Final answer:
The theater scene before Cyrano's arrival showcases the superficial values of polite society, reflecting the period's emphasis on appearance over genuine virtue. It sets the stage for later developments in the play that will contrast with these shallow values.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scene at the theater before Cyrano arrives is designed to depict the shallow values of polite society during the period. The spectators' behavior, the social hierarchies observed, and the interactions between characters, all serve to reveal a society more concerned with appearance and reputation than with substantive values or moral integrity. This scene sets the stage by highlighting the superficiality of the social milieu in which the characters operate.
Theater, historically, has served as a mirror to society, reflecting not only cultural norms but also societal changes and philosophies. From the plays of ancient Greece, which challenged established traditions and beliefs, to the Elizabethan theater that catered to both the intellectual and the commoner, drama has always been at the forefront of societal commentary. In the case of the play Cyrano de Bergerac and the scene in question, it manifests the initial representation of society's obsession with external beauty and wit, an obsession that the protagonist, Cyrano, considerably stands against with his own values and virtues.
Theater has always been a platform for individuals to connect through collective experiences and for playwrights to express ideas that could bridge cultural diversity or even spark social reform. In this particular context, the theater scene acts as a crucial exposé of the vanity and pretense prevalent in the period's polite society while foreshadowing the deeper, more complex narrative of individual integrity and inner beauty that will unfold with Cyrano's arrival.