...Joan of Arc -- the seventeen-year-old peasant girl, who, as she said herself, "did not know ‘A’ from ‘B’, " but who, in a year and a month, crowned a reluctant king, rallied a broken people, reversed the course of a great war, and shoved history into a new path --what are we to make of her? The people who came after her in the five centuries since her death tried to make everything of her: demonic fanatic, spiritual mystic, naive and tragically ill-used tool of the powerful, creator and icon of modern popular nationalism, adored heroine, saint. She insisted, even when threatened with torture and faced with death by fire, that she was guided by voices from God. Voices or no voices, her achievements leave anyone who knows her story shaking his head in amazed wonder.’ Joan was born into a poor common family in the peasant village of Domrémy in the French province of Lorraine in 1412. She grew up a simple but unusually devout farm child during the height of the Hundred Years’ War. Disaster after disaster befell her native France -- the English invaders and their Burgundian allies conquered and occupied the northern half of France including Paris. Dauphin Charles VII, the rightful but un-crowned king of France, set up the remnants of his royal court at the town of Chinon. From here, this weak monarch of questionable competence tried to rule over the unoccupied rump of France. Starting in May, 1428, Joan, claiming that God was directing her through the saints, repeatedly approached...
Words: 15871 - Pages: 64
...Mel Pimentel May 26, 2016 Joan of Arc Joan of Arc was a story about a 17 year old farm girl who wanted to see the prince and tell him about the voices she hears, by the voices, it was god talking to her. After many times of her trying to meet the prince, she finally does so. Joan was anxious to tell the prince that the voices told her that she needed to help him get crowned as king of France as soon as possible in order to save her country from the English. She is not allowed to make any decisions at this point. Joan then convinced the prince into letting her go into battle and lead the soldiers to a victory. In the battle Joan was a smart and brave woman. Woman weren’t allowed to fight but she was eager to. She would write letters to the English dictators to just turn around and go home. They didn’t listen to her so she fought them until they turned around. Once she had France in advantage she tried to help out the prince becoming king. She went to court and she was treated like the lady in the room. She was excited for the kingdom to come and see the king get crowned, she tells them about the voices then. The king lets her do what the voices tell her. They taught she was crazy and that she was causing trouble. She was captured by the soldiers because they taught she was a witch and got locked up. She was tortured and put into a death situation. No one came to her rescue and the basically betrayed her. They kept asking her if she was a witch and she agreed to it, in order...
Words: 380 - Pages: 2
...Charleen Adler Professor Anne Dorn Composition 1 25 November 2013 My Hero "One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying" (Biography Online). These are the words of a true hero, Joan of Arc. She is my hero because of her persistence, her bravery, and her closeness with God. Joan of Arc, or more appropriately Jeanne d'Arc, was a simple, peasant girl born at Domremy in Champagne (St. Joan of Arc). Although she could not read or write, she was very talented at sewing and spinning (St. Joan of Arc) and spent most of her youth on her father’s farm (Joan of Arc). I believe that people probably did not expect much from the girl, especially when taking the time period into consideration. “When Joan was about 12 years old, she began hearing ‘voices’ of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret believing them to have been sent by God. These voices told her that it was her divine mission to free her country from the English and help the dauphin gain the French throne. They told her to cut her hair, dress in man's uniform and to pick up the arms” (Joan of Arc). This makes sense due to her attitude towards the church. “It is said by friends that: ‘She was greatly committed to the service of God and the Blessed Mary’” (Biography Online). During Joan’s time, the Hundred Years War was taking place. “But by May, 1428, she no longer doubted that she was bidden...
Words: 1205 - Pages: 5
...JOAN OF ARC | Joan of Arc has been a Roman Catholic figure analysed and studied for hundreds of years. Her short life is discussed in numerous religious and political texts not only because of her involvement and guidance of the French troops in the Hundred Years’ War but because of the spiritual guidance to lead the troops that she claimed to receive in her visions. Whether Joan is considered a hero, a saint or a visionary woman, her life continues to be of controversy among scholars who still immortalize her with their studies. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the various perceptions that attempt to portray Joan of Arc as a venerated and outstanding figure. Part of the analysis will focus on her role as an inspirational woman, the iconography and symbols and the role within religion and political involvement that Joan of Arc continues to influence. Her life and death According to Kevin J. Harty’s article “Joan of Arc’s life may well be the most-documented of anyone who lived before the twentieth-century but as Professor Heimann’s ground-breaking and fascinating study suggests there is still much to be learned about the Maid of Orléans” (Harty 104). Her very short life (1412-31) had a series of events that would be remembered for hundreds of years to follow. At the age of 12, she started seeing visions of saints who would guide her way leading the French troops to end the siege of Orléans. Her visions can be contrasted with the annunciation experienced by the...
