Summary

Roxane is talking to De Guiche, who is now the Duc de Grammont. Roxane has lived in the convent in mourning for all these years, always carrying “Christian’s last letter” next to her heart. Le Bret enters. They worry about Cyrano, who always seems to be cold, hungry, and alone, and whose writings have made him new enemies.

De Guiche admits that, in spite of all he has and all that Cyrano lacks, Cyrano in his poverty is the better and happier man. In other words, things of the spirit are of more value and are nobler than material things. De Guiche then calls Le Bret aside and tells him that Cyrano is in danger of his life.

As Roxane walks with the duke, Ragueneau enters hurriedly. He tells Le Bret that Cyrano has had an “accident” — someone has dropped a heavy log of wood on his head as he passed beneath a window. Ragueneau has carried Cyrano to his room. The two men hurry to him.

Analysis

We learn that, while De Guiche has mellowed, Cyrano is much the same. Independent, outspoken, fearless, witty, he has antagonized many important men with his satires. This is reminiscent of Ligniere in Act I. Ragueneau is still the “utility” character, a faithful friend of Cyrano.

Notice that De Guiche praises Cyrano before he hears of the accident. The friends (and the former enemy) have been faithful to each other. While this is some 14 years later, it is worth remembering that Roxane must have been quite young at the beginning of the play and could hardly be more than about thirty-five years old now. In those times, when the aging process was faster and the life expectancy much shorter, she would be, at the very least, approaching middle age. Nonetheless, De Guiche and Cyrano still look upon Roxane as a beautiful and desirable woman. There is irony in the fact that the letter that Roxane carries next to her heart is the one that Cyrano gave to Christian in Act IV, and which was found on Christian’s body.