Saint Joan (Dramatised) characters

Appears from the start

A teenage peasant from Domremy who arrives at Vaucouleurs certain that Saints Catherine and Margaret, together with the archangel Michael, have ordered her to relieve Orleans and see the Dauphin crowned. Direct, practical, and unwavering, she treats a military campaign as an obvious duty and expects soldiers and nobles to recognize the same necessity.

Also known as Robert

Appears from the start

The military commander at Vaucouleurs. Initially exasperated by Joan's repeated requests for armor, a horse, and an escort to the Dauphin, he questions her companions and tests her confidence before allowing her mission to proceed.

Also known as Polly

Appears from the start

A local gentleman and soldier who believes Joan's account of her calling. He supports her request to travel to the Dauphin and is willing to accompany her despite Robert's initial skepticism.

Also known as The Dauphin

First appears in chapter 2

The uncrowned French heir, uncertain of his legitimacy and intimidated by the debts, courtiers, and military failures surrounding him. He hides among his nobles to test Joan, but her confidence offers him a way to imagine exercising authority rather than avoiding it.

First appears in chapter 2

A senior churchman at the Dauphin's court. Politically cautious and conscious of the Church's authority, he is impressed by Joan's force but wary of accepting a private revelation without examination.

Also known as The Bastard of Orleans

First appears in chapter 3

The experienced French commander directing the defense of Orleans. He respects military realities and initially regards Joan as an untrained enthusiast, but he listens when her confidence and the changing conditions give the army a chance to act.

Also known as Peter Cauchon

First appears in chapter 4

The Bishop of Beauvais, a learned churchman aligned with the English cause. He regards Joan's insistence on answering directly to her voices as a threat to the Church's universal authority and argues that she must be judged for heresy rather than treated merely as a military enemy.

Also known as Richard de Beauchamp

First appears in chapter 4

The English Earl of Warwick, a courteous but determined political opponent of Joan. He sees her appeal to a united France under its king as dangerous to the feudal order as well as to English power and seeks a lawful means to remove her.

Also known as John de Stogumber

First appears in chapter 4

An English chaplain whose national hatred of Joan is more emotional than theological. He demands punishment in the language of religion while showing little interest in the careful distinctions Cauchon makes about heresy.

First appears in chapter 2

A powerful French noble and soldier at Charles's court. Concerned with practical alliances and his own influence, he has little patience for Joan's certainty or for policies that threaten established interests.

First appears in chapter 6

The Dominican official who directs Joan's examination at Rouen. Intellectually disciplined and experienced in heresy trials, he presents the court as an effort to return an erring Christian to obedience while steadily narrowing the choices available to her.

First appears in chapter 6

A Dominican friar who assists at Joan's trial and attends her at the execution. He is part of the judging institution but shows personal concern for her soul and tries to make the consequences of her choices clear.

First appears in chapter 6

An ordinary English soldier present at Joan's execution. His brief act of pity stands apart from the political and theological arguments made by his superiors.