Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc, called La Pucelle (meaning "the Maiden") was a French peasant who lived from 1412 to May 31st of 1431 A.D. and experienced religious visions from the age of 12 or 13. These were generally described by her as "voices" (specifically those of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, and Saint Margaret of Antioch), though they usually took visual form as well, and sometimes consisted of dreams. In the last few years of her short life, she claimed that God chose her to save France from the English invaders, and used these visions to guide her.

At the age of seventeen, Joan convinced the Dauphin (French prince) to give her co-command of the army, which she used to lift the siege of the strategically-vital city of Orleans and to crown him King Charles VII in the traditionally- and religiously-vital city of Reims. At the age of eighteen, she was captured by hostile Burgundians while defending the city of Compiegne, sold to the English for a prince's ransom, and placed on trial for heresy. At the age of nineteen, she was declared guilty by the court (without the permission of the Pope) and burned at the stake.

The question of how Joan of Arc could have turned the course of the Hundred Years' War so swiftly and decisively has been answered by both supernatural (specifically Divine intervention) and mundane means. Regarding the latter, Joan of Arc scholar and Roman Catholic Sister-in-training Tia Michelle Pesando wrote:


 * "Joan's motivation kept her focus upon the overarching strategy necessary to complete her mission. Her's was not about conquest but about liberation; not a call to war but an end to war.


 * "God raised Joan of Arc up to her calling not because even a girl could accomplish the tasks He set for her, but because only a girl could; such was the value of femininity. She approached the Hundred Year's War with the attitude of one who had no desire to partake of it for its own sake, but rather to simply resolve it swiftly, decisively, and permanently." (Why GOD Doesn't Hate You, Ch. 5, p. 124)

Joan is a heroine of France and was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church in 1920. She is a Patron Saint not only of France, but also of martyrs, military personnel, captives, people ridiculed for their piety, those who are persecuted by the Church, and women who are part of volunteer emergency services.

Appearance in Disney Film
Joan of Arc is one of the only historical figures to be specifically referenced in a Disney Princess movie. During the "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" sequence of Frozen, Princess Anna of Arendelle sings that she is so lonely she has started speaking to the pictures on the walls. To emphasize this (or perhaps to show her support) Anna plops down on a small chesterfield and points at a painting of Joan of Arc, to which she interrupts her song to say, "Hang in there, Joan!" This provides an early means by which to establish the loyal and supportive qualities of her character, and also gives the audience hope that she will later finally understand Elsa's plight. For the time being Elsa remains to Anna like Joan's saintly voices in Heaven; heard more often than seen, and possessing secrets unknown to her.

In the French version, Anna says, "Salut, Jeanne d'Arc!" The salute is a gesture meaning "I respect you". This respect likely stems from the facts of history she knows and from the intimate relationship she has developed with all the subjects of the paintings which she has had ample opportunity to study in the castle's cloister. However, in the French language, "Salut" has become a simple greeting, and Anna only uses the word in the French version of the film.

Other Possible Influence


The image of Joan of Arc as an armored girl leading soldiers into battle has become quite iconic. It may have inspired Alice's doing likewise in the 2010 film Alice in Wonderland, directed by Tim Burton. However, unlike Alice, Joan took care not to kill anyone herself (whether or not she would have made an exception of a vicious dragon is unknown).

Trivia

 * Along with the Duke of Burgundy, one of the primary attackers of Compiegne (and thus indirectly partially responsible for Joan of Arc's capture) was the Earl of Arundel (as opposed to Arendelle).
 * Joan of Arc supposedly did pose for one portrait during her lifetime (though she herself denied doing so, she did say that she saw one image of herself apparently painted by a Scotsman), but sadly it has been lost. It would not have looked like the one in Frozen, however, as Joan never used a shield and would have insisted on displaying her banner (which bore the image of the Risen Christ flanked by angels and the words "JESUS MARIA") if at all possible. At her trial, Joan stated that she preferred her banner "forty times more" than her sword.
 * The absence of this banner may have been due to Frozen's intentional omission/removal of Christian imagery (though the opening song is in part a Christian hymn).
 * She may have been chosen for representation because she is a positive role model for girls. Joan seems outwardly similar to Mulan, however she has several advantages, which include:
 * While both Joan and Mulan found it necessary to run away from home, Joan never needed to disguise her gender. In fact, Joan openly reminded everyone of her gender by showing her face and always calling herself "the Maiden".
 * Mulan had a much longer career in the military than Joan. However, Mulan was just a soldier while Joan of Arc actually co-commanded the French army. This was due to the people's faith and a prophecy circulating at that time which stated that a Maid from Lorraine would save France.
 * Joan of Arc took her orders from God more than anyone else, and this gave her authority to advise and/or criticise even the most high-ranking mortal men.
 * Despite being a warrior (albeit one who refused to kill), Joan was also a sensitive lady, who due to her position was able to influence her troops so that they would not swear, gamble, plunder, or engage in other improper activities. She also wept even for the enemy and insisted that they be shown every proper decency and honour.
 * Neither Joan nor Mulan was of royal blood, but Jesus Christ was at times referred to as Joan of Arc's Spouse due to her perpetual virginity....
 * Joan of Arc was from the Duchy of Lorraine, as was Georges de la Tour. One of Tour's most famous works was Penitent Magdalen and the Smoking Flame, to which another Disney Princess sang. However, instead of offering it greeting or reassurance as Anna did, Ariel asked the painting in her film the question: "What's a fire and why does it (what's the word) burn?"
 * In The Muppet Show episode 202, when Kermit told Miss Piggy that he got a part for her to play, one of the guesses she wondered is Joan of Arc.