The first encounter I had with the Irish writer George Bernard Shaw was through "Saint Joan" or as it is translated in Arabic "Joan of Arc". The play takes us to the Middle Ages in France, where France is under the yoke of English occupation. Amid the weakness of the army and its negligence, in the midst of a weak monarchy that finds no money to spend on a celebration to promote its many debts to the courtiers and the clergy. In the chaos, that simple, country girl of nineteen years old appears, dressed in soldiers' clothes, to turn things upside down. With her bravery, eloquence, strong statement and claim that she is sent by God and His messenger on earth, the English taste defeat again and again. She leads the French army to victory after victory, culminating in the coronation of Charles as king of France, which angers the English and makes them plot against her at any cost. Then the French clergy abandons her because of hatred and other reasons and because she reveals their weakness and cowardice. "Do you think that ignorant men of your country love you because you uncovered their shortcomings? Do they love old, failed war generals, successful war generals, who left the army where they were? Do they love old, hopeful politicians, new politicians, whose souls are in their first place in parliament as their souls are?"

And Bernard Shaw makes Joan say when everyone abandons her because of hatred: "You have no wisdom in you, nor any counsel. Yes, I am alone in this world, and I have always been alone. I left my father to pity my country. I asked my brothers to drown me in the sea if I did not obey, so I feared their booty. Between France shedding its blood on the ground in vain, and it does not matter if it sheds its blood. If a lie lives, it is good. And I thought that I saw pure victories for my country in the halls of its king, but I found only deserters fighting over pieces of a torn homeland. And I thought that God had friends everywhere, because God loves every human being. And in my naivety, I thought that I would find you strong castles that would drive away harm from me, but when I find you, you strip me of my golden shoes. But now I have discovered your truth and I know it clearly... France is alone and my Lord is alone. So my aloneness is beside the aloneness of my people and the aloneness of God with me... Now I have learned that the aloneness of God is the secret of His strength."

And Joan is captured by the English. They put her on trial and unjustly accuse her falsely. Even among these accusations, the girl said that the revelation that is revealed to her is in the French language, and in the eyes of the English, this is a crime worthy of burning because the Bible is in Latin and the speech must always be in it. They condemn her to heresy and witchcraft: "We condemn you as a heretic apostate, as an outcast from the Church, as a body cut off, as a dwelling place of heresy, a tool of the devil, and a foul branch that must be uprooted from the tree of faith." They light a great fire for her and throw her into it. Joan of Arc died, but her memory did not die. She was given consideration after twenty-five years and was acquitted of all charges. The judgment of the court was cursed and their graves were desecrated and their ashes were scattered in the ditches. She was given consideration again after four centuries and was declared a saint, her innocence pure.

I read Saint Joan as a high school kid in 1964. I don't remember much about that reading, except that I never forgot these words that Shaw wrote for his Joan: “I cannot bear to be hurt.”

It always seemed to me that Jeanne d’Arc (c1412-1431) could be the symbol of an innocent, profoundly driven young woman who was victimized by events that made a sweep in history, yet had only personal inspiration for her.

Did “la pucelle d'Orléans” (The Maid of Orleans) see and hear the Archangel Michael, St. Margaret and St. Catherine? Who knows? Was Jeanne a religious nutcase who made confession every day and liked to play soldier? Who knows? But one thing is certain, she inspired great and not-so-great men to do mighty and courageous things in the service of their masters and for the glory of France.

Shaw’s lengthy Preface to his play is a calm dissection of the myths and reality of a noble and pitiable mover-and-shaker. She led French armies to victory but was burned at the stake for heresy and cross-dressing. In Saint Joan, Shaw has few kind words for the men who resisted, accepted, honored, used, betrayed, burned, and finally beatified a peasant girl from Domrémy-la-Pucelle in northeastern France.

The folks back home finally named the village for her in 1578. You could say it was the least they could do while they were waiting for the Catholic church to make her a saint in 1920.

