Rostand, Edmond (1868-1918) - French poet and playwright who first published
a volume of poetry but gained fame as a writer of entertaining poetic plays.
Cyrano de Bergerac (1897) - One of the most popular plays of the modern
French theater. This tragicomedy is based upon the life of the free-thinking
seventeenth century author Cyrano de Bergerac who was equally well-known for
his great skill in duels and for his inordinately long nose. Rostand
gained immediate fame for his compassionate portrayal of this poet-lover.
