When authors refer to other great works, people, and events, it’s usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Literature, Philosophy, and Mythology References
- Piere Corneille: Le Cid (I.30)
- Piere Corneille (I.59)
- Christopher Marlowe: Tambourlaine (I.128); The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (I.399)
- William Shakespeare: Julius Caesar (I.245, I,246); Antony and Cleopatra (I.594)
- The Bible: Samson (I.250); Acts of the Apostles (I.274); Lucifer (I.666); Psalm 84 "O Lord of Hosts" (II.84); St. Mark’s Gospel,"Render no share to Caesar" (II.529); I Corinthians "Love seeketh not his own" (III.319); Lazarus (III.399)
- La Chanson de Roland (I.389-390)
- Launcelot (I.461)
- Spartacus (I.462)
- Alexander Dumas: The Three Musketeers (I.491, I.153, II.477)
- Silenus (I.533)
- Venus (I.559)
- Diana (I.560)
- Dante Alighieri: The Divine Comedy (I.595, I.596)
- Orpheus and the The Bacchantes (II.30)
- Jean de La Fontaine: "The Ant and the Locust" (II.34-37)
- Ulysses (II.44)
- Penelope (II.44)
- Phyllis (II.47)
- Phoebus Apollo (II.85)
- Cupid (II.86)
- Miguel de Cervantes: Don Quixote (II.461)
- Mammon (II.491)
- Chloris (II.684)
- Mars (III.9)
- Hercules (III.223)
- Achilles (IV.39)
- Cinderella (IV.240-242)
- Beauty and the Beast (V.310-312)
- Adonis (IV.331)
- Helen (IV.421)
- Molière: Les Fourberies de Scapin (V.288-294)
Historical References
- The Hotel de Bourgogne (I.stage directions)
- Routrou (I.18)
- Balthasar Baro (I.28)
- The Academy (I.60)
- Maecenas, a Roman patron of the arts (I.94)
- Montfleury, a French stage actor (I.109)
- Philippe de Champagne (I.122)
- Callot (I.123)
- Cardinal Richelieu (I. 208)
- Commedia dell’arte (I.130, I.654, I.655, I.656)
- Porte de Nesle (I.194)
- Duc du Candale: a solider and patron of the arts (I.307)
- Aristophanes (I.380)
- Malherbe (II.17)
- Benserade (II.248)
- Saint-Amant (II.252)
- Chapelain (II.252)
- The The Comedie (II.307)
- D’Urfe (II.320)
- Theophraste Renaudot: editor of the Gazette (II.377)
- King Henry of Navarre (II.611, IV.155-157)
- Marias (III.stage directions)
- Gassendi, Cyrano’s teacher (III.21)
- D’Assoucy (III.26)
- Capuchins (III.121)
- Voiture (III.286)
- Queen Anne of Austria (III.388)
- Regiomontanus: German astronomer and mathematician (III.515)
- Archytas: a Greek philosopher and scientist (III.516)
- Siege of Arras, 1640 (IV.stage directions)
- Descartes (IV.124)
- King Louis XIV (V.196)
- Socrates (V.332)
- Galileo (V.332)
- Copernicus (V.340)