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Jayatee Bhattacharya, Lovely Professional University Unit 24: Saint Joan: Epilogue and Plot

Unit 24: Saint Joan: Epilogue and Plot Notes

CONTENTS

Objectives
Introduction

24.1 Epilogue

24.2 Plot
24.3 Summary

24.4 Keywords
24.5 Review Questions

24.6 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• Describe the analysis of the epilogue;
• Illustrate the various plots hatched in the play;
• Give a detailed analysis of all the plots.

Introduction

A quarter-century after Joan’s death, King Charles VII is falling asleep over a book in bed when
Ladvenu enters his chambers to tell him that Joan, in a new ecclesiastical inquiry, has been
rehabilitated and judged innocent. Ladvenu reflects on the irony: at Joan’s first trial, justice was
administered fairly and truth was told, and yet she was burned; at her second, falsehood prevailed
in testimony and procedure, and yet the Maid has been justified. Charles’ sole concern is that he is
now no longer open to charges that he was crowned by a witch and a heretic. He also talks about the
hypocrisy of Joan’s latter-day judges: “If you could bring her back to life, they would burn her
again within six months, for all their present adoration of her. This unit elaborates a detailed analysis
of the epilogue and the plot hatched in this play.

24.1 Epilogue

Shaw characterised Saint Joan as “A Chronicle Play in six Scenes and an Epilogue”. Joan, a simple
peasant girl, hears voices which she claims to be those of Saint Margaret, Saint Catherine, and the
archangel Michael, sent by God to guide her conduct.
Scene 1 begins with Robert de Baudricourt complaining about the inability of the hens on his farm
to produce eggs. Joan claims that her voices are telling her to raise a siege against Orleans, and to
allow her several of his men for this purpose. Joan also says that she will eventually crown the
Dauphin in Rheims cathedral. De Baudricourt ridicules Joan, but his servant feels inspired by her

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