Cyrano de Bergerac vs Romeo & Juliet Balcony Scenes Essay

Shakespeare and Rostand employ unique writing methods in order to show the battle the characters in each of their plays, Romeo and Juliet and Cyrano de Bergerac partake in to express their legitimate whole toneings for one a nonher. Each play utilizes the motifs and themes of light versus dark and societal views that work against or shows the unbent meaning behind their recognize for one a nonher by means of a balcony setting which resembles each other well. Settings are important components in any piece of literature, they set the mood and atmosp here(predicate) for the particular scene.In twain plays the balcony scenes occur at night under the c everyplace of darkness, which plays an important similarity in the plays as well. While the scenes occur at night both Romeo and Cyrano discriminate their approvers to light. In act three of Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano agrees to help Christian court Roxane and by doing so he must hide underneath the balcony to conceal his identity. Ev entually Cyrano takes over for Christian because he wishes to express his fondness for Roxane himself, but still underground by the darkness.Night, making all things dimly beautiful, one veil over us both and I see the whiteness of a summer gown, you are all light- I am all shadows. Cyrano is comparing his repulsive nose to Roxanes beauty, transaction himself the darkness of the night which can non be described or mentioned, versus Roxanes exquisiteness which reminds Cyrano of summer. Not only does he compare her to light but he calls her the light of his tone, that without her his life would be dismal.Technically Cyrano is supposed to be speaking for Christian in this situation but he is in fact speaking from the heart. He is concern that Roxane go out not love and respect him because of his nose, and because of this he keeps himself in the dark literally and metaphorically. Whereas Cyrano has loved his dear cousin all his life, but hidden his true feelings, Romeo falls in lo ve at first sight and takes no hesitation to express his love for Juliet. While hiding in the gardens surrounding Juliets window, Romeo states, But soft, what light by means of yonder window breaks?It is the east and Juliet is the sun (II, ii 2-3). This scene initiates one of the plays most beautiful and famous sequences, it is a ready example of the light and dark motif that runs throughout the play. The beauty of the night, with the moon rays shinning, adds to the romantic nature of the scene and seems to light up the act. Shakespeare uses a metaphor here to express Romeos love for Juliet. He has such belief in her that he knows she has the power to banish the night and turn it into day with her beauty.They both feel as if the other is the bright light in the darkness, and that they will guide each other through the dark obstacles to a life of pure love and happiness. Through out the plays society also fights against each set of lovers, society has taught them that it is not re ality for them to spend their lives together. Rostand expresses through the play that society during the 1600s did not consider a person for their inner personality but only judged them for their outer appearance.During Cyranos speech to Roxane in the third act he says, Is it not so to be myself to you, and have no fear of moving you to laughter? In this situation Cyrano does not feel confidence in himself and almost lets his hidden identity to become discovered. He does not feel he is worthy of Roxanes attention so he hides behind the poetry he reads to her. Because Cyrano doesnt think that Roxane will have him, he enters into the deceptive relationship with Christian, who is societys standard of physical beauty in a man. Cyrano verbalizes his innermost thoughts to Roxane through Christians differentiate which reveals his true love for her. He successfully woos her with his words, and Christian and Roxane eventually marry.Thus, he loses the love of his life because he cant approac h her due to his lack of confidence based on societys views of him and his rather large nose. Much of Romeo and Juliet involves the lovers struggles against social standards that oppose the existence of their love. Without cognize that Romeo is below her window, Juliet speaks, O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. And Ill no longer be a Capulet (II, ii 33-35). Juliet knows that not only society but the raging families would not approve of their love, but that does not stop her from caring for Romeo.She asks him to deny his family for her love but adds that if he will not, she will deny her family in order to be with him if he merely tells her that he loves her. There is clearly tension between family names and personal identity. Juliet believes that love comes from ones inner identity, and that the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets is based only on names. She later states, Whats in a name that which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet (II, ii 42-43).Her love for Romeo surpasses her familys hatred for the Montague name. She says that if Romeo were not called Romeo he would still be the person she loves and that societal views will not deteriorate their love. The characters within each play express true feelings and work aphonic and fight the odds in a balcony scene in order to live with one another, expressing their love eternally. Rostand paralleled Shakespeares balcony scene in order to persuade the true love Cyrano held for Roxane the way Romeo expressed his love for Juliet.