Customer Reviews

Cyrano de Bergerac: by Edmund Rostand translated by Anthony Burgess

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If there's one thing that has me miffed, it's those ridiculous academic critiques of this play. Yes, it's unrealistic, yes, it's energetic to the point of insanity, yes, the character of Cyrano is particularly vulnerable to the ridiculous Freudian analyses that Lit. professors are obsessed with. But the essence of this work, what makes it breathe, are the very qualities so mocked by elitists: its color, its flamboyance, and above all its wonderfully unashamed idealism.

First of all, this is entertaining reading at its best: a combination of witty repartee and laugh-out-loud humor, balanced with emotional depth that is subtle yet wrenching in its intensity. With just a few lines the scenes come alive, with characters whose brash gallantry is reminiscent of Dumas' Musketeers.

All this virtuoso treatment finds a focal point in the character of Cyrano, who is at once comic and tragic: his biting wit provides a facade for a soul in torment, for his sensitivity to beauty makes his own ugliness that much more painful. Yet there is so much fire and pride in Cyrano that never once does he beg for our pity, and endures the pain of thwarted love with the same charisma and bravery with which he does battle.

The contradiction between Cyrano as he is inside--a veritable furnace of eloquent passion--and his markedly ugly exterior, is his tragedy. Through the vehicle of this contradiction, Edmond Rostand explores the nature of love, particularly regarding how much of it is dependant upon exteriors. Yet this theme does not smother the tale, which is such a heady mixture of beauty, hilarity and subtle insight that it fairly intoxicates. My only complaint, upon finishing it, was that it had to end.

Most readers and performers are probably more familiar with the translation of Cyrano by Brian Hooker. Hooker's translation has much to recommend it but it fails to capture the poetic power, whimsy or grace of Rostand's play. I feel the Burgess translation better represents Cyrano to a modern reader. One previous reviewer suggested that there was something almost absurd about Cyrano as he is portrayed by Rostand. Burgess himself had qualms about translating the play into rhyme. But this convention is powerful because it suggests that the men and women of Cyrano's dramatic world (even the lackwits) were impressed by cleverness, grace and beauty. It is set out in the play that Roxanne is one of the literary precieuse. The type of cleverness that Cyrano portrays in rhyme would appeal to her. At the same time, Cyrano is not a fop but a man of action whose mind is not stilled even by combat. Also this translation shows that Christian's "military wit" was something Cyrano could appreciate for its poetic appropriateness as well as for its courage. I think in some ways Cyrano's chivalry and heroism, as well as the more unrealistic elements of the play, are actually made more vivid and convincing by the use of rhyme. Burgess transports us to Rostand's imagined world of poetry and chivalry directly. . . and does not relent for a moment in portraying it. I think the real Hercule Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac would have appreciated the flair of it all. And if you don't buy that?-- Well, the fight scenes are STILL cool. Happy reading.

Cyrano -loosely based on the actual Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac, an early predecessor of science fiction- is a swordsman for the French King Louis XIII. He is also a man with an extraordinary gift for poetry and versification, as well as the owner of an extremely large nose. He is deeply in love with his cousin Roxanne, but she happens to love Cyrano's friend and colleague, Christian. So, being a good fellow and having a quixotic nature, Cyrano accepts to speak of love to Roxanne, impersonating Christian. Under her window, in the dark, Cyrano recites love poems so well crafted, that Roxanne falls even more in love with Christian, who is the supposed lover. After that, both men leave to fight at war. Roxanne shows up at the siege of Arras, to bring food to the soldiers. There, for reasons I won't spoil here, their love affair comes to an abrupt end, leaving their relationship unfulfilled. What comes next shows the true heroic nature of Cyrano, his strength of character, and his loyalty to his friend, but also to his eternal love for Roxanne. This play, which has originated at least a couple of good movies and several tv interpretations, is a homage to the Romantic spirit so rare in our greedy and selfish times. It is full of beautiful images and scenes, and Rostand's writing is perfect for the task. Read it first, and if you haven't seen the movies, watch them. Cyrano is a grand character that will remain as an epytome of chivalry, loyalty, and emotional strength. Not to forget.

