Amber

Ms. Gardner
English 10H/4 P
17 Jan. 2016
Socratic Seminar Questions
1.

Roxane is known to be beautiful, and she knows it herself as well, thus, she often uses
her beauty as manipulation as seen on page 169. Does that appearance based
manipulation still occur today, through what medium, and how perceptible are we from it
compared to men from the time of the play?

2. Throughout the play, Cyrano constantly refuses to accept the truth due to, what he
perceived to be, ugly appearance.(51) Since this is a piece of literature, we have no clue if
what is written is merely an over exaggerated case, or if it is actually so. Either way, do
you think Cyrano deep embedded self awareness is cause by the constant bullying he has
received because of his appearance? How much do you think the criticism of others play
a role in the shaping of one identity?
3. We learn thoroughly enough from this play alone that love is a thing of such complicity.
Roxane fell in love with a combination of Cyrano and ChristianCyranos mind, and
Christians looksyet ended up loving his soul more than his looks.(186) Do you think
Roxane would have still loved Cyrano had he not initially used Christian as a mask?
Would she have even given him any chance at all?
4. In the very end of the play on 217, Roxane had been trying to convince Cyrano that her
love for him was true and honest, yet he refused to believe. Compare that other people.
How much do your opinions on yourself play a part to successful love life? Is it equally
important to love yourself as much as your partner loves you or as much as you love your
partner?
5. Yes, Roxane did eventually fall in love with Cyrano through his letters, yet, lying and
deceiving was always an easy accomplishment for Cyrano. Even till the end of the play at
page 211 Cyrano would lie about his head injury, for good reasons, yet a lie nonetheless.
Cyrano entire existence in the played is composed of lies. How much does his deceived
self image play a role in shaping his identity?

6. Cyrano has gained Roxanes love through a deceived personality composed of him and
Christian shown in page 102. Roxane had protected, or tried to protect, Christian from the
war by feigning love for a man in which her love does not reside in. Is love perchance
merely a tool? Albeit a powerful one, but nonetheless a tool?
7. Contrast to his brash performance, Cyrano shows a great deal of restraint and principle on
page 46 when he was refusing to take any food, which the Refreshment Girl had offered
to him for free, than what is necessary as not to offend the girl. These virtues and honors
seemed to have lost its place in the modern day era. How important is the prospect of
honor compared to those of the time this play was written?
8. Cyrano was known to be brave and full of courage as seen in his going back and forth

across enemy lines in page 183, yet too much courage often translates to stupidity. In the
face of love, was Cyrano brave or stupid?