Cyrano de Bergerac
-
A very powerful political figure who pretty much controlled France during the time of the play.
-
This page gives an overview of the concept of courtly love in history--note that it existed throughout Europe (not just France) and started in the Middle Ages (a few centuries earlier than the play).
-
Cyrano de Bergerac: Literature Resource Center
This is an awesome database for all the topics in this project. You need an Alameda County Public Library card to access it. If you do not have one, register here for an e-card.
-
Cyrano: Heroic Comedy or Romantic Tragedy?
from the Utah Shakespeare Festival
-
Fashion History: Baroque Period
Some interesting historical drawings of how people dressed during the time of the play
-
This site is by an amateur who loves fashion, not a historian, but she based her work on really good research books so we're okay using it.
-
Glencoe Literature Library: Overview of the play
Read the first couple pages of this PDF for info on the historical setting of the play. Great place to start your research.
-
This online essay explains that heroic comedy is not really a genre--it is a term that Rostand called his own play in order to describe the special type of play that he was attempting to create. This author works on explaining to us what he meant.
-
This page describes in detail how a siege was conducted in the 1600s. Did you know a 24-pound cannon can throw a cannonball over 1,800 meters? That's something to worry about when you're laying siege to a city! :)
-
This page talks about how the siege fits into the larger context of the Thirty Years' War
-
The Siege of Arras in 1640, the primary battle mentioned in Cyrano, took place during the Thirty Years' War, which was from 1618-1648. Don't confuse it with the Battle of Arras during World War II, much later!! This site is written by a student, but a very specialized one--a student who got a grant from the British government to research fortresses like Arras. It has good info about this battle.
-
This site is written by a high school history teacher in the UK.
