1. Cyrano de Bergerac
A Bit of History

2. On Edmond Rostand Playwright primarily of comedies
Wrote Cyrano in
Cyrano was his largest success
Debut’s standing ovation lasted over an hour
400 consecutive performances

3. On the Historical Context
Setting begins in 1640
Age of Richelieu
Prime Minister of France beginning 1624
Powerful military and domestic leader
Villianized in history for his heavy hand of justice and his high taxation policy
Growth of the sciences
New understandings of the Earth in relation to the universe
Interest in space travel

4. On the Real Cyrano Savinien Cyrano was born in Paris, 1619
Lived in Bergerac most of his life
A skilled swordsman
A prominent nose
Published plays, poems, political pamphlets, and several science fiction novels
**Not exactly a major historical figure