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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who warns Christian that Ligniere's life is in danger?

2. At the beginning of Scene 6, Roxane thanks Cyrano for teaching who a lesson?

3. What is Cyrano doing when he enters in Act 3, Scene 1?

4. Which character is trying to seduce the Flower Girl in the first scene?

5. What false promise to the monk does Roxane claim is in de Guiche's letter?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Cyrano decide to convince Roxane to kiss Christian?

2. How does Cyrano explain Christian's uncertain poetry to Roxane?

3. Why hasn't Cyrano professed his love to Roxane?

4. Why does Cyrano truly detest Montfleury?

5. Describe the scene at the beginning of the play.

6. What news does Roxane tell Cyrano in Scene 6?

7. What plan do Cyrano and Christian hatch by the end of Scene 10?

8. How does Roxane prevent Christian's going to battle in Scene 2?

9. Why does Cyrano consider himself a coward at the end of Scene 3?

10. What offer does de Guiche make Cyrano, and why does Cyrano refuse?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Love is an ambiguous force in Cyrano de Bergerac. It guides many character's actions, both for good and for ill. Write an essay about Rostand's ambiguous attitude toward love:

Part 1) Christian loves Roxane completely, which blind him to the reality of his relationship with her. How does he pay for this love, and who else pay for it in the long run?

Part 2) To what extent do both Montfleury and Valvert pay for their romantic desires? What do they have in common and what do they respectively lose?

Part 3) The Comte de Guiche is consumed by his love for Roxane. Analyze how this all-engrossing love is the catalyst for both his most eveil acts and his finest.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about the relationship between Le Bret and Cyrano. As the protagonist's foil, what information does Le Bret provide the audience at the beginning of the play? Throughout the ensuing four acts, what new information does Le Bret draw? How does Rostand create a relationship that allows this disclosure to occur organically?

Essay Topic 3

Cyrano is renowned in the play not only as a warrior and leader, but also as an artist. Write an essay about Cyrano the artist. How does he bring beauty and verse into every aspect of his being? Does he consider art a profession? Does he intend to make money from it? Cite examples from the text in answering these questions.

(see the answer keys)

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