To understand Joan of Arc—the Maid of Orléans—one must reconcile two seemingly contradictory forces: the image of a fragile peasant girl and the reality of a terrifying, iron-willed crusader. History often renders Joan as a soft-focus saint in stained glass, but the historical Joan was jagged, restless, and intensely physical. She was not a mystic … Continue reading Exploring the Character of Saint Joan of Arc