Page 310 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

British Drama

Notes 26.5 Society and Class

Medieval society was rigidly divided by class and position. Saint Joan investigates the inner workings
of this intricate structure. Among the things examined are the tiers of power within the Church, the
political factions of kings and feudal lords, and the lot of common peasants and soldiers. We also
see just how severe the punishment was for people who defied this rigid hierarchy.

26.6 Pride

Just about everybody in Saint Joan accuses Joan of pride. It is unclear as to whether she’s guilty of
this or not. Her every decision leads to success for her and those around her. She also believes that
she gets her orders directly from God. In her mind, that all adds up to the idea that everyone should
just listen to her and do what she says. The rich and powerful, however, view this as insufferable
pride, when coming from an upstart teenage girl.

26.7 Admiration

Joan is able to inspire such admiration, that she launches a movement which eventually unites a
country, shifting its entire power structure in the bargain. Even the men who put her to death can’t
help but respect her courage and tenacity. Her spirit was so strong that it continued to inspire for
hundreds years after her death. She became a symbol for generation after generation. Eventually,
admiration for her grew so much that the Catholic Church made her a saint. Saint Joan chronicles
the life, death, and legacy of this inspirational figure.

Self Assessment

Multiple Choice Questions:
1. There were two major social and cultural forces in the middle ages, they are
(a) church and feudalism (b) admiration and power struggle
(c) feminism and social class (d) pride and religion.
2. Medieval society was rigidly divided by
(a) religion and orthodoxy (b) class and position
(c) religion and power struggle (d) feminism and class.
Fill in the blanks:
3. Joan is able to inspire such admiration, that she launches a movement which eventually
unites a ...... .
4. Joan was an early pioneer of women’s ...... .
State whether the following statements are true or false:
5. In his preface, Shaw points to the major social and cultural forces of the Middle Ages.
6. Saint Joan chronicles the life of a Protestant saint.

26.8 Summary

• Power—The conflict in Saint Joan is built around some pretty major power clashes. The Catholic
Church and the English feudal lords are all challenged by Joan’s rise.
• Religion—Saint Joan chronicles the life of a Catholic saint. As such, we’re sure it’s no big
surprise that religion is a major theme.

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