Cyrano de Bergerac

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Consider the quote, “Beauty is in the mind of the beholder.” Explain the meaning of this phrase. Extend your thinking to various aspects of contemporary society which includes (but is not limited to) social and cultural areas as well as entertainment.

Teaching Suggestion: This question will lead into the theme The Nature of Beauty and The Mind. It may help to analyze the quote itself as a whole group; for example, students might identify and define “beauty,” “mind,” and “beholder” to create a common class understanding. From there, students can individually extend their thinking and apply the quote to various aspects of the modern world. Consider providing a list for students to refer to, such as museums, films, politics, authority figures, etc.

• The Met Collection provides a large inventory of artistic pieces. In connection with the theme The Nature of Beauty and the Mind, students might record their opinions about various artifacts in a journal or reading log. You might also consider showing various images and having students write their personal opinions on each one prior to sharing to demonstrate the difference of each “beholder.