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Moral Tone
Moral tone—overall philosophy of a work
 A story is literary if the conflict and
characters are artfully developed, the
plot is well-structured, and the theme is
significant.
 A positive moral tone is key.
 “A book is not harmless merely because
no one is consciously offended by it.”
(T. S. Eliot)

Moral Tone
Three Moral Tone Philosophies:
1. Pessimist View—allow some
objectionable elements for two reasons:
 Compensating aesthetic qualities (It is
attractive!)
 Honest view of life
 (I Tim. 6:11, II Tim 2:22)
 *This view elevates man’s standards
above God’s.
Moral Tone
2. Exclusivist View—Any exposure to evil
is wrong!
 Study nothing with objectionable
elements.
 Extreme view—Read nothing but the
Bible.
 This view fails to reconcile the use of
censorable elements in Scripture.
Moral Tone
3. Biblical View—teaches by means of
precept and example
 Jesus made use of negative examples
(degeneracy of Sodom, Cain and Abel,
evils of the Corinthian church, immorality)
 We must consider the work’s attitude
toward sin.
Moral Tone
“It is our business, as readers
of literature, to know what
we like. It is our business, as
Christians, as well as readers
of literature, to know what
we ought to like.”
T. S. Eliot
“I—I am going to be a storm-a flame—I need to fight whole armies alone; I have ten hearts; I have
a hundred arms; I feel too strong to war with mortals—BRING ME GIANTS!” Cyrano de Bergerac
“A great nose is the
banner of a great man,
a generous heart, a
towering spirit, an
expansive soul such as I unmistakably
am, and such as you
dare not to dream of
being. . . .”
Cyrano de Bergerac
Author: Edmond Rostand
1868-1918
Author: Edmund Rostand
 Born in Marseilles, France, on
April 1, 1868
 His education included a degree
in law.
 He wrote his first play when he
was only 20.
 His greatest triumph was Cyrano
de Bergerac, and it was
presented for 500 consecutive
performances.
Author Information Cont.
 Due
to poor health, Rostand
was refused for service during
World War I, but he consoled
himself by writing patriotic
poetry.
 He died December 2, 1918.
The REAL Cyrano de Bergerac
1619-1655
Act I
 Setting: 1640, Paris, Hotel de
Bourgogne, the opening of La
Clorise by Baro
 Main characters:
Montfleury: pompous actor
Christian: from the Touraine,
in Paris for three weeks, wants
to join the Guards
Lignière: gentleman, drinks,
writes songs
Act I Cont.
Ragueneau: poet, pastrycook,
supports other poets
Roxane: Cyrano's cousin,
wealthy, single, orphan, loved
by the Comte de Guiche
(Richelieu's nephew by
marriage)
Comte de Guiche: powerful,
ruthless, immoral, willing to
persecute others to get what he
wants, nephew to Richelieu by
marriage
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Louis XIII
Cardinal
Richelieu
Louis XIV
Louvre in Paris
Louvre
Act I Cont.
Cyrano:
Cyrano’s appearance: ugly!
Theme: appearance versus
reality
Cyrano is a man of not only
chivalry, courage, and
poetry personified, but also
poverty, worldly failure, and
ugliness.
Act I Cont.
Cyrano’s credentials: in the
Guards, a gentleman, poet,
swordsman, musician,
philosopher, proud, Gascon,
poor
Cyrano’s reasons for
disliking Montfleury
Cyrano’s justification for
closing Baro’s play
Cyrano’s response to the
intellectuals
Act I Cont.
Cyrano’s values:
Freedom: no patron
Inner worth not outer
appearance: does not dress
according to fashion
Courage: not dependent on,
afraid of, or seeking to
impress wealthy, powerful
men
Contentment: not
concerned about money
Act I Cont.
 The
ideal:
“to make
himself
in all things
admirable"
Cyrano does succeed in living
up to his ideal.
Act II
When: morning after the play
Where: Ragueneau's bakery on
Rue St. Honoré
 Plot: Cyrano's ideal is tested.
