 Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Table of Contents Act II, Scene I Summary The English led by Talbot attack Orleans. The French unprepared and taken by surprise flee for safety. Charles blames Joan for the sudden course of events but she tells him that this has occurred because the French defense was weak. The French noblemen blame each other for what has happened. Joan breaks in on their recriminations and advises them to gather their now dispersed forces. An English soldier enters pretending to be Talbot. The French flee; leaving behind their clothes which the soldier takes for himself. Notes The scene opens with a French Sergeant commanding two sentinels to keep watch. One of them bitterly complains of having to endure the harsh night weather while others sleep. This sets the tone for the rest of the scene as far as the French attitude towards duty is concerned. The English are aware that the French, having celebrated the whole day, are now tired, unsuspecting and thus vulnerable to a surprise attack. Talbot rationalizes this stratagem as acceptable by saying that it is no more than they deserve for they won using ""deceit" and "baleful sorcery." Guided by Talbot they storm the city from different directions and catch the French with their guards down. There is much satirical humor in the rest of the scene. The French noblemen who were shown to be exultant and victorious in the previous scene are now shown running for safety "in their shirts." It is a very humorous picture they present royal victors, running half undressed from their beds to cower in safety. Charles, incredulous at the sudden reversal of fortune turns upon Joan and blames her for it. Joan’s is the only voice of calm reason among the French. When she suggests that the English assault was successful only because the French guard was weak, the French noblemen squabble like children, blaming one another, not one of them ready to accept responsibility for the sudden turn of events. Again Joan breaks in pointing out the uselessness of pinpointing the blame at this moment, She advises them on what to do next: to regroup the scattered soldiers. The whole scene is very ironical, with the French noblemen unable to cope with what has happened and Joan taking charge of the situation like a man. The irony lies not only in the fact that she is a woman but also in that she has no military experience unlike the French men who are veterans of many wars. The scene ends on a note of overt humor aimed against the French, with an English soldier pretending to be Talbot and scaring away the French. He comments that the name of Talbot has served him like a sword, which he uses to acquire "many spoils." He happily collects the clothes that the frightened French have left behind in their haste to flee. Table of Contents | |
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