The Tale of Joan of Arc

- fled in haste from Paris, I who have lived enclosed there on account of the treachery, now, for the very first time, begin to laugh; Stanza 10: Who, then, has seen something so extraordinary occur - which should be noted and remembered in all regions -...

Stanza 60: I pray to God that He will put it in your hearts to act this way, so the cruel tempest of these wars will be obliterated, and that you can spend your lives in peace, under your supreme ruler, and that you may never offend him, and that he may be a good lord to you.

[1] The lyrical verse written by Christine de Pizan, "The Tale of Joan of Arc", was completed on July 31, 1429.

Joan of Arc led the French army in May 1429 to end a siege in Orleans and was victorious because within a day the English were forced to retreat.

Joan of Arc was captured in 1430 and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431 [3] after a series of trials by the English, through the church, about her attire and because she said that God spoke to her and that she listened.

After years in an abbey where she felt as though she lived locked in a cage, hope was beginning to shine its light for her and for all, and that all the people could thank God for this new season of happiness that was now upon them.

Christine devotes stanzas to powerful women from the apocrypha bible books and legends of the past and then states that Joan has surpassed even them.

The story begins to come to a conclusion when Christine states that the people should celebrate Charles, their rightful king, for he is who Joan fought for.

Kevin Brownlee, who has written translations of Christine de Pizan's work alongside Renate Blumenfeld-Kosinski, wrote a book titled Discourses of Authority in Medieval and Renaissance Literature which contains a chapter of analysis for "the modern reader to understand that the Ditie was a celebration" by examining the question of authority[vague], both literary and historical, that Pizan employs in the work.