Saint Joan

The Dauphin of France, later King Charles VII, is dynamic character who evolves from a petulant and apathetic young man into an effective and successful king. When the Dauphin first appears, the stage directions describe him as “a poor creature physically” with “the expression of a young dog accustomed to be kicked, yet incorrigible and irrepressible” (89). The Dauphin complains that his court disrespects him, telling Trémouille, “[Y]ou all think you can treat me as you please because I owe you money, and because I am no good at fighting” (90). His debts and his lack of military courage make the Dauphin, who is 26 at the beginning of the play, behave like a sulking child. Because his mother denies his legitimacy, he is in a vulnerable political position. He does not seem to want the responsibility of being a ruler, although he seeks to prove that he is of royal blood. He admits to Joan, “I don’t want to be a father; I don’t want to be a son: especially a son of St. Louis. I don’t want to be any of these fine things you all have your head full of: I want to be just what I am” (102). This lack of ambition has led to France’s stagnation, as the Dauphin seeks to make a treaty with the English rather than risk a battle.

However, Shaw foreshadows that the Dauphin is an intelligent person with the capacity to become an effective monarch. When Joan talks with him alone, the Dauphin displays a keen awareness of his political situation. He tells Joan, “I am not such a fool as I look. I have my eyes open” (101). The stage directions seem to confirm this, claiming that “he is neither vulgar nor stupid; and he has a cheeky humor which enables him to hold his own in conversation” (89). These positive qualities eventually enable the Dauphin to become Charles the Victorious, a successful military leader who is able to overcome his fear of the battlefield. In the Epilogue, he tells Joan, “I had to be brave because you were” (177), suggesting that he overcame his apathy and fear only because of Joan’s example. He argues that he while he does not have a reputation for being good or wise or bold, he has led a successful campaign against England and retaken all of France. He claims, “[Y]ou people with your heads in the sky spend all your time trying to turn the world upside down; but I take the world as it is, and say that top-side-up is right-side-up; and I keep my nose pretty close to the ground” (179). While Charles VII acknowledges that he will never be considered a great or revolutionary king, he has been an effective leader who has pragmatically dealt with the problem of the English invasion. Charles VII’s character transformation depicts how he finds his courage and harnesses his natural intelligence, but ultimately suggests that he does not have the innate greatness of revolutionaries and idealists like Joan.

Pierre Cauchon is a major antagonist of Saint Joan. He is the Bishop of Beauvais and a political supporter of the English claim to France, although he looks down on many of the English leaders. Because of his age—he is in his 60s—and his religious authority, Warwick and Stogumber respect him despite their disagreements. Cauchon appears to be a reasonable person and presents himself as an earnest and compassionate Christian. Unlike Stogumber, who makes unfounded accusations that Joan is a witch, Cauchon acknowledges that Joan is a fellow Christian and that her military victories are the result of skill rather than magic. Cauchon seeks to separate himself from the political ambitions of other clergy and aristocrats like Warwick, reminding his English allies that “[his] first duty is to seek this girl’s salvation” (118). However, Cauchon considers Joan’s death necessary unless she will submit to Church authority and repent of her heretical beliefs. Despite his rhetoric of mercy and compassion, he is unyielding and harsh when faced with the possibility of rebellion, telling his English collaborators, “[L]et her perish. Let her burn. Let her not infect the whole flock. It is expedient that one woman die for the people” (126). Cauchon remains convinced that he acted correctly, even though the outcome of Joan’s trial was upsetting to him. While the Inquisitor claims that he is used to seeing heretics being burned, Cauchon describes the execution as a “dreadful thing” (168) and hopes that they will miss seeing it.

In the Epilogue, the spirit of Cauchon appears and continues to assert that he acted correctly and faithfully, despite the fact that the outcome of the trial has been overturned and Joan is being venerated as a hero. In contrast, his dead body has been exhumed, excommunicated, and thrown into a sewer, which he sees as evidence that he was correct in recognizing the danger of her proto-Protestant beliefs. He declares, “I was just: I was merciful: I was faithful to my light: I could do no other than I did” (179). When he kneels to Joan after her canonization as a saint, he recognizes that she has accomplished exactly what he most feared: “[T]he girls in the field praise thee; for thou hast raised their eyes; and they see that there is nothing between them and heaven” (187). Cauchon serves as Joan’s major theological antagonist, refusing to be persuaded by her miracles or her honesty because he is so devoted to the Catholic Church’s authority and unity. While he has the capacity for horrific cruelty, Shaw depicts him as an honorable and honest man who is motivated by genuine conviction. Cauchon’s characterization indicates that Shaw sees persecution by fair and reasonable people to be more tragic and more frightening than persecution by corrupt criminals.