Words: 2341 - Pages: 10
...In their traditional exhibitionist role women are looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness,” (205). What kind of looks, gazes, or points of identification structure (or destabilize) The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Th. Dreyer, 1928)? Your response should engage Mulvey’s claims. The Passion of Joan of Arc is a silent film directed by Carl Th. Dreyer made in France in 1928. In Laura Mulvey's essay, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” she argues that the female stars receive the look, while male stars take control of film space. She also points out that the women’s role in the Classical Hollywood cinema is to satisfy the viewer and to be a passive character, i.e. being pleasant to look at. This essay will argue Mulvey's analysis such as: active/man and passive/female, a woman/actress being looked at as an attractive object and the female role in the cinema industry depicted by The Passion of Joan of Arc film. I will try to prove that Mulvey's claims cannot be related to this film. First of all, because the film is concentrated on the form, Dryer's goal is not to show Joan as a sexual object, but to demonstrate the power of the close-up and facial expressions. Secondly, La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc is an independent film made in France, outside Hollywood environment, and that...
Words: 1488 - Pages: 6
...St. Joan of Arc Leaders are born, not made. The Great Man Theory states that a “Great Man” would arise, almost like magic, to lead the people in times of need. Was Joan of Arc such a person? Or was she just a disturbed, confused teenager? Or perhaps she was a messenger of God? It is all subject to personal interpretation. In modern times, if you admit you talk to dead people, saints or not, you are considered out of your mind. However, no one can argue the historical fact that before Joan of Arc became involved in the 100 Years’ War, France was doomed to failure. Saint Joan, also known as Jeanne, was born on January 6, 1412, in the Village of Domremy. The village was in the middle of unstable surroundings: The French on one side, the English on the other. She was born as an illiterate, peasant daughter to Jacques d’Arc and Isabelle Romee. Her father was a farmer and the leader of the French Village Domremy during the time of the 100 Years’ War. Joan learned domestic skills and religion from her mother. Around the time she was thirteen, she claimed she could hear voices from Saints such as Michael, Margaret, and Catherine. They told her God would help her if she behaved and attended church regularly. From that point on, the Saints supposedly contacted her three to four times a week. Her vision from God and the Saints told her to recover her homeland from English domination. She petitioned the French Governor Count Robert de Baudricourt at Vaucouleurs to visit the French...
Words: 762 - Pages: 4
...Joan of Arc was one of the greatest female heroines in the history of time. She helped defeat the English in the 100 Year War using visions received from God. To begin with, I’ll start off talking about Joan of Arc’s childhood. After that, I’ll talk about her contribution and what she did for her country. Finally, I’ll talk about the interesting facts about her. Overall, Joan of Arc was a very courageous and heroic woman. To start out I’ll talk about Joan of Arc’s childhood. First of all, Joan of Arc was born on the 6th of January around the year 1412. Moreover, she lived in a village named Domremy, in northeastern France. In addition, she wasn’t ever taught how to read or write but she was taught, by her mother, about the Catholic Church....
Words: 320 - Pages: 2
...The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, directed by Luc Besson is a historical film which reveals the conscious and subconscious struggles of Joan, a famous French war heroine and religious martyr of the fifteenth century. Character portrayal plays an enormous part in this film due to the fact that much of Joan of Arc's experiences were private, as revealed through her numerous visions. While I believe director Luc Besson had the mindset to portray Joan of Arc as patriotic and devout to her religion, the portrayal of Joan of Arc was more warrior like and hallucinogenic rather than patriotic and devout. In the beginning of the movie there is a scene were the young Joan of Arc finds a sword, and goes into an elaborate "vision" of soldiers riding on horses, and wolves roaming around in the forest. The lack of differentiation between Joan's visions and what was actually going on around her makes it seem as though she is having tactile hallucinations rather than visions from God. One also has to take into account that the director clearly depicts Joan of Arc being raised during war time, and because of this, what she sees in her "vision" can most easily be attributed to what she saw growing up daily. The war like portrayal of Joan of Arc comes in when the audience first sees Joan as an adult. In this scene, the king received her letter and it is revealed that she is writing to him in regards to gaining an army of men for herself so she can go into battle. Because of...
Words: 654 - Pages: 3
...Joan of Arc also known as The "Maid of Orleans" was a typical peasant girl that was born in a small village of Domremy, in North-East France. Joan of Arc's brave actions earned her a place in French history as a heroine and a saint of Roman Catholic Church. Unlike most women Joan was ahead of her times, she wanted to serve in The military as well as wear Mens clothing. This was due to Joan's belief that women were equal to men and were fully capable of doing the same things that men did. However, during the time period Joan of Arc lived in, these ideas were unheard of and were considered absurd, eventually leading to Joan of Arc's tragic death. In this essay I will discuss Joan of Arc's upbringing, women's rights in this era, her beliefs,her experience with hearing voices of 3 saints as well as her role in the liberation of France from England during the Hundred Years War. Even though Joan of Arc was uneducated and poor, the impact she made on history was remarkable, all because she believed that God used her as his instrument on earth. Joan of arc was your typical peasant girl born in the small village of domremy in 1412. her days consisted of helping her...
