Joan of Arc Notes, Summary & Questions - Class 10 SSC
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This chapter is a historical play written by the famous Irish playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw. It portrays the brave and confident peasant girl Joan of Arc who meets military captain Robert de Baudricourt to ask for soldiers to free Orleans.
About the author
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was an Irish playwright and critic who wrote over sixty plays, including major works like Man and Superman, Pygmalion, and Saint Joan. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925.
Summary
The play is set during the Hundred Years War between England and France in the year 1429. Much of France is under foreign control, and the city of Orleans is held by the English while the Dauphin remains inactive in Chinon.
A seventeen-year-old peasant girl named Joan enters the courtyard and boldly demands a horse, armour, and a few soldiers from Captain Robert de Baudricourt so she can meet the Dauphin and free Orleans.
Initially, Captain Robert thinks the girl is crazy and orders his steward to throw her out. However, Joan is completely fearless, confident, and explains that she has already arranged for men like Polly (Poulengey) and Jack to accompany her.
Captain Robert discusses the matter with Bertrand de Poulengey, who feels there is something special about the girl and believes she is their last chance. Persuaded by Poulengey's support and Joan's unwavering faith, Robert finally gives in, allowing her to go to Chinon in soldier's dress.
Mind map
Joan of Arc
- Setting
- Hundred Years War (1337-1453)
- Year 1429, northern France under foreign control
- Main Characters
- Joan: 17-year-old brave peasant girl
- Captain Robert de Baudricourt
- Bertrand de Poulengey (Polly) and Steward
- Joan's Demands
- A horse and soldier's armour
- Permission to meet the Dauphin and free Orleans
- Turning Point
- Poulengey supports Joan's mission
- Robert agrees and lets her go to Chinon
Sequence of Events
- Captain Robert instructs his steward to throw Joan out.
- Joan enters confidently and asks for a horse, armour, and soldiers to see the Dauphin.
- Robert calls her mad, but Joan calmly explains her plan and names the men willing to help.
- Robert calls in Poulengey to discuss Joan's bizarre request.
- Poulengey convinces Robert that Joan might be their final chance.
- Robert re-interrogates Joan, who displays immense faith and patriotism.
- Convinced by her spirit, Robert grants her request and sends her to Chinon.
Characters
| Character | Traits |
|---|---|
| Joan of Arc | Fearless, highly confident, optimistic, patriotic, deeply faithful, and determined. |
| Captain Robert de Baudricourt | Short-tempered, skeptical, practical, but eventually willing to take a bold chance. |
| Bertrand de Poulengey (Polly) | Observant, open-minded, supportive of Joan, and recognizes her special quality. |
Themes and message
Faith and Miracles
Joan believes that nothing is difficult if God is on one's side, turning ordinary human will into a miracle.
Patriotism and Leadership
Joan wants to inspire French soldiers to stop running away and fight unitedly to save their country.
Key points to remember
- The war between England and France lasted from 1337 to 1453.
- Joan was a young country girl of 17 to 18 years from Lorraine.
- The Dauphin had taken refuge in Chinon like a rat in a corner.
- Robert finally washed his hands of the matter and let Joan go to Chinon.
Word meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Armour | Protective clothing of metal or leather worn in battles (सुरक्षित धातूचे वा कातडी कवच) |
| Squire | A person of high rank / military officer (उच्च पदस्थ व्यक्ती) |
| Blockhead | A stupid person (मूर्ख व्यक्ती) |
| Cowed | Frightened or subdued (घाबरलेला) |
| Plundering | Looting or stealing during war (लूटमार करणे) |
| Obstinately | In a stubborn and firm manner (हट्टीपणाने) |
| Wavering | Hesitating or being undecided (तटस्थ / संभ्रमात पडलेला) |
| Siege | Surrounding a place from all sides and attacking (वेढा) |
Important questions and answers
Q1. Why did Joan want to meet Captain Squire Robert de Baudricourt?
Joan wanted to meet Captain Squire to ask him for a horse, armour, and a few soldiers so that she could go to the Dauphin and free Orleans.
Q2. Why were the French soldiers always beaten in the war according to Joan?
According to Joan, the French soldiers were always beaten because they were fighting only to save their skins, and running away was the shortest way to save their lives.
Q3. What made Captain Robert finally agree to Joan's plan?
Poulengey convinced Robert that the troops might be inspired by Joan's words and that she was their last chance. Seeing her unwavering determination, Robert finally agreed.
Q4. What shows that Joan was a person of immense faith?
When Robert asked Joan if she thought raising a siege was easy, she replied that soldiering cannot be very difficult if God is on your side, showing her immense faith.
Q5. What was Poulengey's opinion about Joan?
Poulengey felt that there was something special about Joan, that she herself was a bit of a miracle, and that she was their last chance to save France.
Q6. Make the following sentence affirmative without changing its meaning: 'I don’t remember.'
I forget.
Q7. Make the following sentence affirmative without changing its meaning: 'I can do no more.'
I fail to remember.
Q8. What dress did Joan ask for before leaving for Chinon?
I have done all I can do.
Exam tips
- Memorize the meanings of difficult glossary words like 'armour', 'cowed', 'plundering', and 'obstinately' for vocabulary based questions.
- Practice changing negative sentences into affirmative sentences as tested in the English Workshop exercises.
- Pay attention to character traits with textual evidence to easily answer character-sketch questions.
FAQs
Who is the author of the play Joan of Arc?
The play is written by the famous Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.
What historical war forms the background of this chapter?
The Hundred Years War fought between England and France from 1337 to 1453 forms the historical background.
Where did the Dauphin take refuge during the war?
The Dauphin took refuge in Chinon.
These notes were prepared with AI help from the Balbharati English Kumarbharati textbook (2026-27) and fact-checked against it.
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