Scene I

Summary
The scene takes place in the spring of the year 1429 A.D. in the castle of Captain
Robert de Baudricourt, a "handsome and physically energetic" man with "no will of
his own." Sir Robert is blustering about because there are no eggs. His steward
maintains that it is an "act of God" and that the hens will not lay because "there
is a spell on us: we are bewitched . . . as long as The Maid is at the door." Sir
Robert is thunderstruck that The Maid from Lorraine is still outside because he
dismissed her two days ago, but we hear that she will not leave ("she is so
positive") until Sir Robert grants her an interview. In a blustering manner, he
goes to the window and orders her to come up.

When Joan enters, she is seen to be a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old able-bodied

country girl. She immediately informs Sir Robert that he is ordered to give her a
horse, armor, and some soldiers, and that he must send her to the Dauphin. Sir
Robert is offended that anyone would dare to give him orders, and he is astonished
to find out that the "lord" who sent the orders is the "Lord of Heaven." He
immediately assumes that the girl is mad. She then tells him exactly the costs of
the armor and the horses and that she will not need many soldiers because the
Dauphin will provide her with enough soldiers to "raise the siege of Orleans." The
voices of Saints Catherine and Margaret have spoken to her and told her that this
is to be so. Furthermore, she lets Sir Robert know that some of his noblemen, such
as Bertrand de Poulengey (Polly) is anxious to go with her. Hearing this, Sir
Robert dismisses The Maid and sends for "Polly."
Sir Robert first chastises Polly about a possible sexual liaison, but he is
completely assured that nothing of the sort exists. Nevertheless, The Maid, states
Sir Robert, is a "country girl," a "bourgeoise," and is apparently mad. Poulengey,
however, reviews the military position: The English (along with their French
allies, the Burgundians) hold over half of France; the Dauphin is trapped "like a
rat in a corner" and does nothing; even The Bastard (Dunois) cannot save Orleans;
thus, what is needed is a miracle: As Poulengey says, "We want a few mad people
now. See where the sane ones have landed us!" When Poulengey volunteers to pay for
the horse, Sir Robert begins to waver and thus sends once more for The Maid.

When questioned, Joan maintains that she is following the instructions of her
"voices" (which she will not further discuss) which tell her that the English "are
only men" and that they must be forced to return to "their own country and their
own language." She asserts that Sir Robert will live to see the day "when there
will not be an English soldier on the soil of France" and when there will be one
king — "God's French one."
Sir Robert is finally convinced; he believes that the troops and, ultimately, the
Dauphin "might swallow" Joan's conviction and her dedication; maybe even the
Dauphin might take courage from Joan's determination. At least, it is worth a try.
He thus orders Joan to go to Chinon under Poulengey's escort; she is given a
soldier's armor, and she dashes off ecstatically. Sir Robert then admits that
"There is something about her." The scene ends with the hens "laying like mad."