccio; Constantakis 76). Speaking to the romanticism theme, Boccaccio shows romanticism through his emphasis on the intrinsic