Scene III explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Gender and Female Agency

  Margaret is treated as a political pawn in marriage negotiations, while Joan of Arc is captured and demonized as a witch.

• Legitimacy of Power and Authority

  Suffolk's negotiation for Margaret's hand in marriage to Henry VI highlights the use of royal marriage to consolidate power.

• Supernatural and Religious Conflict

  Joan of Arc's reliance on demonic spirits and their abandonment of her underscores the supernatural dimension of the conflict.

Characters to notice

• Earl of Suffolk

  Captures Margaret and negotiates her marriage to King Henry, while struggling with his own desire for her.

• Margaret

  Captured by Suffolk, she agrees to marry King Henry if her father consents.

• Reignier

  Father of Margaret, agrees to her marriage to Henry in exchange for peace and control of Anjou and Maine.

• Joan of Arc

  Captured by York after her demonic spirits forsake her in battle.

• Richard Plantagenet

  Captures Joan of Arc in hand-to-hand combat.

Key passages

• “I’ll win this Lady Margaret. For whom? Why, for my king: tush, that’s a wooden thing!”

  Suffolk decides to win Margaret not for himself but for King Henry, dismissing his own attraction as foolish.

  Suffolk's internal conflict between personal desire and duty to the king.

• “To be a queen in bondage is more vile Than is a slave in base servility; For princes should be free.”

  Margaret argues that being a queen while imprisoned is worse than being a lowly slave, because royalty ought to be free.

  Margaret's assertion of her dignity and the paradox of royal captivity.

• “My ancient incantations are too weak, And hell too strong for me to buckle with: Now, France, thy glory droopeth to the dust.”

  Joan admits her magic has failed and hell is too powerful for her to overcome, signaling France's impending defeat.

  Joan's despair as her supernatural aid abandons her.