Saint Joan by George Bernard Term Paper

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Critic Bloom notes, "The certainty and resolution of Joan's faith were central for Shaw. As a result, he could not really render the moving sense of humility expressed in the phrase Jeanne used so frequently in the trial: 'I wait on Our Lord'" (Bloom 133). As the play progresses, more people begin to see Joan as a "miracle," and in Shaw's definition of a miracle, faith is intertwined. He writes, "A miracle, my friend, is an event which creates faith. That is the purpose and nature of miracles" (Shaw). Thus, another aspect of Joan's faith is her ability to perform miracles. She can convince others of her faith, but her faith creates miracles, as well, such as the Captain's hens not laying eggs, and then beginning to lay again as soon as he outfits her in armor and sends her off with some of his men or the miracle of the wind change once she arrives at Orleans. One must have faith to believe in miracles, and so Joan spreads her faith to others when she creates miracles and they believe them. The worst part of this faith is that even it is not strong enough to save her from martyrdom at the end of the play.

Joan's faith is also shown in the way she deals with adversity, too. Nothing ever bothers her, from the people who make fun of her because of her hair and dress, to the king's lack of support of her plan. She is sure of herself to the very end of her life, when she tells the inquisitors, "But without these things I cannot live; and by your wanting to take them away from me, or from any human creature, I know that your counsel is of the devil, and that mine is of God" (Shaw).

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This surety leads to the audience's deep understanding of Joan's faith and her inability to waver from it.

Faith supports the play and Joan's ideals, but faith is also one of the reasons Shaw wrote the play in the first place. Another literary critic notes, "Shaw argued that he would not have written Saint Joan if he had not thought it had immediate relevance in 'a world situation in which we see whole peoples perishing and dragging us towards the abyss which has swallowed them, all for want of any grasp of the political forces that move civilization'" (Crompton 201). Shaw's own faith led him to see the world (right after World War I) as a world in turmoil that needed faith to restore the balance, and this faith comes through in the play. Shaw chose Joan as his subject because he felt strongly about her and her faith, and faith fills this novel with miracles, hope, and despair.

In conclusion, Joan of Arc's faith is central to this play about her life. It was also the foundation of her life and her actions. The nature of her faith is one of strong conviction and the ability to lead and inspire others, and her faith is the most motivational part of her life. She holds on to her faith until the end, another indication of her character, strength, and strong belief in God and his goodness......

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