The character of Cyrano de Bergerac is based on a real person, Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac (1619 – 1655), who was a novelist, playwright, and soldier living during the time in which the play is set. While Edmond Rostand based his character on the real Cyrano, the events and the storyline of the play are mainly fictional, as is Cyrano's extremely large nose.