A Change Of Heart In The Film Joan Of Arc

A Change Of Heart During the Middle Ages, women were considered of little value from birth all through adulthood. Fathers’ did not want to raise daughters because they could not work the land like sons or continue the family name. Due to this, women regarded as useless except for housework and cooking. Females were also expected to remain silent unless spoken too and respect the men in their lives. Joan, the main character of the film Joan of Arc lived amidst this mindset in France thru the 1400s. Joan believed she was sent by God to liberate France from the English. Many people perceived different feelings towards Joan and what she stood for. Throughout the film of Joan of Arc, John a knight and vassal to Sir Robert shows various emotions towards Joan and her beliefs. In the beginning of the movie, John does not believe Joan’s visions. When John first meets stowaway Joan at Sir Robert’s castle, he immediately asks if she is attempting to be a “plaything” for the soldiers. Then, he sarcastically responds, “Needs you?”
As Joan, John, and the rest of the knights are traveling to Chinon, they come across a burning village where Joan talks to Saint Catherine. At this point, John blatantly says to Joan, “I’m not part of your fantasy.” This blow to Joan’s ego shows two things; that John is not planning on staying with her in Chinon and that her calling from God is a figment of her imagination. John also feels that Joan is stubborn, overly confident, and is not very modest. John later tells Joan the only reason he agreed to accompany her was he felt he owed it to her for her effort. In Chinon, John repeats what Joan said earlier on in the film, “I’m going to take it as it comes.” This statement is the turning point of John’s feeling towards Joan’s mission. It indicates that John plans to stay with Joan. Lastly, John begins to fall in love with the girl in armor,