Cyrano de Bergerac

Cyano's nose -- gift or curse?

Is Cyano's nose a gift or a curse? Cite examples from the novel to support your opinion.

I'm having trouble choosing a side here. His big nose helps make him the man of substance that he is -- master swordsman, musician, intellectual, poet, etc (gifts) but also cripples him (makes him incredibly insecure - curse). I can think of two examples where it is a gift -- Roxanne chooses Cyrano's substance over Christian's looks twice. Once right before Christian dies and again at the end of the novel. Am I overlooking any other specific instances in the play where his nose is a gift?

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Last updated by Aslan
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His shame over his large nose is crucial to his psychology, causing him to doubt parts of his identity and seek to obfuscate them. True identities are eventually revealed, but at a tremendous emotional cost. Cyrano’s sees his nose as a barrier to winning his dream girl Roxane. At the same time Cyrano sees identity in his nose: he thinks his nose gives him character.

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