Saint Joan · Character

Peter Cauchon

The Bishop of Beauvais, a churchman of genuine conviction who sees in Joan's private revelations a threat to the whole Christian order.

major

Also known as Cauchon, the real Cauchon, Archbishop, The Archbishop, The Archbishop Peter Cauchon, Pious Peter, Cauchon Sternly, Cauchon Hopefully, Cauchon Impossible, Cauchon Rising, Cauchon Brother Martin, Cauchon Messire John de Stogumber, Cauchon Fiercely, Cauchon Glass-dell, Cauchon Wretch, Cauchon Flaming, Cauchon Woman, Cauchon Amen, Cauchon Relaxing, Cauchon These English

First appearance: scene iv

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

Bishop of Beauvais who presided over Joan's trial; Shaw examines his motives and the legal process.

In the storyPreface to Saint JoanOpen this moment free

See Peter Cauchon in Preface to Saint Joan Book page

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Cauchon is no cartoon villain: he believes the Church's authority over souls must be defended, and Joan's claim to direct divine instruction strikes at its foundation. He presides over her trial as a man doing what he thinks is right, which makes him more frightening than any scoundrel. His collision with Joan forces the play to ask whether institutional order and individual inspiration can ever coexist.

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

See Peter Cauchon in scene iv

Character Web

29 connections

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

Relationship types

Rivalry
Professional

Character groups

Joan's Adversaries and Judges
Protagonist

+24 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…

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Relationships

Joan of Arc
rivalry · negative
Cauchon, as a church authority, prosecutes Joan for heresy in a trial that pits her faith… How this plays out →
King Charles VII
rivalry · negative
Warwick
professional · negative
The Inquisitor
professional · negative
Dunois
rivalry · negative
Joan of Arc
rivalry · negative
Cauchon, as a church authority, prosecutes Joan for heresy in a trial that pits her faith… How this plays out →

Joan of Arc
Cauchon, as a church authority, prosecutes Joan for heresy in a trial that pits her faith against institutional power.
King Charles VII
Charles VII and Cauchon are political enemies, as Cauchon supports the English claim to the French throne.
Warwick
Cauchon and Warwick collaborate politically to ensure Joan's condemnation, though Cauchon claims ecclesiastical motives.
The Inquisitor
Cauchon and the Inquisitor work together in Joan's trial, representing church and inquisitional authority.
Dunois
Dunois despises Cauchon as a traitorous French bishop who sides with the English against Joan.
Joan of Arc
Cauchon, as a church authority, prosecutes Joan for heresy in a trial that pits her faith against institutional power.

Relationship notes

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

See Peter Cauchon in scene iv

In the story

Peter Cauchon appears across 13 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Preface to Saint Joan
Bishop of Beauvais who presided over Joan's trial; Shaw examines his motives and the legal process.
Was Joan Innocent or Guilty?
One of Joan's judges, whose actions are often unfairly maligned by later sectarian narratives.
Protestant Misunderstandings of the Middle Ages
Bishop of Beauvais, judge at Joan's trial, misrepresented as a scoundrel by Protestant writers.
Comparative Fairness of Joan’s Trial
Threatened and insulted by the English for being too considerate to Joan.
Joan Not Tried as a Political Offender
Cauchon is mentioned as the bishop who presided over Joan's trial, later vilified and his body thrown into a sewer after the rehabilitation.
The Church Uncompromised by Its Amends
Mentioned as a conscientious priest and lawyer, more self-disciplined than any English judge in a political case.
Variability of Toleration
Mentioned as a trained ecclesiastic whose scruples would seem ridiculous to a modern judge.
The Conflict Between Genius and Discipline
Referenced as the archbishop who was among those Joan ordered about, highlighting the inversion of ecclesiastical authority.
Modern Distortions of Joan’s History
Portrayed in the melodramatic legend as the wicked bishop, a distortion Shaw critiques.
A Void in the Elizabethan Drama
Mentioned as a figure who would be misrepresented by Shakespeare as a tyrant and bully rather than a Catholic.
Tragedy Not Melodrama
Portrayed not as a rascally bishop but as a capable and eloquent exponent of The Church Militant, avoiding the melodramatic villain trope.
The Inevitable Flatteries of Tragedy
Shaw notes that the real Cauchon was not a scoundrel, but the play flatters him by making him more conscious of his role as a representative of the Church.
Saint Joan
The bishop who presides over Joan's trial.

Chapter companion notes

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

See Peter Cauchon in scene iv

See Peter Cauchon in Preface to Saint Joan