Saint Joan · Chapter
Joan's Manliness and Militarism explained
This chapter explores Joan of Arc's unconventional gender expression and her passion for military life.
What happens
This chapter explores Joan of Arc's unconventional gender expression and her passion for military life. Shaw argues that Joan's desire to lead a soldier's life was not a mere whim but a fundamental aspect of her character, driving her to adopt male dress, arms, and behavior. He compares her to other historical 'unwomanly women' who defied gender norms, suggesting that her masculinity was integral to her mission and eventual canonization.
Themes in this chapter
Gender and Power
Joan's insistence on male dress and military leadership challenges traditional gender roles, illustrating how power and authority are gendered in medieval society.
Individual vs. Institution
Joan's personal drive to live a masculine life conflicts with societal and ecclesiastical expectations of womanhood, setting her against established norms.
Characters to notice
- Joan of Arc
Portrayed as a woman with a 'craze for soldiering and the masculine life,' who insisted on wearing male dress, leading troops, and living as a soldier.
- King Charles VII
Referenced as the Dauphin whom Joan urged to send military leaders to relieve Orleans, though she insisted on leading the assault herself.
- Dunois
Mentioned as the commander at Orleans whom Joan sought to relieve.
- Gilles de Rais
Listed among the military leaders Joan wanted sent to Orleans.
- La Hire
Listed among the military leaders Joan wanted sent to Orleans.
Key passages
“Joan’s other abnormality, too common among uncommon things to be properly called a peculiarity, was her craze for soldiering and the masculine life.”
Joan's intense passion for military life and male pursuits was so typical of exceptional individuals that it hardly qualifies as an oddity.
Shaw normalizes Joan's gender nonconformity as a trait of extraordinary people.
“Why did she insist on having a soldier’s dress and arms and sword and horse and equipment, and on treating her escort of soldiers as comrades, sleeping side by side with them on the floor at night as if there were no difference of sex between them?”
She demanded male military attire and gear, and lived as an equal among soldiers, ignoring gender distinctions even in sleeping arrangements.
Highlights Joan's deliberate rejection of feminine roles in favor of a soldier's life.
“Had Joan not been one of those 'unwomanly women,' she might have been canonized much sooner.”
If Joan had conformed to traditional femininity, her path to sainthood would have been quicker.
Shaw suggests that her gender nonconformity delayed her recognition by the Church.