Saint Joan

Using the fantastical premise of a shared dream and afterlife vision, the Epilogue of Saint Joan makes clear the connections between the 15th-century world on stage and the 20th-century world in which the play was written. This scene argues forcefully that persecution is not merely a relic of the so-called “Dark Ages,” and even though Joan will be remembered as a hero, an innocent victim, and eventually, as a saint, her defiant reliance on her own individual judgment rather than any worldly authority would still result in persecution and rejection if she were alive again. The beginning of the scene establishes Joan’s retrial, which posthumously cleared her of the conviction of heresy, but then transitions into a dream-like vision wherein Joan appears and interacts with all the other characters in the play, showing how she has impacted their lives and how her legacy has been interpreted. Many of them are grateful to Joan, especially Stogumber, who credits his salvation with the realization he had while watching her burn to death. While others like Cauchon and Dunois remain convinced that they acted as they ought to, all of them are moved to bow before Joan when a man from 1920 appears to announce that she has become a saint. The contrast of costumes adds to the surreal quality of the scene—the stage directions stating that “a clerical-looking gentleman in black frockcoat and trousers, and tall hat, in the fashion of the year 1920, suddenly appears before them in the corner on their right. They all stare at him. Then they burst into uncontrollable laughter” (184). However, the contrast of costumes also serves Shaw’s larger point: If Joan were alive in the present day, she would be persecuted just as she was in the 15th century.

While many of Joan’s ideological commitments have been vindicated by history, Protestantism becoming a massive sect of Christianity and Nationalism becoming a common political sentiment, the ending of the play nevertheless suggests that Joan would not be welcomed by contemporary society. When she asks, having realized that she can perform miracles now that she is a saint, “[S]hall I rise from the dead, and come back to you a living woman?” (187), the other characters all object. Cauchon tells Joan that “mortal eyes cannot distinguish the saint from the heretic. Spare them,” (188). Even the “clerical-looking gentleman” from 1920 leaves with a comically ambiguous response: “[T]he possibility of your resurrection was not contemplated in the recent proceedings for your canonization. I must return to Rome for fresh instructions” (188). The English soldier is the only one to remain, not because he is more devout or religious than the other characters, but because he is a commoner and feels a sense of solidarity with Joan. He seems about to explain himself further, but the bell summons him back to hell. The play ends ambiguously with a question directed to God, but also to the audience. Joan wonders when the world will be ready for her, but she receives no answer. This Epilogue breaks down the barriers in time to support Shaw’s point that society has not changed so significantly since the medieval persecution of Joan. While Joan’s reputation has improved, the social system remains intolerant of individuals who will not submit to authority.