"Yes, all my laurels you have riven away
And all my roses; yet in spite of you,
There is one crown I bear away with me,
And to-night, when I enter before God,
My salute shall sweep all the stars away
From the blue threshold! One thing without stain,
Unspotted from the world, in spite of doom
Mine own!
And that is...
That is...
My white plume."
Cyrano's "white plume" is referenced several times throughout the film. I wondered why it was such a big deal, then assumed the white plume was a symbol of his bravado, his desire to be the center of attention, to be independent. Then I discovered this on Wikipedia:
Panache is a French word for which there is no English equivalent, but carries the connotation of reckless courage. The literal meaning of the word is a plume, such as is worn on a hat or a helmet, but the reference is to King Henri IV of France. Pleasure-loving and cynical, but a brave military leader, who is the best-loved of the kings of France, he was famed for wearing a striking white plume in his helmet, and for his war-cry "Follow me!" (literally "Join me where the white plume is" (Fr. "Ralliez-vous a mon panache blanc")).
The epitome of panache and the reason for its establishment as a virtue, is Rostand's depiction of Cyrano de Bergerac, in his play of that name. (Prior to Rostand, panache was not necessarily a good thing, and was seen by some as a suspect quality).
Panache is referred to explicitly at two points in the play, but is implicit throughout: For example, Cyrano's challenges to Montfleury, Valvert, and at one point, the whole audience, at the theatre (Act I) and his nonchalant surrender of a month's salary to pay for the damages; his duel with a hundred footpads at the Porte de Nesle, (Act II) and his dismissal of the exploit when talking to Roxanne ("I've been much braver since then"); his crossing the Spanish lines daily to deliver Roxanne's letters (Act IV); and his leaving his death-bed in order to keep his appointment with her in Act VI.
The explicit references bring in the double meaning: First, in Act IV, when sparring with De Guiche over the loss of his (de Guiche's) white sash: "I hardly think King Henry would have doffed his white panache in any danger"; and finally, Cyrano's last words: "... yet there is something still that will always be mine, and when I go to God's presence, there I'll doff it and sweep the heavenly pavement with a gesture -- something I'll take unstained out of this world ... my panache."
"Panache" is a fairly well-known word these days; do you think it was too unfamiliar in 1950 to use in the movie? Obviously something is lost by translating it to "white plume," namely the "reckless courage" meaning, or as my dictionary defines it, "dashing elegance of manner or style." It's a perfect word for Cyrano, I think, and it's rather a shame not to use it.
3 comments:
It's always tough translating a word with double meaning. If you only use the metaphorical definition, you lose the literal, which sometimes is the only thing that makes sense. That being said, this is an instance where perhaps the idiomatic definition would be more appropriate. In a written translation, I would expect the literal translation with a footnote describing the figurative.
And "panache" doesn't quite cut it -- there's more to it than just that. The whole story of Henri IV needs to be known to fully understand the word. That's why reading it with a footnote would be the best way to experience that phrase in English.
It's interesting that Cyrano made such a big deal about "wearing his adornments on his soul," and then he had his white plume.
Yes, but both were a sort "fuck you" to the world.
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