This is a wonderful play with many references to French culture. I read this book for my literature class, and I thought it was a very good assignment. In the beginning, the play is difficult to understand because the book is a play within a play. Don't be discouraged, after the first act you will have a very clear picture of the setting. Cyrano is introduced gradually, but dramatically. He is an amazing character because he is a strong soldier, but a hopeless romantic. For those readers who love poetry, this is the book for you. There are many descriptive lines that are beautifully crafted. Rostand recreates the feeling of love through his words. Along with being romantic, it is also comical. Rostand adds some light-hearted comedy to try to soften some of the disappointment the reader faces. When I say disappointment, I mean what we expect to happen doesn't. I don't want to give away the plot, but in general, if you are into adventure and romance with a comical twist, you should read this play.

This great story of the infamous long-nosed man, Cyrano de Bergerac, tells the tale of Cyrano's love problems. His lack of confidence in his appearance hurts his overall anxiety level. He uses a handsome cadet's, Christian's, looks to woo Roxanne with his (Cyrano's) own graceful words. While unrealistic in nature, many of the morals of the story are presented very cleverly. There are so many great lines in the play that are witty, intriguing, or just funny! A great read for anyone.

Cyrano de Bergerac is the quintessential Romance of "the Genius against society". However, the main theme is: "Dramatization of the idea that the meaning of true love is a response of one soul to the virtues,or the beauty of the soul,of another being and that love is not concerned with physical appearances."

The plot-theme is: "The love triangle between a gallant, witty, poet-soldier who, because of an ugly long nose is unable to profess his passion to the woman he loves; the woman, and a handsome man who loves the same woman (who in turn loves him) - the ugly poet composing beautiful poems and verses for this handsome man to win over the woman-thus, lending him his soul."

Cyrano.." glorifies all that is heroic in man - self-esteem, fearlessness, intransigent integrity and above all - independence of spirit . At the end of the play Rostand shows that the human spirit shall remain unbroken and unbent - whatever may be the suffering or loss.

The link between the theme of the genius' struggle (here, Cyrano's struggle) against mediocrity, compromise and cowardice, and the theme of love is that important events of the latter are determined by the former (particularly the climax) in a single plot-structure.

One unique feature of this play is that all the characters directly involved in the central plot, by the end of the story are positive characters, without any malice or envy or hatred.

I have not read any other play of serious literature with such charming and yet profound poetry, wit and humor - it will make you sigh, it will make you roll on your belly, it will bring tears to your eyes. The pain of Cyrano is heart-wrenching. I weep everytime I read the story-and almost all the while.

One of the drawbacks of "Cyrano.." is that despite its celebration of Man the Hero, while one experiences an exalted sense of hero worship, one does not experience the same sense of benevolence with respect to this world - the world is portrayed as a place, where, ultimately, where man cannot achieve his values though his spirit is untouched by pain. (The same applies to the novels of Victor Hugo - who shares Rostand's sense of hero-worship).

This play does not deal with any complex philosophical issues (such as the plays of Schiller). However, it carries in its simple message and in its portrayal of probably the most lovable hero of 19th century fiction, a depth of meaning and relevance which is timeless. With its glowing Romantic spirit, "Cyrano.." ought to go down in history as one of the most enduring plays of all time - as a testament to the indestructibility of the human spirit.