Literary translation requires a balancing act between word-for-word interpretation and more liberal paraphrase. Anthony Burgess has gone farther than that, concocting an English version of "Cyrano de Bergerac" that is better classed an adaptation rather than a translation. He excises characters whom he doesn't like, reduces Roxane's appearance in the play, implants poems and speeches which were never in the original, and generally reworks the play into something other than the original. But worse still is the language - snotty, excessively erudite, and giving Cyrano an extremely bitter and obnoxious tone. I've read five other English versions of "Cyrano," and frankly this is my least liked, as if a surgeon unnecessarily cut off the legs of a healthy patient.

This is the best play-book-poetry every written. I sat down, started reading, and didn't get up until I was finished, which was quite a while since when I got to the end I was crying so hard I could barely read. Anyone who doesn't understand Cyrano isn't a poet or an author, OR a dreamer. This is the classic tale of one who finds himself unworthy, but who will settle for NO LESS than true love-- that, and many, many other things it would take hours to expound upon. Truly, the greatest work of all time.

Cyrano de Bergerac: by Edmond Rostand translated by Anthony Burgess

I agree with Ramon Katigbak (2/25/08), that this translation of Cyrano de Bergerac is substantially inferior to Brian Hooker's superb translation, first published in 1923. Burgess' initial translation (1971) was written for a production of Cyrano by the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. His later version (1985) was prepared for the Royal Shakespeare Company production, starring Derek Jacobi as Cyrano. Both versions were influenced by the dramatic needs and preferences of his employers. Some of the original play was eliminated, and much was changed, resulting in a translation/adaptation, rather than a faithful translation.

The original French, written by Edmond Rostand in the late 1890s, is perhaps the most famous French play of the last two centuries. Its language is noble, clear, comical and powerful. Hooker's work seems to me nobler, clearer, and more powerful than Burgess'. Quite often, Hooker hits the center of the target, having imagined a translation as solid, striking and appropriate as the original. When archers shoot at a target, the second archer's bull's eye counts as much as the first. But when translators aim for a bull's eye, the first one to hit has a great advantage. His successor must choose between copying the previous translation, thus making his own work superfluous, or creating a different translation equally solid, striking and appropriate, which may be difficult in the extreme.

In one respect, Burgess is closer to the French. He often translates in rhymed couplets. These can add to a sense of poetry, creating a slight emphasis on the last word of a line, which rhymes with the next or previous line. On the other hand, Hooker's blank verse, like Shakespeare's, allows midline emphases by author and actor, which heighten dramatic freedom and effect, and prevent tendencies to singsong monotony, or racing to the line's end.

In addition to the Jacobi Cyrano, the Burgess translation was used for the recent Broadway production, starring Kevin Kline, and televised early this year by PBS' Great Performances. The latter production will surely be available on DVD, and the former certainly ought to be. The Hooker translation was the basis for the 1950 film starring Jose Ferrer, and the 1972 American Conservatory Theatre production starring Peter Donat. Both these productions are on DVD.

For the reader who would like to compare Hooker and Burgess with Rostand, here are three famous passages:

[ROSTAND] Moi, c'est moralement que j'ai mes élégances.
Je ne m'attife pas ainsi qu'un freluquet,
Mais je suis plus soigné si je suis moins coquet;

[HOOKER] I carry my adornments on my soul.
I do not dress up like a popinjay;
But inwardly I keep my daintiness.

[BURGESS] I'm one of those who wear their elegance
Within. To strut around and dance and prance
Got up like a dog's dinner - that's not me.

[ROSTAND] N'écrire jamais rien qui de soi ne sortit,
Et modeste d'ailleurs, se dire: mon petit,
Soit satisfait des fleurs, des fruits, même des feuilles,
Si c'est dans ton jardin à toi que tu les cueilles!

[HOOKER] Never to make a line I have not heard
In my own heart; yet, with all modesty
To say: "My soul, be satisfied with flowers,
With fruit, with weeds even; but gather them
In the one garden you may call your own"

[BURGESS] Writing only the words down that I hear
Here -- and saying, with a sort of modesty,
"My heart, be satisfied with what you see
And smell and taste in your own garden --
Weeds, as much as fruit and flowers."