Here's another take: Imagine that Joan of Arc had been John of Arc. I’m no fan of “what if” history, but I dare to say that John might have become a saint without the burned-at-the-stake part. Saint Joan is a play, so if stage directions are a distraction to you, you can just pretend that Shaw is whispering in your ear. Shaw’s 42-page preface is a historical treasure added to the literary treasure. He offers even more than you imagine about the life and context and historical significance of la pucelle de Domrémy. All of the men whose lives she crossed accepted Joan’s exceptionalism. Many believed her story about hearing voices from the saints and from God. Joan went to the fire without understanding that the kings and the generals wished that she had never been born.

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I really didn't know what to expect from this play. I had been doing some research on Joan of Arc, and my aunt mentioned that she had been in this play when she was at school, so I thought I'd give it a go! This play was first performed in 1923, three years after the Roman Catholic Church canonised her. It is based on what is known of her life and the records of her trial.

Apparently, this is one of Shaw's best known plays, although I'd never heard of it either. I didn't know whether I was meant to be taking it seriously or not, and the answer is both. The first scene is just hilarious. There's a whole thing about whether the hens are laying or not, and you really have to read or watch it to get the ridiculous humour.

Shaw's Joan is a powerful, direct woman who has the guts to stand up to the soldiers, members of the church, and the Englishmen. However, I don't feel she was a well-developed or rounded character. I suppose that's par for the course. She was strong mostly because the men around her were weak.

It's a fairly standard retelling of the Joan of Arc story until the Epilogue, which was my favourite part. It has Charles 'dreaming' of Joan, 25 years after she has been burned, and includes all the characters from earlier in the play, as well as a man from the 1920s announcing the canonisation of Joan. It's surreal, interesting, and has some really good lines. This is all Shaw - he's inserting himself into the play to talk about his own beliefs and views, which was a really good technique.

It's always hard reading plays - they need to be watched. My rating would probably be higher in the right context. Here are some of the great lines from the play:

"Don't think you can frighten me by telling me that I am alone. France is alone. God is alone. And the loneliness of God is His strength."

"We want a few mad people now. See where the sane ones have landed us!"

"A Frenchman! Where did you pick up that expression? Are these Burgundians and Bretons and Picards and Gascons beginning to call themselves Frenchmen, just as our fellows are beginning to call themselves Englishmen? They actually talk of France and England as their countries. Theirs, if you please! What is to become of me and you if that way of thinking comes into fashion?"

"Thou wanton: dost thou dare call me noodle?"

It's truly hard to fathom someone being burned at the stake for the supposed practice of witchcraft.

This is precisely the story of Joan (1412 - 1431), a headstrong country girl with a warrior's heart. She claimed to have heard the voice of God and, inspired by this, led France to victory over the English.

Saint Joan is a play that is beautifully written. G.B.Shaw, with great skill, manages to intersperse humor within what is otherwise a very grim and tragic story.

It is a truly engaging and thought-provoking read. The way Shaw presents Joan's character and the events surrounding her life makes it a captivating experience for the reader. One cannot help but be drawn into the world of Joan and feel a range of emotions as the story unfolds. It is a play that not only entertains but also makes one reflect on the power of faith, the consequences of following one's beliefs, and the often harsh and unjust nature of society.

Good read indeed!

This was one of the filler books I had selected during the 'Lock The Box' event. (Yeah, I still haven't completed the entire lot. Sigh!) Due to the smaller font, narrower-than-usual line width, and medieval English, I couldn't muster enough interest to continue after just a few pages when I initially picked up this book several months ago. However, this time around, I decided to pick it up with the intention of finishing it.

If you can make it past the first 47 pages where the author has meticulously analyzed the inquisition of Joan of Arc, her irrational portrayal throughout historical literature, and provided the context for the play that follows, the remainder of the book is a relatively smoother read. The beginning of the preface succinctly and perfectly explains the subject -

"Joan of Arc, a village girl from the Vosges, was born around 1412; burned for heresy, witchcraft, and sorcery in 1431; rehabilitated to some extent in 1456; designated Venerable in 1904; declared Blessed in 1908; and finally canonized in 1920."

It is a literary and sophisticated book that demands the reader to persevere through the text, setting aside one's judgment and attempting to understand the events by imagining oneself in that time period. Medieval history has always held a great deal of intrigue for me. Reading this book offered me a window through which I could catch a glimpse of some of the significant events that shaped the religious and political structure of Europe during the renaissance period.

