Cyrano De Bergerac

Cyrano De Bergerac

by

Edmond Rostand

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Cyrano makes teaching easy.

Magdalene Robin / Roxane Character Analysis

Roxane is the beautiful, charismatic, and witty cousin of Cyrano de Bergerac. She’s known Cyrano since they were both children, and trusts him completely, though she isn’t aware that he’s in love with her. Early on, Roxane falls in love with a man whom she believes to be Baron Christian de Neuvillette, though in actuality the “man” is a combination of Christian’s face and Cyrano’s words. Roxane must also fend off the advances of the Count de Guiche, who desires her almost as much as Christian and Cyrano do. Roxane is much more than a mere “love interest,” however, and throughout the play she demonstrates her considerable wit—a wit matched only by Cyrano. Roxane’s other virtues include her constancy, as after Christian’s tragic death she mourns him for 15 years, confirming her love for “Christian,” an eloquent, handsome man who quite literally doesn’t exist.

Magdalene Robin / Roxane Quotes in Cyrano De Bergerac

The Cyrano De Bergerac quotes below are all either spoken by Magdalene Robin / Roxane or refer to Magdalene Robin / Roxane. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
).
Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes

LIGNIERE (tasting his rivesalte in sips):
Magdalene Robin--Roxane, so called! A subtle wit--a precieuse.

CHRISTIAN:
Woe is me!

Related Characters: Baron Christian de Neuvillette (speaker), Ligniere (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 29
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2, Scene 6 Quotes

ROXANE:
Then you will be his friend?

CYRANO:
I swear!

ROXANE:
And he shall fight no duels, promise!

CYRANO:
None.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 97
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 1 Quotes

ROXANE:
You would vex a saint!. . . But 'tis your jealousy.

CYRANO (starting):
What mean you?

ROXANE:
Ay, your poet's jealousy!

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 130
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 4 Quotes

CHRISTIAN:
And how know you I cannot speak?--
I am not such a fool when all is said!
I've by your lessons profited. You'll see
I shall know how to speak alone! The devil!
I know at least to clasp her in my arms!
(Seeing Roxane come out from Clomire's house):
--It is she! Cyrano, no!--Leave me not!

Related Characters: Baron Christian de Neuvillette (speaker), Cyrano de Bergerac, Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 6 Quotes

CYRANO:
Ay, it is sweet! Half hidden,--half revealed--
You see the dark folds of my shrouding cloak,
And I, the glimmering whiteness of your dress:
I but a shadow--you a radiance fair!
Know you what such a moment holds for me?
If ever I were eloquent. . .

ROXANE:
You were!

CYRANO:
Yet never till to-night my speech has sprung
Straight from my heart as now it springs.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 148
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 12 Quotes

ROXANE:
That he shall be faithful!

CYRANO:
Doubtless, but. . .

ROXANE:
That he will write oft?

CYRANO (pausing):
That, I promise you!

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 172
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 1 Quotes

LE BRET:
To think you risk a life so precious. . . for the sake of a letter. . . Thankless one.
(Seeing him turning to enter the tent):
Where are you going?

CYRANO:
I am going to write another.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Le Bret (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 176
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 10 Quotes

CYRANO (in despair. to Roxane):
He's gone! 'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees
Importance in a trifle!

ROXANE (warmly):
Did he doubt
Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!

CYRANO (taking her hand):
But are you sure you told him all the truth?

ROXANE:
Yes, I would love him were he. . .

(She hesitates.)

CYRANO:
Does that word
Embarrass you before my face, Roxane?

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 215
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 5 Quotes

ROXANE:
Ah!
Things dead, long dead, see! how they rise again!
--Why, why keep silence all these fourteen years,
When, on this letter, which he never wrote,
The tears were your tears?

CYRANO (holding out the letter to her):
The bloodstains were his.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 243
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 6 Quotes

CYRANO:
That night when 'neath your window Christian spoke
--Under your balcony, you remember? Well!
There was the allegory of my whole life:
I, in the shadow, at the ladder's foot,
While others lightly mount to Love and Fame!
Just! very just!

