Balcony Scene Questions: pages 122-134
1. List several examples of places where Cyrano tells Roxane the truth, but she doesn’t realize that she’s speaking to Cyrano and not Christian.
2. Why do you think Roxane doesn’t realize the truth when Cyrano tells her so many times in this scene?
3. Write down your favorite line that Cyrano speaks to Roxane and explain why you think it is effective, interesting, significant, etc.
4. Reflect on the following quotation:
“Have you not seen great gaudy hothouse flowers,
Barren, without fragrance? Souls are like that:
Forced to show all, they soon become all show”
5. Reflect on the following quotation: “Now let me die
Having lived. It is my voice, mine, my own,
That makes you tremble there in the green gloom
Above me—for you do tremble, as a blossom
Among the leaves.”
6. Reflect on the moment that Christian interrupts Roxane and Cyrano’s conversation with “One kiss!” Why does he say it then? Why does he not realize what’s going on? Does he feel real love for Roxane?
7. Who does Roxane love at this point in the play? Explain.