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Unit 23: Saint Joan: Detailed Analysis of the Text

great pragmatism. Not only does the Archbishop’s recognition of what we could call a new zeitgeist Notes
illustrate Shaw’s depiction of Joan as a proto-Protestant and—Nationalist, it also is one example of
his practice of having his characters say “what they would have said” if they fully understood their
own actions and socio-cultural setting.
In both his stage directions and in the exchange of dialogue between De Rais and the Archbishop
about his destiny on the gallows, Shaw is alluding to the fact that the historical De Rais is considered
a forerunner of the modern “serial killer.” For the murder of several young victims, de Rais was
hanged; although he suffered this temporal capital punishment, he avoided the spiritual fate of
excommunication by voluntary confession. Shaw does not fully develop the parallels he sees, if
any, between Joan’s trial and de Rais’, likely because most academic historians today do not dispute
de Rais’ crimes. It is interesting, however, that both Joan and de Rais found themselves tried and
executed, and that the one who died in the good graces of the Church-de Rais—was, history has
shown, the true criminal, as opposed to Joan, who died a “relapsed heretic.”

23.4 Scene III

23.4.1 Summary
The chronology of the play advances by almost two months, to Orleans on April 29, 1429 (the date
on which French forces, led by Joan, entered the city). Captain Dunois, the “Bastard of Orleans,” is
lamenting the fact that the wind has not shifted in his favor when he receives word that Joan
approaches. Joan urges that she, Dunois, and the French forces cross the bridge leading into Orleans,
but Dunois advises her that matters are not as simple as that and gently chastises her for her
impatience. He tells her she is in love with war (just as, in Scene II, de Chartres told her she was in
love with religion). He explains that, without a change in the wind, the French rafts carrying heavy
artillery with which to attack the English fortifications cannot progress upstream. He says he will
take Joan to church that she may pray for a west wind. Almost immediately, Dunois’ pageboy
sneezes. Miraculously, the wind has changed. Dunois is now convinced that “God has spoken,”
and he and Joan lead the French into battle.

23.4.2 Analysis

This brief scene dramatizes the turning point of the battle of Orleans, which lasted from April 29 to
May 9, and was, in itself, a turning point in the entire Hundred Years’ War. The English had besieged
Orleans since October 12 of the previous year. Shaw, who does not dramatize other dramatic moments
from Joan’s biography in his play-neither Joan’s visions, Charles’ coronation, nor Joan’s burning
are themselves shown on stage (see Shaw’s comments about dramatic spectacle in the preface)-does
choose to depict this key moment in the French campaign. Readers may wish to consider why this
scene emerges as the one true “action moment” in this drama that is otherwise mainly occupied by
dialogue.
In an essay entitled “On Playing Joan,” actress Imogen Stubbs has written humorously of the practical
difficulties staging this scene involves: “This requires a banner, a wind machine, and a sense of
humour. We had nightmares with that moment. The poor boy whose only aim was to leap up and
down and shout at the wind! the wind!—It’s changed!’ would either have to scream above the
sound of a Boeing 707 taking off, or stare at the limp banner and say ‘The wind! The wind! I’m sure
it’s about to change,’ rush into the wings screaming ‘Point the machine higher you idiots’ and then
rush back on stage and say ‘God has spoken”. When staged successfully, this scene could provoke
audiences to consider whether, in fact, God has spoken, or whether the shifting wind is—like the
drowning of “Foul-Mouthed Frank,” discussed in Scene II—another coincidence into which we are
free to read what we will, or what we hope to find.

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