Cyrano de Bergerac as a novelist

Abstract

The subject of this thesis is Savinien de Cyrano Bergerac's novel L'Autre Monde,under which title are reunited his Histoire des Estais et Empires de la Lune and his Histoire des Estats et Empires du Soleil. This is the first full-length study of this novel,of its inspiration and themes -whether religious or philosophical - of its sources and possible influence on later works. The style of the novel is also studied,as well as the aesthetics it reveals. An examination of its structure shows the emergence of a pattern which will supply a frame for the fantastic voyages and the philosophical tales of the following century. Although Cyrano has been the object of many commentaries, none of these have been devoted to L'Autre Monde alone,and the existence of a persistent prejudice makes the need of an unbiassed study all the more felt.The conditions of secrecy obtaining in Cyrano's time because of the danger attached to heterodox opinions makes the determination of Cyrano's beliefs particularly difficult; but there are indices which point to the correct interpretation of the utterances of the various characters of his novels. The name Cyrano refers in this study now to the author, now to the character (who is called Dyrcona in the second part only); care has been taken to avoid ambiguity.