Summary and Analysis
Act III — Scenes 11-12
Summary
Cyrano has climbed to the top of the wall, and when De Guiche enters, Cyrano swings from a branch and drops down in front of him. He tells De Guiche that he came from the moon and asks where he is. In spite of himself, De Guiche is amused. When Cyrano says that he has invented six ways to travel to the moon, De Guiche is curious enough to listen to what they are. Then, after telling him the six ways, Cyrano says, in his own voice, that the quarter of an hour is up, and the marriage completed. He believes there is nothing De Guiche can do about the marriage. De Guiche, however, gains revenge by sending the cadets to the front immediately.
Analysis
The brilliant bit of nonsense in Scene 11 is an opportunity for Cyrano to show off yet another of his interests — science. But, before the reader begins to feel that Rostand is exaggerating Cyrano's varied interests, he should remember that among the many talents of the historical Cyrano was that of writing science fiction.
Poor Cyrano not only wins the lady for Christian, but also must stall De Guicb while the couple is being married. He promises that "Christian" will write to her often. Because Rostand has De Guiche on the scene, has prepared us for his anger, and has already introduced the war, he encounters no difficulty in separating the young couple immediately, before they have a moment alone together. Thus, Roxane never has an opportunity to know her husband without Cyrano's words to make him seem more facile of tongue.