katiesmom

1. Bibliography

Stanley, Diane. 1998. Joan of Arc. New York: Morrow. ISBN0-688-14300-X

2. Plot summary

It is the year 1412 and the Hundred Years’ War between England and France has been raging for 75 years. In a small village, in an area of France loyal to Charles VII, an illiterate peasant girl is born. Her parents name her Jeanette but she will come to be known as Joan of Arc, the savior of France. At thirteen Joan begins to hear voices and have visions of the saints. At first the saints talk to her of simple things, but as she grows older they tell her God has a mission for her. The mission; she must convince Charles VII to go with her to the cathedral at Reims to be crowned King of France. Soon she has an army at her disposal and she leads them to many victories in battle. Unfortunately, when Charles VII is crowned king, he unknowingly betrays Joan to the Duke of Burgundy, a powerful French nobleman who has sided with the English. Joan is captured, tortured, and tried as a heretic. She is burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. Ultimately, Charles VII obtains a transcript of Joan’s trial and realizes she was falsely accused and executed. He exonerates her on July 7, 1456 and in 1920 Joan of Arc is declared a saint by the Catholic Church.

3. Critical analysis

Stanley begins her biography of Joan of Arc with a short exposition of the Hundred Years’ War and the role of the Catholic Church during that period in history. It is important according to Stanley to understand the events and beliefs of the times in order to remain true to the reality of Joan of Arc. Stanley writes about the person Joan of Arc; “an ordinary peasant child, sunburned and strong” (Stanley, 5). Her life begins much the same as any other peasant girl in fifteenth century France. She learns to spin and sew. Her education consists of saying her prayers and understanding the teachings of the Church. Like most people of that time Joan cannot read or write. Up until the age of thirteen Joan is a normal girl; perhaps more pious than her friends, but still not extraordinary. Even when she begins to hear voices and have visions of the saints she is not considered terribly unusual because as Stanley points out, “it is important to remember that (Joan) lived in the Middle Ages, a time when educated people believed in fairies, curses, prophecies, witches, and magic” (Stanley, 7). What is extraordinary, and makes Joan of Arc worth reading about, is that a young girl, living during a time when women were not allowed to vote or own property, convinces Charles VII that God has told her she must escort him to the cathedral at Reims to be crowned King in order to end the terrible war that has ravaged France. At not yet 20, Joan is given an army to lead and succeeds in fighting off French and British soldiers who try to stop her and her army from reaching Reims. Her life ends tragically when she is captured by the opposing French forces and burned at the stake for heresy. However, her death rallies the French to finally unite and expel the British from France, thus ending the Hundred Years’ War. Seven to twelve year olds will enjoy reading this biography of JOAN OF ARC and appreciate the full-page acrylic illustrations included throughout the book that visually tell Joan’s story. Stanley concludes her biography of Joan of Arc with a few words about Joan of Arc’s trial for heresy. We know of Joan through the transcripts of this trial; “a first-person account of her childhood, her visions, and her extraordinary career…Because of these…documents, we know more about Joan of Arc than about any other woman who lived before modern times” (Stanley, 40).

4. Review excerpts

 

Publishers Weekly: “Appealing to the audience’s intelligence and imagination, this book stimulates an interest in its particular subject, Joan of Arc, and history in general.”

School Library Journal: Grade 4-7-This magnificent picture book exemplifies the author’s talent for historical research, skill in writing clear and interesting prose, and ability to adopt different art styles and techniques appropriate to her subject. Joan of Arc’s story is both history and mystery. How a peasant girl living in a class-structured century, a female in a man’s world of war and politics, an unlettered visionary in a church-dominated society could change the course of history has been an ever-intriguing puzzle. Stanley finds answers in Joan’s own words spoken before the Inquisition during her trial for heresy and in the 115 eyewitness accounts recorded in the Trial of Rehabilitation held after her martyrdom. From these 15th-century documents and other sources, the author weaves an absorbing and convincing story of a naive, brave, and driven young woman willing to face death to accomplish God’s will as she heard it in her “voices.” Stanley does not answer the question of whether Joan’s role was divine or human in origin, concluding, “Sometimes, in studying history, we have to accept what we know and let the rest remain a mystery.” The meticulously designed pages and colorful, decoratively framed illustrations are full of details from Joan’s era. Decorative banners, costumes, scenes with crowds of soldiers and nobles, rooms with patterned floors, and gabled houses and crenellated castles reflect the bright world of the Flemish art of the late Middle Ages. Joan is pictured as young and serene, an innocent child among a throng of cynical warriors and disapproving priests. This narrative description of the greatest of French saints is a work of art, a good story, and a model of historical writing.”

5. Connections

The story of Joan of Arc would make excellent reader’s theater and an interesting and verifiable addition to the study of the role of women and the Church during the Middle Ages.

 

Trackback URI | Comments RSS