 Roxane's request - reveals
her immature attitude toward
love/ reveals the maturity of
Cyrano's love


Act II Cont.
De
Guiche's offer - offers
Cyrano his patronage and
publication of Cyrano's plays
(the catch: some lines must be
changed)
This reveals the tenacity with
which Cyrano holds to his
principles.
Act II Cont.
Le Bret's questions - gently
challenges Cyrano's purpose
This reveals the Cyrano's belief in
his right to be free.
Christian's attack - attacks
Cyrano's most vulnerable point: his
appearance
 Reveals Cyrano's lack of selfinterest. He even offers his gift of
words to Christian.
Act II Cont.
Christian's
attack - attacks
Cyrano's most vulnerable point:
his appearance
 This reveals Cyrano's lack of
self-interest. He even offers his
gift of words to Christian to help
him win Roxane.
Summary of Tests in Act II:
Cyrano is challenged by…
1. His love: Roxane
(purity of love vs. despair)
2. His enemy: De Guiche
(principles vs. compromise)
3. His friend: Le Bret
(purpose vs. defeat)
4. His rival: Christian
(pride vs. vanity)
Act III
 When: a few weeks later
 Where: Roxane’s garden outside
her house
 Plot: character analysis and
development
Christian: desires to speak for
himself
Roxane: begins to be
dissatisfied with her ideal man;
outwits De Guiche
Act III
Vs.
De Guiche
Cyrano
self-serving
 others-serving
self-indulgent  self-sacrificial
Dishonorable
 Honorable
debauched
 truly loving
Act III Cont.
Proofs of Cyrano’s true love
that “seeketh not his own”:
1. wins Roxane for Christian
2. delays De Guiche while Roxane
and Christian are married
3. promises that Christian will write
everyday
Arras in Paris, France
Main Street in Arras
(left picture)
Act IV
 When: a few months later
 Where: Cadets’ post near Arras
 Plot:
a. De Guiche: boastful and
vengeful
1.) Cadets: resent his
ostentation
2.) Carbon: will only obey
military orders
Act IV Cont.
3.) Christian: married Roxane
4.) Cyrano: kept him from
Roxane, makes him look foolish
b. Roxane
1.) personal development:
shows courage, self knowledge,
and mature love
Act IV Cont.
2.) development of her
love: began in the balcony
scene, developed through
letters, matures by loving
Christian’s (Cyrano’s) soul
c. Christian:
1.) weakness: good, but
average; wants to be loved for
who he is
Act IV Cont.
2.) strength: nobility of
character; willing to give up
Roxane; insists Cyrano tell her
the truth
d. Cyrano
Encouraging
Faithful in love
Faithful in friendship:
won’t tell Roxane after
Christian dies
Act IV Cont.
1.) wouldn’t be noble:
appreciates Christian as a
comrade; Christian can’t
verify.
2.) wouldn’t be consistent with
his nature: shows his great
love, deep commitment, and
unyielding adherence to what
he believes is noble and true.
Act V
 When: 1655 (15 years later)
 Where: a convent in Paris
 Characters:
a. Roxane: mourns for Christian
b. De Guiche
visits Roxane
has wealth, prestige, power
regrets his self-centered life
Act V Cont.
c. Le Bret: admires, supports,
defends, wants the best for
Cyrano, but still doesn’t
completely understand him
d. Ragueneau: shiftless but
loyal to Cyrano
Moliere
(playwright)
Act V Cont.
e. Cyrano
continues to attack hypocrites
still feared, but getting old and
poor
in death, still fighting falsehood,
prejudice, compromise,
cowardice, and vanity
Cyrano’s panache = his
noble character
Act V: Cyrano Life Lessons
1.Try to be the best even if you
might not reach every goal.
2. Some things should never be
surrendered.
3. You must fight for some things
whether you win or not.
4. Someone must defend the truth
even if no one else does.
5. Freedom is more important than
wealth or popularity.
Cyrano de Bergerac