Faith and Fate in Shaw's Saint Joan: A Literary Analysis
This essay examines the role of faith in George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan, focusing on how Joan of Arc's unwavering belief in God shapes every dimension of her character and story. Drawing on the text of the play and criticism by Harold Bloom and Louis Crompton, the paper argues that Joan's faith is the central motivating force in the drama — inspiring her to lead an army, convincing others to follow her, enabling miracles, and sustaining her through adversity and eventual martyrdom. The essay also considers Shaw's own motivations for writing the play in the aftermath of World War I, connecting his broader social concerns to Joan's spiritual convictions.
- Introduction: Joan's Faith as the Play's Central Force: Faith as Joan's core motivating force
- Faith as a Source of Leadership and Inspiration: How Joan's belief inspires followers
- Miracles, Faith, and Shaw's Definition of the Divine: Faith's role in producing miracles
- Faith in the Face of Adversity: Joan's unshaken conviction under pressure
- Shaw's Own Faith and Motivation for Writing: Shaw's post-WWI reasons for the play
- Conclusion: The Nature and Legacy of Joan's Belief: Faith as the foundation of Joan's character
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What makes this paper effective
- The essay maintains a clear, consistent thesis — that faith is the central motivating force in Joan's life — and returns to it in each body paragraph, giving the analysis strong structural coherence.
- The writer integrates primary source quotations from the play alongside secondary criticism by Harold Bloom and Louis Crompton, demonstrating the ability to synthesize multiple source types around a single interpretive argument.
- The paper contextualizes the play historically (Shaw writing after World War I, the Church's 1920 canonization), which adds depth without straying from the literary focus.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates thematic literary analysis: the writer identifies a single theme (faith) and traces it across multiple layers of the text — characterization, plot events, dialogue, and authorial intent — rather than summarizing the plot. Each paragraph isolates a distinct function of faith (inspiration, miracle-working, resilience, authorial motive), keeping the argument focused and progressive.
Structure breakdown
The essay opens with biographical and historical context before stating its thesis. Four body paragraphs each address a separate dimension of Joan's faith: its inspirational power over others, its connection to miracles, its role in sustaining Joan through adversity, and Shaw's own motivations. A brief conclusion restates the central claim and reflects on Joan's character. The structure is straightforward and suitable for an undergraduate literary analysis essay.
Introduction: Joan's Faith as the Play's Central Force
Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw dramatizes the story of Joan of Arc, the French female soldier who heard voices from God commanding her to help the French Dauphin — ultimately King Charles VII — drive the English out of France. Captured by the English, she is accused of witchcraft and sorcery and burned at the stake. She was only 19 years old at the time of her death, and the Catholic Church canonized her as a saint in 1920, which inspired Shaw to write the play in 1923. Joan's faith in her religion and in God is the major force that guides her life and her ultimate fate. Thus, her faith is the most motivational force in her life.
Faith, especially Joan's faith in God, is at the core of this dramatic play. It inspires her to lead an army, but more than that, it makes her believe anything is possible. At one point she says about going to war with the English, "I do not think it can be very difficult if God is on your side, and you are willing to put your life in His hand" (Shaw). Her faith is constant, and it guides every aspect of her life — from her decision to lead an army to her ultimate death at the hands of the English. Some people call her an "angel," while others see her as a miracle come true. All of this relates to her faith and her ability to lead others and to convince them of her belief in God.
References
Bloom, Harold. George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan. New York: Chelsea House, 1987.
Crompton, Louis. Shaw the Dramatist. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1969.
Peters, Julie Stone. "Joan of Arc Internationale: Shaw, Brecht, and the Law of Nations." Comparative Drama 38.4 (2004): 355+.
Shaw, George Bernard. "Saint Joan." Project Gutenberg Australia. 2002.
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