Cyrano de Bergerac was born in Paris in 1619. He was an orphan who grew up with his godfather, Captain Carbon de Castel-Jaloux. He studied at the College d’Harcourt but he had no interest in becoming a lawyer like his godfather wanted him to be. Instead he became interested in theatre and poetry. In 1643 he wrote his first play, The Christian Heroine. It was performed by the Prince of Conti’s company of actors and it was such a success that Cyrano wrote another five plays for them before 1648.He died in 1655 at the age of 36 years old as a result of an injury he suffered during a duel.
Cyrano de Bergerac is best known for his play titled Cyrano de Bergerac. The play was based on the life of the author himself, who was also a soldier and adventurer.
A cadet in the army of Louis XIII, Cyrano falls in love with Roxane, who only has eyes for Christian de Neuvillette, a handsome but tongue-tied young nobleman. To help Christian woo Roxane, Cyrano composes romantic verses in his voice and sends them to her via his friend Le Bret (who does not know).
Cyrano’s father was a member of the noble family of Bergerac. His mother died when he was young and his father died when Cyrano was 15. Cyrano then joined Cardinal Richelieu’s army as a captain and was wounded in the nose during a battle in 1643. The injury left him with a permanent scar above his upper lip that gave him his famous “schnoz” or “nose” that inspired Edmond Rostand’s play Cyrano De Bergerac (1897). He fought in the wars against the Spanish and the Fronde.
