When you hear about the stories of St. Joan of Arc, the first thing that comes to mind is the fact that she was an outspoken woman from the country of France who was a warrior saint and advocate for the Catholic Church and all political independence. Joan were her heart on her sleeve and made no apologies about how she felt. George Bernard Shaw’s play Saint Joan: a chronicle play in six scenes depicts how her overwhelming desire for independence within her country lead to her alienating her superiors and inevitably lead to her downfall. One could say she and fellow Philosopher, Socrates have a lot in common as far as there need to spread the knowledge for the circumstances they were under. The Price of having an opinion of the way thing were prove to be dire for St. Joan, but like Socrates it was a big price to pay in order to bring change to her nation.
Joan of Arc was not your typical girl for her time. Born in 1412 in Vosges, Joan was a warrior and was considered to be unusual to her respected superiors during the middle ages (Shaw 4). She was not one to be behind the bush when it came upon expressing her feelings, especially when it came to religion. According to G.B. Shaw’s Saint Joan, Joan was “professed” and “Pious Catholic” (Shaw 4). From what I gather, Shaw used this very much throughout the play as a way to act out how passionate she was about her beliefs and evidently her love for the country of France and how desperately she wanted her country to be independent.
G.B. Shaw makes a point on how she somewhat is comparable to that of a Socrates, one of the most famous philosophical figures of his generation. In many ways both were very keen on the topic at hand when it comes to expressing their opinion certain matters and due to that fact that people were taking to liking to Joan and Socrates it would lead to tragic endings to both there lives.
People taking a like to Joan and her ideas of independence for a nation were like Socrates spreading word that the philosophy of his fellow superiors were like Socrates spreading word that the philosophy of his fellow superiors were wrong and seem like defiant threat but it didn’t feel that way to Joan. As stated in one of the essays by G.B. Shaw in his play Saint Joan, Joan was “Too young and rustically and inexperience to have any such arts”(Shaw 4). As to reassess, Joan tunnel vision to get her message across left her obliviously to the situation she was causing which would wake up people to her own capabilities.
The comparison that Author G.B. Shaw is able to draw is a very enticing one in that both question what was going on around them and were not afraid to address their situations head on. As Robin Waterfield points out how Socrates, “discovered that none of the so-called experts really deserved their reputation” and were “incapable… to their areas of expertise” (The Historical Socrates 24). Socrates seem to believe that he was the wisest of the wise and from what it looked like rub some of his other fellow people the wrong way.
The hatred for Joan in the play becomes more apparent as the play progresses. The people of London seem to have felt she was a threat to them and there way of life so they felt that she had to be eliminated. According to Shaw’s interpretation in his play the Archbishop let her know that if she continued to talk this nonsense she was talking than she was going to be abandoned by the church, along with losing the respect and admiration from her fellow military soldiers and the king would have know reason to help her if was In of assistance ( Saint Joan Scene V). From what I read I the play I believe Shaw comparison with Socrates to be in many ways is dead on accurate as far as their approach into providing knowledge and their fellow superiors not taking a liking to them trying to change there way of life, so they took matters into there own hands by holding both accountable.
Like Joan, Socrates was held accountable for his action of trying use their word to get the youth on his side by telling them that what is going on in this city is not right. Socrates felt like he was being treated unfairly by the people, according to Socrates by Kraut Richard, Socrates felt like he was “being prosecuted for was his antidemocratic associations and ideas” (Socrates 8). Feeling like he was being treated unfairly was the least of his problems, like Joan of Arc it was his “alleged religious unorthodoxy” (Socrates 8) that got the attention people and was “deeply worrying to his prosecutors and jurors” (Socrates 8). Like Joan of Arc it seems as though there thoughts and beliefs weight heavily into the decisions of their superiors and it seem like though on the surface what they were suggesting sounded absurd, but if you look closer there premise as to what was going on during their respected times in which they were alive; Socrates in Athens and Joan of Arc in France, they were making an impact that would to change and would not be looked at as if they were crazy.
G.B. Shaw points out that the way Joan would rant about her religion to those that are higher in power than her and they would look at her as if she were out of mind. “God is merciful; the blessed saints…who speak to me ever day [he gapes]…and your name will be remembered for ever as my first helper” (Saint Joan Scene I). In effect the awe of what she was saying in this scene just seem to take people back as if she was being serious and she was apparently and got the attention of people of London. Socrates also had his own view on religion while he was being prosecuted in his trial and would not back down from his views, “Men of Athens, I salute you and hold you dear, but I will obey the god rather than you, and so long I take breath and am able, I will never cease philosophizing” (Richard 13). In effect of Socrates being very passionate on his views you can see where G.B. Shaw saw many of the comparison with Joan and how in his eyes he saw history sort of repeating itself between these two historical figures.
The one glaring thing that seems to set these apart as far as the comparison to me happens to be that Joan seemed to not have a clue that she was having a major impact on her people. Shaw would suggest though she was too “Naïve” (Saint Joan 4), she would ultimately stand her ground on her views. Shaw points out in one of his essay that Socrates was forgetting that the impact he was having on man was taking an effect and in his turn on trial felt as if he gave up his freedom of speech and his will to fight. If only Socrates knew his impact he was having as pointed out by The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas: a Text With Readings, he was helping young people to “think for themselves” (Chaffe 63) and “determine their value and truth”(Chaffe 63). In reiterate both of these historical figures just seem have different approaches as far handling their situations but at the same time had an impact on how G.B. Shaw wanted this play to be view by the pubic.
Assessing all that G.B. Shaw pointed out, the case should be made that Socrates had a great influence on Joan and how he wanted his story about her to be interpreted. One could say that there approach and style are alike in that they were very outspoken on there views they made valid points, while other would point out that Joan fought for her own free will and Socrates was reserved and maybe arrogant, you can’t deny that there stories stand true to who they are and what they stand for and that is getting one to think and don’t be afraid question what is going.
