revealtion: cyrano de bergerac was a real person!!!

This is Cyrano De Bergerac. Born March 6, 1619 in Paris, France. Little-known playwright and also a man of the military, Cyrano was more widely known for his large known for his large nose then his talents in writing or swordsmanship. Many works of fiction have been woven around his life story.

I was very surprised to find that Cyrano was indeed a real individual living in the 17th century. The article also explains that Roxanne, who was Cyranos cousin, did marry a man in Cyranos outfit of the Thirty Years War - the baron of Neuvillette, Christian. It is strongly insisted that Cyrano had nothing to do with the lovers' courtship- he did not write any letters to Roxanne from the Baron.

This article raises some questions. Was is sheer creativity of Edmond Rostand that compelled him to write a play about this supposed love triangle? Or is there more to the story of the couples' courtship than is evident in history?

Cyrano Paradox

The entire confusion in the story of Cyrano De Bergerac centers around the conniving plan between Cyrano and Christian to obtain Roxanne. This plan becomes so convuluted that in the end, a situation that could have simply ended with a short-lived broken heart or toleration of a large nose for love instead ends in tragedy. The tragedy of Christians death has such a life-altering impact on Roxanne, for she truly believes that she has lost the one true love her life will ever know. She lives for years in isolation, mourning his loss while the character whose words she truly fell in love with is walking, breathing, hoping the entire time. Thus, when she finally makes the revelation that it was Cyrano all along, when she finally has a chance at happiness, it is once again too late, for Cyranos life is also ended. This makes her grief all the more poignant.

"I never loved but one man in my life, and I have lost him.. twice."
This line seems impossible out of context, but perfectly illustrates Roxannes situation and provides a perfect explanation for her feelings. She experienced a love with a man that was the epitome of perfection - handsome, intelligent, brave, eloquent. She was so deeply in love with the man that she thought to be Christian, and losing him in such a sudden and tragic manner at the height of their love for one another left her utterly brokenhearted. Perhaps she would not have been so greatly affected by the tragedy if she had known the truth behind Christians facade of love. She loved him so greatly that she confessed to him she would love him even if he were ugly. Christian heard this statement and knew that Cyrano should know the truth. Cyrano did not have to hide behind the good looks of another man to get to Roxanne - she would love him for his charm and personality alone. However, this message could not be returned to Cyrano because Christian perished shortly after hearing this revelation, resulting in unnecassary heartbreak on both sides.

"I have two deaths to avenge now.. Christians and my own"
This is a statement made by Cyrano shortly after Christians death right before he must return into battle. Clearly, the fact that he is simply speaking the line illustrates the paradox of this statement - Cyrano is alive! But in his mind his life has been lost along with Christians, because only through Christian was he able to live out his love for Roxanne. His life has completely revolved around his love for Roxanne for quite some time, but he never had a chance to even come close to her affections being returned until he was presented with the Christian situation. He knew or thought in his own mind that Roxanne could never love him for his appearance but through the letters he wrote to her for Christian and the reactions she gave to such letters made him see that if not for his appearance, Roxanne would be able to love him for she clearly finds his personality displayed through the letters appealing. She fell so deeply in love with Christian becuase of Cyrano's letters, and it turns out they were the sole reason she did love Christian. Initially, she did love Christian for her first impression of him; his looks, but when she began recieving the letters she loved him for his wit, his charm and his gallantry. When Christian dies, Cyrano sees it simply as the end of his imagined love affair with Roxanne when in reality, if he told her the truth behind their facade, they may have lived happily ever after. He did not tell her because he wanted Roxanne to live in peace with the notion that she had lost a great love rather than have her find out that the man she really loves is what he believes to be hideous.

