Tonight When I make my sweeping bow at heavens gate One thing I shall still possess at any rate Unscathed something outlasting mortal flesh & that is.. . My panache. The first English translation of Cyrano de Bergerac in 1898 introduced the word panache into the English language. This single word summed up Rostands rejection of the social realism which dominated late nineteenth-century theatre. He wrote his heroic comedy unfashionably in verse & set it in the reign of Louis XIII & the Three Musketeers. Based on the life of a little known writer Rostands hero has become a figure of theatrical legend: Cyrano with the nose of a clown & the soul of a poet is by turns comic & sad as reckless in love as in war & never at a loss for words. Audiences immediately took him to their hearts & since the triumphant opening night in December 1897
- at the height of the Dreyfus Affair
- the play has never lost its appeal. The text is accompanied by notes & a full introduction which sets the play in its literary & historical context. Christopher Frys acclaimed translation into chiming couplets represents the homage of one verse dramatist to another. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford Worlds Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxfords commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities helpful notes to clarify the text up-to-date bibliographies for further study & much more.