![]() She is a woman, yet she acts like she is a soldier and refuses to do the things that are expected of her, such as getting married and listening to what men say to her. Joan is a very strange character for her age. Joan dies because she ends up caught in the middle of power struggles, and many people are willing to let her burn even though they know she is innocent. As a whole, the play depicts power as a force that motivates people to do whatever is necessary. Both men are fearful of Joan because she has the potential to disrupt their hold on power, but they strive for power in different ways. ![]() Power also plays out in other ways: for example, Warwick and Cauchon spar over the powers of the Church and feudal lords. The whole play presents the struggle for power in the fight between the French and the Englishmen. What other characters misinterpret as pride is actually Joan's self-assuredness and her devout faith in God's plan. She even sees herself as capable of giving advice to the Dauphin. In a time when both gender and class norms would have suggested that she consider herself far below the powerful men she interacts with, Joan is not afraid to stand up for herself and ask to be taken seriously. While Joan does not seem to think she is better than anyone else, she also does not question that she has the right to serve in God's plan. ![]() It was shocking for a young woman from a humble background to show so much confidence, and to see herself as worthy of being God's messenger. ![]() Joan is repeatedly cautioned that she may be guilty of the sin of pride. ![]()
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