Christian and Cyrano devised a plan to obtain Roxanne and it seemed utterly flawless. Christian had the looks and Cyrano had the charm: together there was no way anything could go wrong. But the plan became more complicated when the men had to go off to battle. Cyrano continued writing letters to Roxanne unbeknowest to Christian, thus increasing Roxannes love for Christian. When Roxanne shows up, things become completely out of control. He finds out that Cyrano truly does love Roxanne, and begins to think that perhaps they do belong together, after all Roxanne said she could love him even if he were ugly because of his beautiful letters. Perhaps if this news had gotten to Cyrano, all would have been well and this would be a love story rather than a tragedy. Unfortunately, the untimely death of Christian makes the situation go over the edge altogether. Roxanne is overcome with the loss of who she believes to be the one great love of her life, Cyrano is devestated that his game of obtaining Roxanne is over, and neither of them know that the other has the capacity to love them. The plan at this point leads the play into a point where paradox's are the only way to explain the complicated and devestating situation.

Top Fives - Night.

Scenes
1. Moshe's Prayer
-"I pray to the God within me for the stregnth to ask the real questions"
-a moving quote that illustrates the fear of God that these people do have and that they do sometimes question their faith

2. Never Shall I Forget..
-this passage is so free flowing and moving. the repitition helps the reader to clearly feel the narrators pain. it is an excellent portrayal of all the emotions running through his head when he first experienced this tragedy and those same feelings he has when remembering it.

3. Young French Woman in Factory
-this young girl helps Elie after he is beaten by the Kapo, saying, "Just hold on"
-Elie encounters the girl later in life on the streets of Paris, thanks her and spends the day with her
-the girls help was a small shred of humanity amoungst so much darkness and the rejoice felt by Elie in finding another survivor, who knows exactly what the time was like for him is inexpicable.

4. Young 'Angel' Boy is Hung from the Gallows
-this scene is resoundingly heartbreaking. readers can feel the silence of ten thousand men standing in mournful awe at the sight of such an incredible tragedy. the fact that the boy hangs for hours, just to be given the freedom of death shines a light on the disgusting ways prisoners were treated.

5. Elies First Glance in the Mirror
-Elie looks into a mirror for the first time since the ghetto. The change he sees in himself leaves him unrecognizable. This scence illustrates how such a horrible experience can change a persons perspective on life and simply on himself.

Themes
1. Effect an Individuals Perspective has on a Persons Beliefs
-Elie begins to question his faith almost right when the Holocaust begins
-Elie refuses to recite a prayer before eating

2. Reconciliation of Desire to Act Independantly and the Need for Security
-Elie fights with the decision to either stay by his fathers side even though he may slow him down or to leave him behind and fight for his own survival
-Elie might have had an easier time in the camps without having to look after his father, but he would not have the security of that one shred of his former life

3. Impact of Significant Experience on the Individual
-Elies faith is completely faded by the end of his experience in the Holocaust. Previously his faith was a very large part of his life.
-Elie looks at himself in the mirror after the whole ordeal is officially over and does not recognize himself in the mirror. The face he sees is empty and expressionless.

4. Hope
-Elie constantly mentions throughout the story that he always had hope he would be liberated by the Russian or American troops
-Elie sometimes had thoughts of things that he would do after this situation was over, thus revealing small pieces of hope he had of getting through the Holocaust

top fives - the pianist.

Scenes
1. Wladyslaw walks through dilapidated ghetto, weeping.
I love the raw emotion displayed in this scene. At this moment, the mans soul is simply bared for all to see. It is beautiful and heartbreaking.

2. People are made to lay down on ground in camp and are shot one by one. Officer runs out of bullets, and must re-load his gun while his last victim lay, waiting.
This scene shows the emotionless way in which the officers treated those they held captive. Their utter disregard for life. It shows the apparent insignificance of each life lost.

3. Wladyslaw silently plays the piano in his apartment, his fingers above the keys.
Wladyslaw is happy in this moment. He, after being through so many painful and disturbing moments in his life, in this moment can truly just enjoy the simple pleasure of something he once loved. Although he cannot play the piano aloud, he still feels the same release.

4. Wladyslaw plays the piano for the German officer who discovers him in hiding.
He just plays so beautifully. Every emotion that has been building up in his being under cover, every not that had gone unplayed on the silent piano is released in this moment. It is just a simple playing of music, but for some reason it is one of the most emotional scenes in the movie. The officers stolid yet affected reaction shows the tiniest bit of compassion - the first seen in so long.

