Saint Joan · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw.

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Chapter 1
Preface to Saint Joan
Bernard Shaw provides a historical and philosophical preface to his play, discussing Joan of Arc's significance, the nature of her heresy trial, and the evolution of historical interpretation. He argues that Joan was a pioneering figure who challenged institutional authority and was ultimately martyred not for her voices but for her political and military actions, which threatened the established order of church and state.
Chapter 2
Joan the Original and Presumptuous
This chapter introduces Joan of Arc as a paradoxical figure: a pious Catholic who was also a proto-Protestant martyr, an early nationalist, a military innovator, and a woman who defied gender norms by dressing and fighting as a man. It highlights her extraordinary self-confidence and presumption, which led to her execution for heresy and witchcraft, and frames her as a disruptive force against established authority.
Chapter 3
Joan and Socrates
This chapter compares Joan of Arc and Socrates, highlighting how their intellectual and moral superiority provoked fury and hatred from those they exposed as foolish. Both figures were naive about the resentment they caused, leading to their downfalls.
Chapter 4
Contrast with Napoleon
This chapter contrasts Joan of Arc with Socrates and Napoleon, highlighting how Joan's impetuous action and saintly innocence led to her destruction, while Napoleon's calculated ambition allowed him to die in his bed. It explores the paradox that saints like Joan, Christ, and Socrates are destroyed by fear of their superior benevolence, whereas conquerors and official scoundrels often escape martyrdom.
Chapter 5
Was Joan Innocent or Guilty?
This chapter examines the historical and moral ambiguity surrounding Joan of Arc's trial and execution, arguing that her contemporaries judged her fairly by the standards of their time, while later rehabilitations and canonizations reflect shifting political and cultural biases. Shaw critiques both the libel of Joan by Jingo patriotism and the whitewashing of her judges by Protestant polemics, insisting that Joan was a genius and a saint, not a melodramatic heroine, and that understanding her requires transcending modern prejudices.

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Preface to Saint Joan

Joan the Original and Presumptuous

Joan and Socrates

Contrast with Napoleon

Was Joan Innocent or Guilty?