Cyrano de Bergerac was born in Paris in 1619, and he died in 1655. He was a French dramatist and duellist, best known for his daring swordplay skills and literary works. His famous duel with one hundred soldiers is still remembered today as one of the most impressive displays of swordsmanship ever recorded. It occurred during a trip to Gascony in 1655 when he was attacked by a group of soldiers who had been sent to capture him; however, he fought them off with just one sword.
Bergerac’s literary works were well-known during his lifetime and included plays, satires, comedies, poems, epistles, and books on philosophy. His most famous work is probably the satirical novel Le Pédant Joué (The Pedant Played), which is considered to be an early example of science fiction literature. He also wrote several other plays such as The New Year’s Presents of Gods, Comedy at Tuileries, The Rotten Boat, and Death Of Agrippina. All these works are now seen as important contributions to French literature.
Bergerac’s life story has been adapted into several films over the years including 1950’s Cyrano de Bergerac starring José Ferrer and 1990’s Roxanne starring Steve Martin. His legacy continues to live on through these films and through modern adaptations such as musicals, operas, ballets, cartoons, comic books, radio dramas, television series’, video games—even contemporary novels! So although he may have died centuries ago, his memory lives on in many forms across multiple mediums.