5. "Why the f-ing jacket?"
Just a laugh out loud moment after so many sit-in-silence-and-try-not-to-cry moments. It shows that Wladyslaw is back in a relaxed environment, and after every thing he has been through it is such a relief to be asked a question that requires such a simple answer - "i was cold".

Themes
1. Response to circumstances beyond familiar experience.
-Wladyslaw reacts to the "No jews allowed" sign outside resturaunt with poise, not letting the exclusion get to him. At this point, this is the most radical of the anti-semitism.
-When made to move out of the ghetto, Wladyslaw is spared by a former friend who is now a member of the Jewish police. When walking through the stranded ghetto, he realises he is truly alone, and he reacts with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.
-When the jews are liberated, Wladyslaw emerges from his hiding, determined the kiss the first Pol he encounters.

2. Perserverance.
-Wladyslaw formulates a plan to escape from being a worker in the ghetto after the deportation; he never gives up his quest for freedom, even when there seems to be no hope.
-When given the option to join the Jewish police, where he is guaranteed to be spared (at least temporarily), Wladyslaw refuses because he will not turn against his own people. He would rather perservere through the hardships of the rest of the Jews than be the one to put it upon them.
-Wladyslaw escapes from every possible threatening force because of his will to live: escapes the camp where he is put to work, escapes when German neighbor finds him out, escapes when his apartment is raided, escapes from stranded hospital hiding place when Germans arrive and stays under cover in the ghetto until liberation

3.Isolation.
-When found by German officer, Wladyslaw has been isolated for so long that he scarcely knows how to react to any of the officers questions or demands.
-In Wladyslaws second apartment, the man who is supposed to care for him never returns with food or drink, and he becomes ill and helpless.

4.Effects of Adversity on the Human Spirit
-When Wladyslaw is walking home one night in the ghetto, he stumble upon a young boy trying to make his way under the wall from the outside. He is clearly being beaten on the other side of the wall, and Wladyslaw tries his hardest to help the boy under the wall. When he finally does pull the boy onto his side, he lies limp in his arms - he has died. Wladyslaw weeps uncontrollably before being forced to leave the boy dead on the sidewalk.
-When Wladyslaw is liberated at the end of the film, he swears that he will kiss the first pole he sees. He has gone so long without human contact from a friend rather than an opressor that his only want is for some compassion once it is available.

5. The Aid of Passion in the Face of Threatening Forces
-When the opression of Jews first begins, Wladyslaw is at the time spending time with a blonde German woman. While spending time with such woman, he tries to enter a resturaunt to take her out for lunch when he see's a sign that says 'No Jews'. Typically, this would be very upsetting but Wladyslaw brushes it off because he still has the company of a beautiful woman and something so seemingly insignificant was going to stop that.
-Wladyslaw depends heavily on his passion for music throughout the whole movie. In the ghetto, he plays out his pain and frustration in the restaurant where he works. When enslaved after being spared from the cattle cars, he pretends to play all the time. When he is encountered with a piano in his new apartment when he escapes his work in the ghetto, he cannot truly play but again, he simply pretends, letting his fingers flow over the keys, playing music for himself.

Motifs
1. Wladyslaw's free-flowing hands
We see him play piano so easily and almost emotionlessly at the beginning of the movie. As the movie and Wladyslaws pain progresses more severely, his playing, even without a real piano, becomes so much more meaningful and emotional.

2. Delusion of Savior
All throughout the movie, Wladyslaw depends on the apparent impending savior of the Jews. There is denial all through the beginning of the film about the fact that the Germans could truly try to exterminate all Jews. There is always the hope that the English or Americans will stop them.

3. The Importance of Food
When Wladyslaw is staying in an apartment, there is supposed to be a man bringing him food to nourish him and when he does not, Wladyslaw dwindles slowly towards death. When he is nourished again, he is back to health. When hiding in the stranded ghetto he tirelessly tries to open a can of polish pickles.

4. Language Barriers
Alot of the time the German officers try to speak to their captives who cannot understand them and as a result they are shot.

