Critical Evaluation of Joan of Arc Essay

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Joan of Arc Using Intersectionality

Medieval Europe provides a significant number of examples of women who developed to become leaders and popes at a time when women were increasingly oppressed. The conventional self-image of women during this period was characterized by low self-esteem, which was influenced by increased oppression that disadvantaged women. However, the rise of some women to become influential leaders demonstrates their visionary experience in breaking up the conventional female self-image. An example of a woman who developed to become an influential leader in medieval Europe through visionary experience and breaking up the conventional female self-image is Joan of Arc. Joan's development to become an influential leader was influenced by her prophesy for a king and ability to become the central actor in her vision. Joan of Arc can be understood as a unique character in the context of other female mystics using intersectional analysis.

Brief Background of Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc was born around 1412 in Domremy in Eastern Europe at a time that the Hundred Years' War had been ongoing for over 70 years (Sowards, 1994, p.201). During this period when she was born, France had been significantly affected by the Civil War and foreign invasion. Actually, the birth place of Joan of Arc was characterized by prevalent marauding bands of soldiers who were causing significant damage by burning and looting towns as well as killing the feeble peasantry. Under the leadership of Dauphin Charles, the French royal cause was damaged, which did not help matters in the country.

At the age of 16, Joan of Arc believed that her village's patron saints were encouraging her to approach Dauphin and secure his coronation. As a result, she went to a nearby castle where she won over Robert de Baudricourt who gave her an escort comprising six men-at-arms. She proceeded to Chinon and the Dauphin after travelling across an enemy-held territory for an 11-day journey. Joan of Arc found Dauphin living like a servant since he had bullied and robbed by nobles around him. Joan informed him that she wanted to fight the English and would have him crowned at Rheims. Since he was superstitiously religious, Charles believed Joan and gave her a modest military staff of a few hundred soldiers and weapons as well as a banner with Jesus' name. As she utilized her small force to fight the English, Joan ended up encouraging the seemingly discouraged French army and capturing Orleans, which was besieged by the English. After a series of other military successes, Joan secured the coronation of the Dauphin and crowning of Charles at Rheims as promised.

However, Joan of Arc was soon captured by the Burgundians who sold her to the English where she was imprisoned and persistently questioned. She was later found guilty of witchcraft since her faith and simplicity could not save her from the hands of the English. Joan of Arc was subsequently executed by the English in Old Marketplace of Rouen, which was an English-held and dominated town (Sowards, 1994, p.202).

How Women and Men Live their Lives

The life of men and women during medieval times when Joan of Arc was born is contrary to the contemporary ideals of stereotypes of both genders (O'Pry-Reynolds, 2013, p.37). Medieval literature shows several examples of gender equality, which is portrayed through highly idealized perspectives of society, morality, and manners. During the time of Joan of Arc, men displayed knightly personalities characterized by masculinity, aggressiveness, and even violence in some cases. On the contrary, women were considered as vessels of goodness, purity, and chastity because of their roles in taking care of the home and family. However, unlike common stereotypes and novels, women during this time were not necessarily damsels in distress awaiting men (or knights) to come rescue them. In essence, men during this period were defined by who they are, their pursuits, and their victories. On the contrary, women were defined on the premise of their roles that were assigned to them by the society. As a result, the life of men in medieval times revolved around playing as main characters while women were predominantly ascribed supporting roles.

Unlike their male counterparts, the roles of women in the medieval society were increasingly limited. However, these roles were not necessarily stable but repeatedly reinforced through constraint and freedom, passivity and agency, and submission and authority. While men displayed masculinity and aggressiveness, women were considered as their downfall because they (women) were seemingly objects to be worshipped.

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This is primarily because women were symbols of sexual desire, beauty, love, purity, kindness, motherhood, and conquest.

The other important aspect of the life of men and women during the time of Joan of Arc is that they were both confined by societal norms. Men were represented as heroic warriors looking for or involved in fights and battles whereas women were represented as daughters of Eve's sin i.e. the basis of original sin and instruments of the devil (O'Pry-Reynolds, 2013, p.38). Despite this consideration, women played a crucial role in the society primarily because of the need for someone to acknowledge the brave and heroic adventures of men or someone to mourn the dead since men were not expected to mourn and grieve.

The main role of women during the time of Joan of Arc was to care for the family and look after the home since their responsibilities included cooking and housework ("Femininity during Medieval Times," n.d.). On the contrary, the principal role of men was to provide for the family through pursuits that would generate money for supporting the family. However, women's roles were very important with regards to the need to look after the home and take care of children and the husband. Consequently, very few women during this period would work or assume roles that were considered masculine. While in some cases women were involved in roles that were seemingly masculine, they did not receive similar incentives, wages or rewards for their work alongside men in the fields.

Influences that Shape Women's Lives

As evident in this analysis, the lives of women during the medieval times, especially during the time of Joan of Arc, were influenced by various factors. Some of the major influences that shape women's lives include

Role in the Society

One of the major influences that shaped women's lives was their role in the society as individuals who looked after the home while caring for their husbands and children. This was a significant influence that hindered the progress of some women and promoted the progress and development of others. Some women felt that their roles in taking care of the family and the home confined them and contributed to their portrayal as the weaker sex. In contrast, some women capitalized on their caring role to play influential roles at home and in the society in general. Throughout the history of mankind, one of the major influences that have constantly shaped women's lives is their role, which also influences perceptions about them.

Treatment by Men

The second major influence that shaped women's lives is how they were treated by men in the society. As previously mentioned, women in medieval times were not necessarily damsels in distress waiting for knights or men to rescue them through marriage ((O'Pry-Reynolds, 2013, p.37). However, in some cases, women were treated as the weaker sexes who were forced to submit to men, especially their husbands. This contributed to increased discrimination, especially on the basis of gender as women were expected to assume relatively trivial roles in the society and excluded from societal aspects that were regarded as masculine and male-dominated. Joan of Arc sought to overcome this gender discrimination and bad treatment by men following her visionary rise to roles that were dominated by men and considered masculine than feminine. The treatment of women by men was largely driven by gender stereotypes, which follow women throughout their entire lives.

Culture

The other major influence that shape women's lives is culture since cultural factors affect the determination of the concept of a woman. According to Butler (1988), becoming a woman entails forcing the body to conform to a historical concept of a woman in order for the body to become a cultural sign (p.522). Therefore, culture plays an important role in shaping woman's lives by influencing the prevailing understanding of the concept of a woman. Cultural factors shape women's lives through influencing determinations of the role and status of women in the society. In essence, women's lives in different places across the globe are largely influenced by the respective cultural factors within the particular society.

Experiences of Women during the Time of Joan of Arc

As reflected in the life of Joan of Arc, women during this time had different experiences that were influenced by various factors including their role in the society, treatment by men, and cultural factors. These experiences varied across those living at the margins, the poorest of the poor, and those suffering.....

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