Poet and soldier, brawler and charmer, Cyrano de Bergerac is desperately in love with Roxane, the most beautiful girl in Paris. But there is one very large problem - he has a nose of stupendous size and believes she will never see past it to return his feelings. So when he discovers that the handsome but tongue-tied and dim-witted Christian is also pining for Roxane, generous Cyrano offers to help by writing exquisite declarations of love for the young man to woo her with. Will she ever recognize who she is really falling in love with? Set during the reign of Louis XIII, Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac" (1897) was one of the great theatrical successes of its time and remains as popular today for its dramatic power and, above all, for its good-natured, passionate and swashbuckling hero.

ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED

BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP

Edmond Rostand's classic romance tells the unforgettable story of one unique man's bravery, loyalty, and unspoken love.

EACH ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES:

? A concise introduction that gives readers important background information

? A chronology of the author's life and work

? A timeline of significant events that provides the book's historical context

? An outline of key themes and plot points to help readers form their own interpretations

? Detailed explanatory notes

? Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work

? Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction

? A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience

Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world's finest books to their full potential.

SERIES EDITED BY CYNTHIA BRANTLEY JOHNSON

Anthony Burgess's translation of Rostand's 19th-century French classic about the swordsmen-poet with a nose too large to be taken seriously was first acclaimed in the famous RSC production of 1985 with Derek Jacobi as Cyrano. Six years later Burgess provided the sub-titles for Rappeneau's film version starring Gerard Depardieu - and won as much praise as did the film itself. This volume contains the full text of the original stage play translated into English verse and introduced by Burgess.

This acclaimed adaptation for the stage has garnered such reviews as: "Emotional depth Rostand himself would surely have envied...Burgess' extravagant verse keeps its contours, yet trips off the tongue almost as though it were contemporary speech." -London Times. Performance rights available from Applause.

L'azione si svolge in Francia nel sec. XVII. Cirano ama Rossana, ma non osa confessarle il suo amore, afflitto dal suo enorme naso. Suggerirà però a Cristiano, un giovane e bel cadetto, le parole che conquisteranno la ragazza. I due giovani si sposano, ma il conte di Guisa, che ama segretamente Rossana, fa partire per l'assedio di Arras i cadetti da lui comandati, tra cui Cristiano e Cirano. Durante la lontananza, vengono mandate a Rossana splendide lettere d'amore, firmate da Cristiano, ma dettate da Cirano, che fanno sempre più innamorare la ragazza che, credendo di amare Cristiano in realtà ama Cirano. I due decidono di dirle, al loro ritorno, la verità, ma Cristiano muore, Rossana si ritira in convento e Cirano solo ferito a morte le dirà la verità.

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.