5. Silence
Much of Wladyslaws survival relies on his silence. When staying in his apartment, the moment he goes into the ciupboard to try to find dishes, the first time he ever makes a sound, he is found out. His passion for the piano is smothered by the need for silence.

top 10's (right now)

Books
the time travellers wife-audrey niffenegger
the catcher in the rye-j.d salinger
a million little pieces-james frey
twilight-stephenie meyer
pride and prejudice-jane austen
a complicated kindness-miriam toews
gargoyle-andrew davidson
einsteins dreams-alan lightman
romeo and juliet-shakespeare
the lovely bones-alice sebold

Movies
the green mile
crash
transformers
the little mermaid
a knights tale
the dark night
donnie darko
schlindlers list
lord of the rings: the return of the king
sixteen candles

TV Shows
greys anatomy
lost
the tudors
the office
desperate housewives
true blood
gossip girl
house
friends
flip that house

Musicians(top 25..)
dierks bentley
onerepublic
blink 182
the fray
snow patrol
coldplay
jack johnson
john mayer
jason mraz
the shins
augustana
ben lee
damien rice
dashboard confessional
switchfoot
goo goo dolls
journey
justin timberlake
supertramp
lifehouse
moby
matthew good
matchbox twenty
prozzak
our lady peace

down to the nitty gritty..

..or not so much. this isn't the per say.. assigned work for Night but i just wanted to share it nonetheless.. it's all i have time for tonight (studying chem, sorry)

so, in the prologue of my new and improved translation of Elie Wiesels Night, Elie shares the process he went through to get the book published. no one wanted to buy into a book that was so depressing, so Elie had to lighten it up a little. i wish he hadn't. in the prologue, he shares how the narrative opened in the original, unedited, Yiddish version of the novel:

'In the beginning there was faith-which is childish;
trust-which is vain; and illusion-which is dangerous.'

i just really like that for some reason. i thought i'd share it. spread the joy of heartbreaking holocaust anecdotes, right?

i'll get to the real assignment later this week, i promise. :D

alright, advice.

i'm not a person who necessarily has wise individuals feeding me advice whenever i need it. i think to give a person meaningful advice is really a challenge. when someone's going through a situation that requires such guidance, one can only say the things that they think they would probably like to hear if they were in that persons shoes. but it's really hard to know what someone wants to hear. i'm not a person that goes seeking advice regularly. i don't share my problems with many people, and frankly i doubt that many would be able to give me advice that i would appreciate. i'm so stuck on this notion that i can't remember the last time i asked someone for advice, maybe i'm afraid of what people might say, or maybe i'm just right. nevertheless, there is basic advice, typically from people who aren't familiar with my own personal situations that i tend to follow in life. some of it is not so much advice as just things i have heard that have made me say, "yeah, that's right, that's how i live".

"It's like all of the bad stuff that you went through that you hated along the way: the people who disappointed you, the things that didn't go the way you wanted; suddenly, you feel grateful for them, because those are the things that got you to here, to this."
-the perfect man (movie)

"You don't what you've got 'till it's gone"
-tupac. (shh..)

"Never regret, because what you regret was once exactly what you wanted"
-anonymous

"I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for what I am not"
-Kurt Cobain

"If the past never was, and the future never is, what are we left with? Just this"
-??

I don't know. I'm not a very advice-y person. but this is just some stuff that i live by, hence advice, right?

ohhh lordy.

http://www.youtube.com/user/officialtwilightfilm?ob=4

that just NEEDS to mentioned.

because it's basically my life right now.

random.