Unashamedly anachronistic, this piece is as much about Ireland as it is about France.

It seems to transport us to a bygone era, where the boundaries between the two countries blur.

The anachronistic elements add a touch of mystery and charm, making it a unique exploration of both cultures.

Perhaps it is through this anachronism that we can gain a deeper understanding of the shared history and influences between Ireland and France.

It could be that the author is using this device to challenge our modern-day perspectives and make us look at these two nations in a new light.

Whatever the intention, this unashamedly anachronistic piece offers a fascinating glimpse into the intertwined stories of Ireland and France.

There's good Shaw, then there's bad Shaw. I would firmly place Saint Joan in the good category.

This play offers a great deal to savor. Although I have yet to encounter anything by Shaw that can astonish me to the same extent as Pygmalion, Saint Joan has its own allure.

It is a retelling of the story of Joan of Arc and her followers, which serves as a rather excellent foundation for a play.

What I like most about this play is undoubtedly Joan herself.

Popularly regarded as a saint and a heroine, here Joan is presented as haughty, self-righteous, and overly confident in her abilities and "God-given" convictions.

This provides a completely novel perspective on the historical figure, which I find both humorous and effective.

After all, isn't Joan of Arc often romanticized in history classes? And isn't she someone who is difficult to truly judge as a character due to a lack of comprehensive information?

Shaw does an outstanding job of crafting a fully-fledged character out of someone that people only vaguely know of, and he does a remarkable job of highlighting her flaws, making it challenging to take a one-sided stance.

Other than that, I don't believe there was that much else that was quite as impactful or memorable. However, I truly enjoyed this play and will likely reread it in the future if I find myself with nothing else to read.

I first heard St. Joan performed on Chicago's WFMT as a radio play when I was a little boy.

To be specific, it was my parents who listened to it, and they permitted me to stay up for the entire thing. The production even included the voices that she claimed to have heard. I myself had had auditions in feverish states, and the portrayal was fascinatingly reminiscent of those experiences.

Throughout the whole time, a spider was building her web on the lamp at my right hand. By the time the play reached its conclusion, the web was already finished and was catching moths.

I next read the play, rapidly, as a homework assignment for the required high school course in English literature. Now, with some European history already under my belt, I began to comprehend Shaw's purposes.

All of Shaw's plays have a high purpose. Among them, and I have read or seen quite a number, "Saint Joan" is the best - not the easiest, as that might be "Androcles and the Lion", but the best.

It is a work that combines historical depth, complex characters, and profound themes, making it a truly remarkable piece of literature.

Meh. I'm usually not into books/plays of this ilk.

It seems rather odd when a writer takes a real person and puts their own spin on that person and the events surrounding them.

I much prefer to read a straightforward biography.

For example, I have a strong inclination to read a biography of Joan of Arc.

Joan of Arc is such an interesting historical figure, and I'm sure a well-written biography would provide me with a more accurate and detailed understanding of her life and the significance of her actions.

By reading a biography, I can learn about the real events, the people she interacted with, and the challenges she faced.

It gives me a sense of authenticity and allows me to form my own opinions based on the facts.

So, instead of delving into a fictionalized account, I will likely choose to explore the life of Joan of Arc through a biography.

I am truly fascinated by Joan of Arc. Therefore, reading this play was an absolute no-brainer for me.

SAINT JOAN does not attempt to be a strictly biographical account. Instead, it devotes a significant amount of time to exploring the ways in which church leaders and politicians were scandalized by Joan and her remarkable accomplishments.

Shaw's writing is nothing short of brilliant, just as I have come to expect from him. The play effectively demonstrates how people are often much more inclined to venerate a dead saint rather than listen to a live one. It delves into the complex dynamics between power, religion, and the individual.

Joan's story is one of courage, determination, and ultimately, martyrdom. Through Shaw's masterful pen, we are able to witness the events that led to her downfall and the impact she had on those around her.

This play is not only a captivating exploration of Joan of Arc's life but also a thought-provoking commentary on human nature and the institutions that shape our world.

The Inquisition in Bernard's show is actually quite likeable.

He even mentions that those accused of heresy or witchcraft often remained alive when they were taken by qualified Dominicans rather than by their well-meaning neighbors (a true story).

