Saint Joan · Character

Dunois

The Bastard of Orleans, a good-natured, battle-tested commander who becomes Joan's most reliable ally in the field.

supporting

Also known as Jack, Jack Dunois, the brave Dunois, the handsome Dunois, Seigneur, the Seigneur Dunois, Dunois Smiling, Dunois The English

First appearance: scene i

As a supporting figure in Saint Joan, Dunois is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mentioned as the commander at Orleans whom Joan sought to relieve.

In the storyJoan's Manliness and MilitarismOpen this moment free

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Dunois knows war and knows the court's cowardice, so he recognizes Joan's military instinct faster than the politicians do. He fights beside her at Orleans and Rheims, loyal without being blind, and his easy competence…

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The fuller portrait of Dunois sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Dunois in scene i

Character Web

20 connections

A slice of how Dunois sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Professional
Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Joan's Adversaries and Judges
Protagonist

+15 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This passage is the dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak where Shaw directly…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Joan of Arc
friendship · positive
Dunois, the Bastard of Orleans, becomes Joan's loyal military ally and one of her few… How this plays out →
King Charles VII
professional · ambivalent
Peter Cauchon
rivalry · negative
Joan of Arc
friendship · positive
Dunois, the Bastard of Orleans, becomes Joan's loyal military ally and one of her few… How this plays out →

Joan of Arc
Dunois, the Bastard of Orleans, becomes Joan's loyal military ally and one of her few genuine friends.
King Charles VII
Dunois serves as a loyal but frustrated military commander under the indecisive King Charles VII.
Peter Cauchon
Dunois despises Cauchon as a traitorous French bishop who sides with the English against Joan.
Joan of Arc
Dunois, the Bastard of Orleans, becomes Joan's loyal military ally and one of her few genuine friends.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Dunois in scene i

In the story

Dunois appears across 7 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Joan's Manliness and Militarism
Mentioned as the commander at Orleans whom Joan sought to relieve.
Joan Summed Up
Mentioned as Joan's commander who sounded the retreat at Orleans before her final triumph.
The Maid in Literature
Referenced as 'the brave Dunois' in Voltaire's poem, and later in Anatole France's Life of Joan, where France attributes Joan's military success to Dunois's adroit use of her as a mascotte.
Unbroken Success Essential in Theocracy
Mentioned as the Bastard of Orleans, part of the chain Joan needed to forge but could not.
The Stage Limits of Historical Representation
Shaw notes he has merged Dunois with the Duc d'Alençon into a single character for the play.
The Inevitable Flatteries of Tragedy
Mentioned as being falsified in melodramas as a lover, whereas the play aims for a truer portrayal.
Saint Joan
A military commander who supports Joan's campaign.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Dunois unlock in the free preview.

See Dunois in scene i

See Dunois in Joan's Manliness and Militarism