Table of contents
1. Introduction 1
2. Joan of Arc, the historical figure 2
3. Brief biography of Schiller and Shaw 3
George Bernard Shaw 3
Friedrich Schiller 4
4. Summary of the two plots 5
G.B. Shaw´s “Saint Joan” 5
Friedrich Schiller´s “The Maid of Orleans” 6
5. Analysis 8
Joan´s outward appearance 8
Joan´s voices and visions 9
Joan´s mission 10
Joan´s downfall 11
6. Shaw´s basic ideas and his criticism on Schiller´s play 13
7. Conclusion 15
8. Bibliography 17
Introduction
I write this essay within the scope of the seminar „History, Religion and the Modern Drama”. The drama “Saint Joan” by George Bernard Shaw was one of the major works we took a closer look at in the course of the semester and analysed from different points of view. The tragic work, which has been considered one of Shaw’s greatest and most important ones, has been hailed as being intellectually exciting and praised for dealing with important themes as nationalism, war, and the relation of the individual to society. The play certainly solidified Shaw's reputation as a major playwright.
Without any doubt “Saint Joan” is a very complex work, which offers a wide range of aspects open to interpretation. I decided to focus on the way Shaw depicts the character of Joan, because - apart from the historically picture of her person and the circumstances of her time - Shaw manages to interlace his own ideas on progress, nationalism and religion into the character of Joan. Therefore analysing her person and the role she fulfils within the drama is of central importance to get access to Shaw’s main ideas. Aside from the analysis of Joan’s character in G. B. Shaw’s drama, I decided to draw a comparison between Shaw´s main figure and the way Friedrich Schiller portrays the character of Johanna in his work “The Maid of Orleans”, which appeared at the beginning of the 19th century. Even though these two works both deal with the historical figure Joan of Arc, there are some huge differences not only concerning the portrayal of the historical events, but excessively so concerning the depiction of Joan’s character. These distinctions can certainly be ascribed to the particular features of Romanticism on the one hand, which is at the core of Schiller´s work, and early Modernism on the other hand, which is at the bottom of Shaw’s drama.
Table of Contents
- INTRODUCTION
- JOAN OF ARC, THE HISTORICAL FIGURE
- BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF SHAW AND SCHILLER
- George Bernard Shaw
- Friedrich Schiller
- SUMMARY OF THE TWO PLOTS
- G.B. Shaw's „Saint Joan“
- Friedrich Schiller´s „The Maid of Orleans“
- ANALYSIS
- Joan's outward appearance
- Joan's voices and visions
- Joan's mission
- Joan's downfall
- SHAW'S BASIC IDEAS AND HIS CRITICISM ON SCHILLER'S PLAY
- CONCLUSION
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay aims to analyze George Bernard Shaw's portrayal of Joan of Arc in "Saint Joan" and compare it to Friedrich Schiller's depiction in "The Maid of Orleans." The essay explores how each playwright uses the historical figure to express their own views on themes such as nationalism, religion, and the individual's relationship to society. The comparison also considers the influence of Romanticism and Modernism on their respective interpretations.
- A comparative analysis of Joan of Arc's portrayal in Shaw and Schiller's plays.
- Examination of the influence of historical context on the characterization of Joan of Arc.
- Exploration of Shaw's critique of Schiller's work and underlying ideologies.
- Analysis of the contrasting artistic styles of Romanticism and Modernism in the plays.
- Discussion of themes of nationalism, religion, and the individual's place in society.
Chapter Summaries
1. INTRODUCTION: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the essay, explaining its context within a seminar on history, religion, and modern drama. It highlights "Saint Joan" as a complex work rich in interpretable aspects, focusing specifically on Shaw's depiction of Joan and her role in conveying his ideas about progress, nationalism, and religion. The essay also announces a comparative analysis with Schiller's "The Maid of Orleans," contrasting the portrayals of Joan and highlighting the influence of Romanticism and Modernism on their respective artistic styles. The chapter outlines the essay's structure, promising an exploration of the historical Joan of Arc, brief biographies of Shaw and Schiller, plot summaries, a comparative analysis of central ideas, and a conclusion.
2. JOAN OF ARC, THE HISTORICAL FIGURE: This chapter provides essential historical background on Joan of Arc, situating her within the context of the Hundred Years' War between England and France. It details Joan's life, from her early age and hearing of divine voices to her crucial role in lifting the siege of Orleans, her participation in the coronation of Charles VII, her capture, trial, execution, and eventual canonization. The chapter emphasizes the historical context shaping her actions and the legacy of her life as a source of inspiration for many playwrights.
3. BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF SHAW AND SCHILLER: This chapter offers concise biographies of George Bernard Shaw and Friedrich Schiller, exploring their lives and influences. For Shaw, it highlights his Irish upbringing, socialist leanings through his involvement with the Fabian Society, his prolific writing career, the success of plays like "Pygmalion," and his eventual Nobel Prize. The chapter then emphasizes Shaw’s commitment to social commentary. The biography of Schiller (though brief in the source text) will provide context for understanding his artistic approach and how it might have shaped his portrayal of Joan of Arc. This section establishes a biographical foundation for understanding the authors' perspectives as they approach the subject matter.
4. SUMMARY OF THE TWO PLOTS: This chapter provides concise summaries of both "Saint Joan" and "The Maid of Orleans," focusing on the main events and Joan's role in each narrative. This lays the groundwork for a subsequent comparative analysis of both playwrights' interpretations of Joan's character and actions. The summaries will highlight plot differences and provide context for understanding the different perspectives and motivations of the authors. The summaries should contrast the different thematic and stylistic approaches of each playwright, giving a flavor of the overall narrative of each work.
5. ANALYSIS: This chapter delves into a detailed comparison of Shaw's and Schiller's depictions of Joan of Arc, examining her outward appearance, voices and visions, mission, and downfall. It analyzes how each playwright interprets these aspects, highlighting the similarities and differences in their approaches, and relating these differences to the broader contexts of Romanticism and Modernism. The comparison will offer significant insight into how each author interprets Joan's character and its significance within their respective works. The chapter will emphasize what specific aspects of Joan each author chooses to highlight and what implicit messages are contained within this selection.
Keywords
Joan of Arc, George Bernard Shaw, Friedrich Schiller, Saint Joan, The Maid of Orleans, Romanticism, Modernism, Nationalism, Religion, Historical Drama, Comparative Literature, Character Analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comparative Analysis of Shaw's "Saint Joan" and Schiller's "The Maid of Orleans"
What is the main focus of this essay?
This essay analyzes and compares George Bernard Shaw's portrayal of Joan of Arc in "Saint Joan" with Friedrich Schiller's depiction in "The Maid of Orleans." It explores how each playwright uses the historical figure to express their views on nationalism, religion, and the individual's relationship to society, considering the influence of Romanticism and Modernism.
What are the key themes explored in the essay?
The essay explores themes of nationalism, religion, and the individual's relationship to society. It also examines the influence of historical context, the contrasting artistic styles of Romanticism and Modernism, and Shaw's critique of Schiller's work.
What is included in the Table of Contents?
The Table of Contents includes an introduction, sections on Joan of Arc as a historical figure and brief biographies of Shaw and Schiller, summaries of both plays' plots, a comparative analysis of the plays focusing on Joan's portrayal, Shaw's critique of Schiller's play, and a conclusion.
What aspects of Joan of Arc's character are analyzed?
The analysis delves into Joan's outward appearance, her voices and visions, her mission, and her downfall, comparing how Shaw and Schiller interpret and present these aspects.
How does the essay compare Shaw and Schiller's approaches?
The essay compares Shaw and Schiller's portrayals of Joan, highlighting similarities and differences in their approaches. These differences are related to the broader contexts of Romanticism and Modernism, offering insight into how each author interprets Joan's character and its significance.
What historical context is provided?
The essay provides historical background on Joan of Arc, situating her within the Hundred Years' War and detailing her life from her early experiences to her execution and eventual canonization. It also includes brief biographies of Shaw and Schiller, highlighting their lives, influences, and artistic approaches.
What is the purpose of summarizing the plots of both plays?
The concise summaries of "Saint Joan" and "The Maid of Orleans" lay the groundwork for the comparative analysis, highlighting plot differences and providing context for understanding the authors' different perspectives and motivations.
What are the key takeaways from the chapter summaries?
The chapter summaries provide an overview of the essay's structure and content. They highlight the introduction's purpose, the historical context of Joan of Arc, biographical information on Shaw and Schiller, plot summaries, comparative analysis, and concluding remarks. Each chapter summary offers specific details about its respective focus.
What keywords are associated with this essay?
Keywords include: Joan of Arc, George Bernard Shaw, Friedrich Schiller, Saint Joan, The Maid of Orleans, Romanticism, Modernism, Nationalism, Religion, Historical Drama, Comparative Literature, Character Analysis.
- Quote paper
- Alexandra Stoichita (Author), 2007, Joan of Arc in G.B. Shaw´s "Saint Joan" and Friedrich Schiller´s "The Maid of Orleans", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/87049