However, we should not forget the darker aspects of the Inquisition.

It was a time of great fear and persecution, and many innocent people suffered.

We need to learn from history and ensure that such events never happen again.

We should also strive to understand the complex social and political context in which the Inquisition took place.

By doing so, we can gain a better appreciation of the role that religion and power played in shaping our world.

Finally, we should remember that history is not just a series of facts and figures, but a story that can teach us valuable lessons about ourselves and our society.

JOAN: Captain, I require a horse, armor, and some soldiers. You are to send me to the Dauphin. These are the orders from my Lord.

ROBERT: Orders from your lord! But who on earth is your lord?

JOAN: My Lord is the King of Heaven.

*

JOAN: Dauphin, I have been sent to you to drive the English out of Orleans and France, and to crown you king in the cathedral at Rheims.

*

JOAN: I will take those forts. Our men will follow me.

DUNOIS: Not a single man will follow you.

JOAN: I won't look back to see if anyone is following. I will lead, and your men will come.

*

THE CHAPLAIN: The Maid is full of deceit. She pretends to be devout. How can she be accused of heresy when she doesn't neglect any observance of a faithful daughter of The Church?

CAUCHON: The Pope himself, at his proudest, wouldn't dare to presume as this woman does. She acts as if she were The Church. She sends letters to the king of England giving him God's command through her, on pain of God's vengeance, which she will execute.

*

JOAN: I'm not worth one soldier's life if God lets me be beaten. But France may think me worth my ransom after what God has done for her through me.

THE ARCHBISHOP: Woman, they will drag you through the streets and burn you as a witch.

JOAN: But why? What I have done is according to God. They couldn't burn a woman for speaking the truth.

THE INQUISITOR: If the Church Militant tells you that your revelations and visions are sent by the devil to tempt you to your damnation, won't you believe that the Church is wiser than you?

JOAN: I believe that God is wiser than I, and it is His commands that I will do. If any Churchman says otherwise, I won't pay attention to him. I will only mind God, whose command I always follow.

*

LADVENU: My lord, here is the form of recantation for The Maid to sign.

CAUCHON: Read it to her.

JOAN: Don't bother. I will sign it.

LADVENU: I, Joan, commonly called The Maid, a miserable sinner, do confess that I have sinned grievously in the following ways. I pretended to have revelations from God, the angels, and the blessed saints, and perversely rejected the Church's warnings that these were temptations by demons. I blasphemed by wearing immodest dress. I also clipped my hair in the style of a man, took up the sword, even to the shedding of human blood, inciting men to slay each other, and stubbornly and most blasphemously imputed these sins to Almighty God. I confess to the sin of sedition, idolatry, disobedience, pride, and heresy.

THE INQUISITOR: You understand this, Joan?

JOAN: It's clear enough, sir.

*

THE INQUISITOR: We declare thee by this act set free from the danger of excommunication. But because thou has sinned presumptuously against God and the Holy Church, we condemn thee to end thy earthly days in perpetual imprisonment.

JOAN: Give me that writing. [Tears the paper into fragments] Light your fire. Do you think I dread it as much as the life of a rat in a hole? You promised me my life, but you lied. To shut me from the light of the sky, the sight of the fields and flowers, to chain my feet so I can never ride with the soldiers or climb the hills again, to make me breathe foul, damp darkness, and keep from me everything that brings me back to the love of God - all this is worse than the furnace in the Bible that was heated seven times.

I found this book at my aunt Joan's while clearing out her books for donation. I was curious about Saint Joan, not knowing it was the Bernard Shaw play about Joan of Arc. Since the book is only 159 pages (with 48 being an interesting but skippable preface), I decided to give it a try. Joan was born around 1412, burnt for heresy and witchcraft in 1431, cleared of her crimes in 1456, designated Venerable in 1904, declared Blessed in 1908, and finally canonized in 1920. Her story is amazing. This was a quick and lovely read. I included a condensed version of the play to give a sense of the writing. After reading other reviews on Goodreads, it seems the epilogue is loved by some and disliked by others (I loved it!). I'm now hoping to see this play performed somewhere. Next, I'm going to check out the movie The Messenger.