Cyrano de Bergerac

A few entries ago I wrote of how many public relations professionals prefer not being in the spotlight, but rather working behind the scenes to ensure attention is directed toward others. Personally, I do not begrudge those who do seek attention or wish to make known their identities and perspectives in a public way. In many ways I envy their drive. Examples of such people are politicians and artists. Politicians, at least in part, are driven by a belief in what they say and support and desire to elicit others to join in their cause. Artists, too, have a deep-rooted need to express themselves in the public arena. As we know, some from both fields are more successful than others. Some are genuinely more gifted than others.

Regardless of the gift each possesses, however, they do need others to help them achieve their desire to be heard and/or seen. This brings me to one of the great plays of all time, "Cyrano de Bergerac" by Edmond Rostand. Written in 1897, it tells the story of man who is as greatly gifted with a sword as he is with words. He falls in love with a beautiful woman, yet holds back from attempting to woo her because of his unattractive appearance. Instead, he becomes the voice of a handsome man who is not gifted with words yet who, too, is attracted to the woman. Because of this other man's good looks, she is drawn to him. With Cyrano as his "voice," the man successfully wins the hand of the woman, who is as captivated by what she believes to be his gift with words as she is his appearance.

Cyrano is, of course, a tragic figure. Looking at the coupling that he helped orchestrate, with sadness and irony Cyrano says, "My greatest victories were under an assumed name." It is this quote as much as any other that captures the essence of many public relations professionals, including press agents and speech writers. These behind-the-scenes types do what they do with little regard for public recognition or notoriety. They stand in the shadows as did Cyrano and help guide those desiring the spotlight to be worthy of the attention they seek. I do not see them as tragic figures in the mold of Cyrano. Rather, they are persons with their own unique drive that propels them to seek fulfillment outside the spotlight.