Can you fill this out without lying?probs.
What was the last thing you put in your mouth?apple danish!
Have you ever kissed anyone named Matthew?no
Where was your profile picture taken?at monicas
Last person you rode in a car with under the age of 20?Lizzy and Monica
Can you play guitar hero?like a pro
Name someone that made you laugh today?jordan
How late did you stay up last night and why?midnight.. worked till 1030, showered
If you could move somewhere else, where would it be?kelowna
Ever been kissed under fireworks?no
Which of your friends lives closest to you?ali
Do you prefer to call or text?depends
How do you feel about Diet Dr Pepper?no opinion
Last profile you looked at on facebook?ryans
When was the last time you cried really hard?lately
Where is your biological father right now?at work, i think.
Where are you at right now?in computer lab at school
What bed did you sleep in last night?mine.
What was the last thing someone bought for you?lizzy chipped in for my sandwhich!
Was yesterday better than today?no
Can you live a day without TV?not a thursday. but yes.
What are you listening to?the first single-the format
Are you mad about anything?nope
Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?yes.
Last time you spent the night at someone's house?last friday
When was the last time you were extremely disappointed?last weekend
Where do you wish you were right now?in bed
What should you be doing right now?this.. but actual work.
Is anything bothering you right now?no
Are you a bad influence?i don't think so, no.
Night out or night in?depends on how i'm feeling. now, in.
Are you more of an individual or an outgoing person?both.
Last hug?jordan, when he read this question.
How do you feel about your life right now?fine.
Do you hate anyone?not really, no.
Will you have a valentine this year?yeah. over the phone likely.
Anyone upset you lately?not overly.
How's your heart?good.
Does it bother you when you text somebody and they never answer?if it's important
Who are your last 3 texts from?lizzy, monica, ryan
Who is your last missed call?monica
What time did you wake up today?830
Have you ever been caught in a lie?probably.
Is there anybody that you trust 100%?yes
Are you satisfied with your life right now?mostly.
What did you do last night?worked
Does love scare you?in ways
What is something that you have forgiven someone for lately?my sister for expressing her unwanted opinions
What mood are you in?average
Plans for tomorrow?school.. tims on spare.. volunteer hours (unfortunately)
Where did you get the shirt you're wearing?guess. it's like the only thing i own from guess.
Who was the last person that left you a comment?thomas bailes
What is your background on your phone?robert pattinson
What would you do if you won the lottery?ditch sylvia and get a new car
Online and long distance relationships work?counting on it.
Would you ever get a navel piercing?no. it's a stupid trend.
Do you like to spend time with people?most people
Single or taken?taken
Do you like it?yes
Have you ever talked about marriage with someone?yeah, but not seriously.
If someone liked you right now, would you want them to tell you?no
Have you ever liked someone so much that it hurt?no that sounds crazy
Were you happy when you woke up today?is anyone?
Honestly, do you like anyone?yes.
Have you ever liked somebody and never told them?yes.
Last time you laughed?two minutes ago
Do you regret anything from your past?not really
Do you bump into someone's arm if you want to hold their hand? no.
Last beverage?water
Last nap?long time ago i should nap more its not a common phenomena
Favorite month?december, july
Favorite number?3,8
Would your parents be mad if you got pregnant today?of course.
Favorite colour? it varies
Excited for anything?not particularly.
Last time you were confused?probably recently. haha.
Do you like to cuddle?yee
Do you want a girlfriend/boyfriend?yes, because i do.
How many texts are in your inbox?319
Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight?maybe..
Do you cry easily?yeah actually. i cry for commercials alot.
Where is your phone?in front of me.
Are you mad at someone right now?no
What makes you laugh no matter what? a lot of things.

obscure music playlist.

okay, so here's some of the obscure music i'm currently listening to..
the flat head-fratellis
tick tick boom-the hives
timebomb-beck
middle of nowhere-hot hot heat
black and gold-sam sparro
let the drummer kick-citizen cope
lost!-coldplay
beautiful letdown-switchfoot
fnt-semisonic
bullets-augustana
drama queen-switches
d.a.n.c.e-justice
lovebug-jonas brothers (shutup!)
something in the way-nirvana
everything's magic-angels and airwaves
one man wrecking machine-guster
1,2,3,4-plain white t's
rootless tree-damien rice
live your life-t.i (maybe not so obscure)
without reason-the fray
whats golden-jurassic 5
boyz-m.i.a
love and memories-o.a.r
swagga like us-jay z and t.i (it's the gangster in me)
clumsy-our lady peace
best of me-starting line
prelude 12/21-afi (i promise other than this i don't listen to afi)
all we ever needed-early november
two-ryan adams
apology-rides again
skin-natalie merchant (cry..)
in the ayer-flo rida (oh hot damn!!)