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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. In Scene 6, one cadet tells Roxanne that he is crying for what reason?

2. How many ways of getting to the moon does Cyrano list before explaining his preferred method to de Guiche?

3. Which major character is not present onstage at the beginning of Scene 10?

4. Which of the following is not a constellation with which Cyrano claims to have interacted on his drop from the moon?

5. Which of the following items is not something the cadets seek out at the beginning of Scene 6?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Roxane resolve to do at the end of Scene 5?

2. How does Cyrano distract the Comte de Guiche while Roxane and Christian marry?

3. How does Christian realize that Cyrano loves Roxane in Scene 4?

4. Why does Cyrano wait so long to tell Roxane the truth?

5. What lie does Cyrano tell Christian before he dies?

6. What revenge does de Guiche take on Cyrano and Christian in Scene 14?

7. How has Roxane's love changed in the months since the siege?

8. What declaration does Roxane make about the feast?

9. What is Cyrano's relationship with Roxane in Act 5?

10. How does Roxane bring food to the troops?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the relationship between Cyrano and Christian. How do they develop from rivals, to conspirators, to two halves of the same soul? Why does Cyrano choose to help Christian, and how does ending this assistance become impossible as the play continues? In what ways is Christian present even after his death?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

The Comte de Guiche seems to be a simple villainous presence at the beginning of the play, but he proves to be one of the most dynamic figures of the narrative. Write an essay analyzing the Comte's transformation over the course of the play. What is the root of his villainy? Why does he suddenly change? What hopes and regrets does he express in Act 5?

(see the answer keys)

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