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette, Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 246
Explanation and Analysis:

CYRANO:
Despite you there is yet one thing
I hold against you all, and when, to-night,
I enter Christ's fair courts, and, lowly bowed,
Sweep with doffed casque the heavens' threshold blue,
One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch,
I bear away despite you.

ROXANE (bending and kissing his forehead):
'Tis?. . .

CYRANO (opening his eyes, recognizing her, and smiling):
My panache.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker)
Page Number: 250
Explanation and Analysis:
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Magdalene Robin / Roxane Quotes in Cyrano De Bergerac

The Cyrano De Bergerac quotes below are all either spoken by Magdalene Robin / Roxane or refer to Magdalene Robin / Roxane. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Appearances and Identity Theme Icon
).
Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes

LIGNIERE (tasting his rivesalte in sips):
Magdalene Robin--Roxane, so called! A subtle wit--a precieuse.

CHRISTIAN:
Woe is me!

Related Characters: Baron Christian de Neuvillette (speaker), Ligniere (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 29
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2, Scene 6 Quotes

ROXANE:
Then you will be his friend?

CYRANO:
I swear!

ROXANE:
And he shall fight no duels, promise!

CYRANO:
None.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 97
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 1 Quotes

ROXANE:
You would vex a saint!. . . But 'tis your jealousy.

CYRANO (starting):
What mean you?

ROXANE:
Ay, your poet's jealousy!

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 130
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 4 Quotes

CHRISTIAN:
And how know you I cannot speak?--
I am not such a fool when all is said!
I've by your lessons profited. You'll see
I shall know how to speak alone! The devil!
I know at least to clasp her in my arms!
(Seeing Roxane come out from Clomire's house):
--It is she! Cyrano, no!--Leave me not!

Related Characters: Baron Christian de Neuvillette (speaker), Cyrano de Bergerac, Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 6 Quotes

CYRANO:
Ay, it is sweet! Half hidden,--half revealed--
You see the dark folds of my shrouding cloak,
And I, the glimmering whiteness of your dress:
I but a shadow--you a radiance fair!
Know you what such a moment holds for me?
If ever I were eloquent. . .

ROXANE:
You were!

CYRANO:
Yet never till to-night my speech has sprung
Straight from my heart as now it springs.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 148
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 12 Quotes

ROXANE:
That he shall be faithful!

CYRANO:
Doubtless, but. . .

ROXANE:
That he will write oft?

CYRANO (pausing):
That, I promise you!

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 172
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 1 Quotes

LE BRET:
To think you risk a life so precious. . . for the sake of a letter. . . Thankless one.
(Seeing him turning to enter the tent):
Where are you going?

CYRANO:
I am going to write another.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Le Bret (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 176
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 10 Quotes

CYRANO (in despair. to Roxane):
He's gone! 'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees
Importance in a trifle!

ROXANE (warmly):
Did he doubt
Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!

CYRANO (taking her hand):
But are you sure you told him all the truth?

ROXANE:
Yes, I would love him were he. . .

(She hesitates.)

CYRANO:
Does that word
Embarrass you before my face, Roxane?

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 215
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 5 Quotes

ROXANE:
Ah!
Things dead, long dead, see! how they rise again!
--Why, why keep silence all these fourteen years,
When, on this letter, which he never wrote,
The tears were your tears?

CYRANO (holding out the letter to her):
The bloodstains were his.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette
Page Number: 243
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 6 Quotes

CYRANO:
That night when 'neath your window Christian spoke
--Under your balcony, you remember? Well!
There was the allegory of my whole life:
I, in the shadow, at the ladder's foot,
While others lightly mount to Love and Fame!
Just! very just!

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Baron Christian de Neuvillette, Magdalene Robin / Roxane
Page Number: 246
Explanation and Analysis:

CYRANO:
Despite you there is yet one thing
I hold against you all, and when, to-night,
I enter Christ's fair courts, and, lowly bowed,
Sweep with doffed casque the heavens' threshold blue,
One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch,
I bear away despite you.

ROXANE (bending and kissing his forehead):
'Tis?. . .

CYRANO (opening his eyes, recognizing her, and smiling):
My panache.

Related Characters: Cyrano de Bergerac (speaker), Magdalene Robin / Roxane (speaker)
Page Number: 250
Explanation and Analysis: