Saint Joan · Chapter
Some Well-Meant Proposals for the Improvement of the Play explained
Shaw responds to critics who suggest cutting the epilogue and references to the Church, feudalism, the Inquisition, and heresy to shorten the play.
What happens
Shaw responds to critics who suggest cutting the epilogue and references to the Church, feudalism, the Inquisition, and heresy to shorten the play. He argues that such cuts would be replaced by elaborate, costly stage spectacles—like a real river and bridge, a staged battle, a coronation procession, and an onstage burning—which would bore audiences and cause them to miss trains. He warns that this is what would happen if he followed their advice, and suggests the public see the play while he is still alive.
Themes in this chapter
Heresy and Sanctity
Shaw references the theory of heresy as a key element critics want removed, defending its importance to the play.
Historical Interpretation
Shaw argues against reducing Joan's story to mere spectacle, insisting on the value of historical and theological context.
Characters to notice
- Joan of Arc
Referenced as the subject of the play, whose burning would be staged for spectacle.
- Shakespeare
Mentioned in the context of stage history to illustrate how such modifications would be received.
Key passages
“They point out that by the excision of the epilogue and all the references to such undramatic and tedious matters as the Church, the feudal system, the Inquisition, the theory of heresy and so forth, all of which, they point out, would be ruthlessly blue pencilled by any experienced manager, the play could be considerably shortened.”
Critics suggest cutting the epilogue and all mentions of the Church, feudalism, the Inquisition, and heresy to shorten the play.
Shaw summarizes the critics' advice to remove intellectual content for commercial appeal.
“The experienced knights of the blue pencil, having saved an hour and a half by disembowelling the play, would at once proceed to waste two hours in building elaborate scenery, having real water in the river Loire and a real bridge across it, and staging an obviously sham fight for possession of it, with the victorious French led by Joan on a real horse.”
Shaw predicts that spectacle would replace substance, wasting time and money.
“Joan would be burnt on the stage, as Mr. Matheson Lang always is in The Wandering Jew, on the principle that it does not matter in the least why a woman is burnt provided she is burnt, and people can pay to see it done.”
Joan's execution would be staged for shock value, ignoring the reasons behind it.
Shaw criticizes the prioritization of spectacle over meaning in theater.