Words: 857 - Pages: 4
...The hero that we have selected is Joan of Arc. Joan of Arc was very influential in French history and help win the hundred years war for France. She was brave, courageous, with a strong common sense, and quick on her feet when creating battle plans. Joan broke the stereotypes by being strong-willed and going against the norms of society. She deserves the title of hero because she was able to break the siege that England had on the French town of Orléans. She also travelled for five weeks to help win and fight the battles and win the war. Since she did all of these things and more, she deserves to be remembered as a hero of France. The influences that made Joan, who she was, was also her downfall. Joan grew up on a small farm in the countryside...
Words: 304 - Pages: 2
...The birth of Joan of Arc occurred at one of the most crucial periods in French history. France was desperate for a leader to emerge from thin air. France’s cause was pathetic, until Joan of Arc arrived at the perfect time. Joan was born in January of 1412, it was a time full of despair and chaos. Joan was not quite a genius nor a great fighter, but every one of Joan’s action involved confidence and energy. The English army should have been scared the very moment they knew of Joan’s existence. As time passed, the French people gathered around her and supported every decision she made. Although, Joan was eventually captured and murdered; her life will always be vital to France’s victory. Joan of Arc is a national hero, a patron saint, and symbol of hope to every wandering soul of France. Joan’s motivation and dedication to God has inspired thousands of people over the last six centuries. Her persistence is sometimes seen as ignorance or stupidy but it is what made her the great leader that she was. Joan of Arc’s unmatched leadership, courageous mission, and tragic martyrdom propelled her to be one of the greatest military and religious heroines in Medieval France. Joan of Arc’s steadfast dedication to complete her mission from God acted as a guide and savior to the staggering nation of France. The task was given to Joan at a young age and Joan would forever carry the burdens and responsibilities of her mission. The mission was to crown Charles the dauphin King of France, relieve...
Words: 1972 - Pages: 8
...will all be thrown out of France, except for those who die there” -Joan of Arc Joan of Arc is historically known as a heroic girl, who led multiple battles to victory for her native country of France in the Hundred Years War, pitted against England. The Hundred Years War was a conflict between medieval France and England, starting with mere disputes over territory, following to King Edward III of England claiming that he was the rightful ruler of France. Furthermore, King Edward III decided to invade France, and claim what he believed was rightfully his, causing a war that would last for more than a century. Causes of the War Prior to this infamous crusade, disputes had been fairly common between the two substantial countries. War finally erupted after the King of England, Edward III, claimed that he was the King...
Words: 1194 - Pages: 5
...Joan of arc was born Jeanne D’Arc in 1412 AD. It was in the French town of Domremy where her love for the Catholic Church grew. She was not taught to read or write, but instead to love God. Under threat of invasion from the English, Joan’s family, and many others like them, were forced to evacuate their homes in 1422. When she turned 13, Joan started to hear voices telling her to save France. She later determined that these voices were God telling her to deliver France from England, and place Prince Charles of valois in the French throne. She also managed to convince a local court not to arrange a marriage for her at the age of 16. At first Robert de Baudricourt, a local magistrate, didn’t allow Joan to travel with all the men to Chinon,...
Words: 327 - Pages: 2
...Biography of Joan of Arc Mrs. Honeycutt Written by: Nena Spurgeon Joan of Arc was a very important woman to history, and was born January 6 1412. When Joan was younger she had visions that would eventually lead her to great things. Joan joined the French and British military when she was 17 years old as a powerful leader. In 1431, Joan was put to trial and burned alive. 12 years after January 6, 1412, when Joan turned 12 she started having visions. She claimed to have heard and felt the voices of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margret. Throughout the years of her continuing to experience visions, the voices had told her to take control of the military. They had also told her to make the real king take his place and his royal crown. The...
Words: 406 - Pages: 2
...prophecy and miracles, so he orders the priest at his side to, “do what he does” and exorcise Joan to determine if she is possessed by demons. This priest, who by Sir Robert’s acclamation and by his own role as an exorcist is considered an expert and professional on the matter, is eager to jump at a chance to disprove Joan as no more than a witch or a sorceress. This is done despite the fact that this professional makes no note of any outward sign of possession. After the exorcism, in which it is determined that Joan is good by her approach to the priest, she even tells him that “You heard my confession just yesterday. This is absurd.” This can represent the priest’s symbolic representation of the church and its attempts to quell any uprising by a female as it pertains to religion. This can also represent the priest as an extension of Sir Robert’s will, and Sir Robert’s will ultimately indicative of a male society uneager to accept women and continue patriarchal control. With a simple order Sir Robert is able to question Joan’s legitimacy. Another example of the church’s attempt to reinforce a patriarchal system comes after Joan wins the favor of the Prince. Excuse the spelling, but she is taken to the town of Portiae, the center of intelligence and judicial practice. While Joan is there she is kept in a single inn for three weeks while priest and Theologians question and cross-examine her. Joan passes through their attempts to wear her down, but even when she succeeds she still fits...
Words: 1431 - Pages: 6
