Page 304 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

British Drama

Notes 25.1 Characterization

25.1.1 The Dauphin

The Dauphin, later King Charles VII, is a reluctant ruler, more eager for a lack of hostility than he is
to govern the kingdom that is rightfully his. He seeks to avoid responsibility and decision-making,
and, in Shaw’s play, he is all but forced by Joan into his royal position. Perhaps the playwright is
contrasting those who are called “great” by the world and those are truly great, those who imagine,
the “Galtonic visualizers”. Imagination is not a quality Shaw’s Dauphin can be said to possess! He
is weak and easily bullied-including, readers note, “bullied” by Joan his own greatest champion.
(He says as much when he complains to Joan in Scene V that his coronation was her fault.)

Charles does not seem to grow any as a character during the course of the play. By the
epilogue, he does lead his own troops into battle, but he is still self-centered, concerned only
that Joan’s rehabilitation twenty-five years after her death will lay to rest any questions about
the legitimacy of his reign.

Elucidate that king Charles VII is a reluctant ruler.

25.1.2 Captain Jack Dunois

Captain Jack Dunois is described by Shaw in the stage directions as “a good natured and capable
man who has no affectations and no foolish illusions.” Shaw depicts him as both friendly with and
respectful of Joan. Indeed, he seems to be the only true friend she has. He is a true military man who
shares his expertise with the Maid: “Come! let me begin to make a soldier of you.” He urges her not
to press on to Paris, not out of fear (as seems to be King Charles’ motivation), but out of concern for
her. Yet even he abandons Joan in the epilogue’s dream sequence, although he does so out of what
seems to be a genuine awareness of his own status compared to her: “Forgive us, Joan: we are not
yet good enough for you.”

Captain Jack Dunois is the only friend Joan has.

25.1.3 Captain de Stogumber

Chaplain de Stogumber typifies one medieval religious reaction to Joan: that she was a witch.
Stogumber’s objection to the Maid is that she is “unnatural”-leading armies into battle, wearing
male garb, and so forth. Yet even as Stogumber is fully medieval in this aspect of his thinking, he is,
paradoxically, modern in another: he is a burgeoning Nationalist: “I was born in England,” he
proudly declares, “and it makes a difference.” Ironically, in his love of his native country, he is not
unlike Joan, whom he regards as his enemy. In that sense, nationalism unites them.

25.1.4 The Earl of Warwick

The Earl of Warwick exemplifies the pragmatism of which Shaw writes in his preface—pragmatism,
readers will recall, that Shaw credited Joan with having as well. Upon Warwick’s introduction in

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