Joan of Arc, headstrong, blazes into her first battle at Orleans as General-in-Chief of the Armies of France with a relic sword she has no intention of using. Beside her is her childhood friend now standard bearer, the biggest loud-mouth story-embellishing peasant, nicknamed Paladin for his pompous aspirations. All around her are famed warriors, overwrought to obey the command from the coward King Charles VII—protect the seventeen-year-old peasant prophetess at all costs. What a name! What a story! What a mission! It might seem odd that these career warriors are following Joan in her first impetuous charge at Orleans and not the reverse, but Joan has been blessed with the one skill they as French commanders have lost—the wildfire ability to inspire men to fight for their dying nation.
Four generations of English occupation had besieged the spirit of every French soldier. In fact, the English and Burgundians taunted that the back of a Frenchman was the only sight an English soldier would face in battle. Most French loyalists had already admitted defeat and accepted the loss of their country with the death of King Charles VI. So, the betrayal of the queen in marrying her daughter to an English prince only made the English victory more discouragingly certain. Prince Charles VII, or “Dauphin” to Joan, was in hiding with treacherous advisors in place to keep him passive and immobile for the coming transfer of power. But this was not the plan of the Almighty.
Like the Almighty called Moses from a burning bush and spoke to Simon Peter and Saul of Tarsus by visions and voices, Joan of Arc wholly believes that she is divinely commissioned to deliver a message to the Dauphin (the next heir to be crowned King of France). Doubted and mocked, she persists without wavering. When her parents try to tie her down by having Paladin claim she has reneged on her promise to marry him—her first of many false accusations—she walks witty circles around him in court, and when her harrowing prophecies start coming true, one after another, her neigh-sayers are silenced. Word of this blazing patriot sent by the Almighty then spreads faster than horses can travel, and soon every cat, mare, and newborn daughter from her hometown, Domremy, are being named Joan in her honor.
After finishing this thrilling telling of history written by one of story’s best storytellers, I am left lauding Joan of Arc like the masses at Orleans. Joan of Arc, and specifically how Mark Twain presents her, has changed my definition of patriotism and challenged my definition of faithfulness. Small in stature, wise in speech, fearless in battle, perceptive in judging character, and forgiving when in position to injure others—even when she is betrayed by her king and country—Joan of Arc embodies the moral traits that I and my generation are in need of resuscitating.
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, as told from the exclusive perspective of her squire, Sieur Louis de Conte, as sourced from her court recorded testimony, and perhaps as embellished a bit by Mark Twain, needs no embellishing praise. Throughout the story you will witness the all too familiar struggles of warring nations under the grasp of treacherous politicians, of pompous church leaders pit against bickering scholars, and even amongst loyal friends and astonished family members. In the center of it all is Joan of Arc, who would rather obey the Almighty and serve her king than leverage her fame for her own benefit. She is as true to the end as I can only hope to be.
Keep reading great literature!
–JH
Top Photo Credit: Pixabay.com by JACLOU-DL Middle Photo Credit: All Rights Reserved by JosiahHutchison.com
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