Voyages to the Moon and the Sun by Cyrano de Bergerac
"Voyages to the Moon and the Sun" by Cyrano de Bergerac is a philosophical fantasy written in the mid-17th century. The book is structured around witty explorations of science, philosophy, and satirical critiques of society through the lens of imaginative voyages. The narrative begins with a group of friends who, inspired by the beauty of the moon, engage in a dialogue about its nature, leading the main character, Cyrano, to entertain the
idea that the moon is a world unto itself. The opening of the work introduces readers to Cyrano and a whimsical discussion among his friends that sets the stage for fantastical adventures. The protagonist, energized by the profound conversation, develops a bold ambition to travel to the moon, underscoring his conviction that it is a world similar to Earth. As the story unfolds, he reflects on philosophical ideas and considers the possibility of venturing into the cosmos, which is sparked by his encounter with a book containing a tale of lunar inhabitants. Through a series of amusing experiments, including using bottles filled with dew to achieve flight, Cyrano prepares for his ambitious voyage, blending humor and introspection in a narrative that invites readers into a fantastical realm of possibilities and inquiries about the universe. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Introduction: The legend of Cyrano. The life of Cyrano. Cyrano's friends. The libertin question. The works of Cyrano -- Voyage to the moon -- Voyage to the sun -- Appendices: Extracts from Godwin, D'Urfey, and Swift. Bibliography. Genealogy. Coat of arms.
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)
Reading Level
Reading ease score: 65.5 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