[ROSTAND] Un baiser, mais à tout prendre, qu'est-ce ?
Un serment fait d'un peu plus près, une promesse
Plus précise, un aveu qui veut se confirmer,
Un point rose qu'on met sur l'i du verbe aimer;
C'est un secret qui prend la bouche pour oreille,
Un instant d'infini qui fait un bruit d'abeille,
Une communion ayant un goût de fleur,
Une façon d'un peu se respirer le coeur,
Et d'un peu se goûter, au bord des lèvres, l'âme !

[HOOKER] And what is a kiss, when all is done?
A promise given under seal - a vow
Taken before the shrine of memory -
A signature acknowledged - a rosy dot
Over the i of loving - a secret whispered
To listening lips apart - a moment made
Immortal, with a rush of wings unseen -
A sacrament of blossoms, a new song
Sung by two hearts to an old simple tune -
The ring of one horizon around two souls
Together, all alone!

[BURGESS] How
Shall we define a kiss? The sacrament of a vow,
The lightly stamped seal of a promise, the endorsement of
A promissory note on the bank of love,
The very O of love in the expectant lips,
Eternity in the instant the bee sips,
The music of the spheres in the bee's wing,
A flower-tasting eucharist, a rose-red ring
Richening already with the coming gold.

Rostand has done something that only a few authors ever achieve: he has created a true hero. Cyrano is a lover of life, a dueler of stupidity and a champion of reason and rational self-interest. The only way to find characters of this caliber and moral fortitude is to read Victor Hugo's "Toilers of the Sea," or Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" . Cyrano ranks with the best. If you want to read more about Cyrano, check out the fascinating new book by James L. Carcioppolo, "The Lost Sonnets of Cyrano de Bergerac," available here at Amazon.com. I promise you will not be disappointed! jk

When I was a kid, back in the days before even those excruciatingly edifying Afterschool Specials began to plague daytime TV and the talk shows were Mike Douglas and Dinah Shore rather than Jerry Springer and Oprah, there was a terrific series of Animated Classics that were broadcast in the afternoons. They were, as far as I can recall, pretty faithful to the original stories, though obviously abridged and edited. I remember two in particular, The Count of Monte Cristo and Cyrano de Bergerac. The appeal of these two, despite their French provenance, is obvious--what more can a kid ask for than a great swashbuckler? Then, as if this cartoon version wasn't enough, I saw the 1950 Jose Ferrer film version of Cyrano and was hooked on the story for life.

Rostand's is just one of several fictions to be based on the life of the historical Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-55). Set in the reign of Louis XIII, the play, of course. tells the story of the fiercely independent swordsmen, poet, playwright and political pamphleteer with the prodigious proboscis, of his unspoken love for his cousin Roxanne and of his intercession on behalf of his beautiful fellow guardsman Christian de Neuvillette, on whose behalf he surreptitiously woos her.

Now when you're a kid, you can hardly see past the dueling and brawling. I mean, obviously the point is that the guy is lovable despite his beak, but c'mon, the love parts are yucky anyway. But returning to the story as an adult, Rostand's other themes emerge, particularly Cyrano's insistence on meeting life on his own terms. If his failure to realize Roxanne's love remains tragic, his Quixotic nature, his enduring political independence and personal integrity, serve to make him one of the great heroes in all of literature.

Blending swordplay, comedy, tragedy and romance in equal measure, this is truly one of the most thrilling dramas of all time. If you can find the cartoon version, by all means watch it. In the meantime, instead of renting Lethal Weapon # 8, next time you're at the video store look for Jose Ferrer as Cyrano or buy a copy from Amazon for 7 bucks. It's well worth the price of two rentals; I guarantee you watch it more than once.

GRADE: A+

Although I am an Anthony Burgess fan, I find this translation to be nowhere near as good as the classic Brian Hooker translation.

The book overall was excellent, but I thought Cyrano made many stupid and irratic decisions for such a seemingly intelligent person. Maybe it was his love for Roxane that made him act so foolishly, but it confused me. It seems as if Rostand couldn't decide whether to make Cyrano an intellect, or a fool; an extravagent comedian, or a tragic poet. Picking one personality would make Cyrano seem more realistic, instead of making him appear to have multiple personality disorder. Many people have different personalities, but not with the extremities that Cyrano possesses, unless they stopped taking their prescription of Prozac, which in my opinion, Cyrano needs.