A Comparative Analysis of Joan of Arc's Biography and Documentary

This report analyzes Stephen Wesley Richey's biography "Joan of Arc: The Warrior Saint" and a BBC documentary about Joan of Arc. The report examines Richey's focus on Joan's military career, her impact on French morale, and her charismatic personality. It also compares the book's perspective with the documentary's, highlighting points of agreement and divergence regarding Joan's divine voices and her meeting with Dauphin Charles. The report agrees with Richey's portrayal of Joan's military achievements and her intuitive genius for war tactics, emphasizing the book's use of maps and illustrations. The report underscores Joan's transformation from a peasant girl to a battle commander and her significant role in the civil war. The analysis provides insights into Joan's heroic role, the historical context of the Hundred Years' War, and her lasting influence as a historical figure. This report is a valuable resource for students studying Western Civilization and history, offering a comparative analysis and critical evaluation of the provided sources.

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biography Western Civilization
The heroic figure of Joan of Arc, from medieval France, remains a legend. Her
biography” Joan of Arc: The Warrior Saint” by Stephen Wesley Richey presents a unique look at
the life of this remarkable woman. The author is a freelance researcher who was born in New
York and served a military career. The biography of Joan of Arc covers her story, her military
career and how she raised the French morale. The author focuses on her military career instead
of just giving the personal details of her life. The book is informative of Joan and is easy to
follow and understand because of the use of simple language.
Stephen Wesley Richey draws attention to certain aspects of Joan ‘s life. For example,
firstly, why would the educated class of Europe pay attention to what an uneducated peasant girl
was saying Secondly, he draws attention to the physical appearance of Joan and describes her as
a pretty woman with a cheerful face who eats and drinks very little, likes horse riding and enjoys
the company of noble fighting soldiers (Richey 106). Lastly, he draws attention to the
remarkable marital achievements of the young girl (Richey 12). The strength of this biography
lies in exploring the soldier in Joan of Arc and her military career.
A video (YouTube) offers a documentary on Joan of Arc and talks about how Joan has
inspired many writers to write about her and fueled more propaganda than any other historical
figure. Thousands of books have been written about her, and the evidence of Joan’s life story
comes from the chronicles hundreds of years of war, that were written decades after the events.

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The video agrees with Stephen Wesley Richey about the heroic role played by Joan in the civil
war and the divine voices she heard. Another aspect that the video agrees upon with Richey is
how the English controlled almost entire north of France along with their Burgundian allies
(Richey 1). Dauphin Charles, the weak and uncrowned King of France ruled from the town of
Chinon.
While Stephen Wesley Richey does not question the divine voices heard by Joan and her
mission of saving France under her sire, God’s, order, the BBC video questions the mystical
communications she had with God or the nature of those mystical voices that is seen as a
political one. Both the book and the video on Joan of Arc mention Joan’s first meeting with
Dauphin Charles. While Stephen Wesley Richey writes about the difficulties, she faced to meet
Dauphin in his castle and was made to wait for several days. The BBC video mentions here
meeting with Dauphin as a miracle as although he was hiding among his courtiers; she
recognizes him (YouTube). However, Stephen Wesley Richey makes no such mention. In his
book, Joan is questioned by the advisers of the King for two or three days before they allow her
to see him (Richey 31).
I agree with the author on the points he makes about Joan of Arc and her almost
impossible military feats. It is indeed impressive to know as to how an ordinary peasant girl
matured into a battle commander and gave direction for the battlefield. Richey’s book on her
offers insight into her charismatic personality and her intuitive genius for war tactics. The use of
maps and illustrations adds to the credibility of the biography.

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Works Cited
Richey, Stephen W. "Joan of Arc: The Warrior Saint." Greenwood Publishing Group, vol. 1, no.
1, 2003, pp. 1-175.
YouTube. “BBC - Biography Of Joan Of Arc - History Discovery Life (full documentary).”
BBC, 17 Jan. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgjgRHkxHCc. Accessed 3 Feb. 2019