Berliner Ensemble Adaptations

by Bertolt Brecht

  Autumn, 1430. For eight years war has been raging between England and France. Recently France has undertaken two bloody campaigns under the banner of a seventeen-year-old girl, Joan of Arc, in a desperate attempt to ward off the English conquerors who still occupy more than two-thirds of the country. A village in Touraine, in the unoccupied part of France, gets bad news.

  In front of a Peasant house in Touraine two young girls are pressing grapes. Children are helping.

  Young Girls (singing)

  Oh wondrous maiden of Lorraine

  Barely sixteen and daughter of a frugal hearth

  Upon your shield the enemy strikes in vain.

  War is your strength, your resting place the naked earth.

  Your boldness has its equal in your guile

  Your enemies fall back in panic fear

  None dares to stand, they run full many a mile

  And countless eyes look on from far and near.

  Second Girl (to the Children) Don’t eat them all.—They’re worse than woodpeckers.

  A Boy You haven’t filled a single vat yet.

  The Girls (sing)

  Many, it’s true, are so cast down with woe

  They cannot understand the Maid. For he

  Who weeps is blinded. Though in the brightest glow

  His eyes are powerless to see.

  But many now have joined the Maiden’s ranks

  As though to dance they’re marching off to fight

  The Loire has shaken the enemy from its banks

  The sun of France shines with a clearer light.

  First Girl Where’s Jacques?

  Second Girl Gone to town again.

  First Girl He ought to go easy on his leg.

  Second Girl I can’t hold him back.—How much more is there to pick in the upper vineyard?

  First Girl Two acres.

  The Girls (sing)

  Oh, all ye villains, traitors all

  Suffered too long by this long-suffering folk

  You who have fostered England’s joy and France’s fall

  Her poverty and shame and captive yoke:

  You have been fighting for an unjust cause.

  It’s not too late for you to mend your ways.

  If you go on supporting France’s foes

  A bitter end will strike your evil days.

  Jacques Legrain (joins them) They’ve captured her, near Compiègne. They’ve put her in a cage and they’re taking her to Rouen.

  First Girl No?!

  Legrain Get my pack ready.

  Second Girl Where are you going?

  Legrain To Rouen, to buy a pound of mackerel.

  2

  February 21, 1431. In the market place of English-occupied Rouen a crowd looks on as English noblemen and French renegade churchmen lead the resistance fighter to her trial.

  Market place at Rouen. Among the crowd a Peasant family (father, mother, Sister-In-Law, Son, and Child), a Fishwife, Legrain with his pack, a Well-Dressed Gentleman, a Loose Woman, a Wine Merchant, a physician, The Executioner in his everyday clothes. Two English Soldiers. Church bells and drumrolls.

  Well-Dressed Gentleman That’s the Duke of Bedford.

  Fishwife Look at his white horse. As sleek and fat as his master.

  Peasant Woman Hey, Johnny, are you sure she’ll come this way?

  Son Or is she already inside?

  Fishwife Don’t worry, madame, she’s sure to come this way.

  Peasant Woman Eugene, have you got the food parcel?

  Child Who’s that all in silk?

  Well-Dressed Gentleman Bishop Cauchon of Beauvais.

  Dr. Dufour A French bishop walking behind an English duke! I’m surprised the Englishman hasn’t got him on a leash.

  Loose Woman (sings in an undertone)

  Bishop Cauchon of Beauvais

  Is an Englishman now, they say

  On sentimental grounds

  And for five thousand pounds.

  Fishwife That’s no joke for the Maid.

  Loose Woman They say she has voices and visions. I wonder if it’s true.

  Peasant Woman Did you hear that? She has visions.

  Peasant Ssh.

  Wine Merchant The learned doctors will see about that.

  Well-Dressed Gentleman The papal nuncio.

  (The Peasant Woman crosses herself)

  Loose Woman Look at his hat!

  (All laugh, including the Peasant Woman)

  Sister-in-Law Too bad about the girl. Nobody likes the English.

  Well-Dressed Gentleman I wouldn’t say that too loud, madame, not today.

  Peasant She’s always shooting her mouth off.

  Loose Woman Johnny, there’s somebody here that doesn’t like you.

  Fishwife Forget it, they don’t understand French.

  Wine Merchant Maybe it’s all for the best. She was a troublemaker.

  Fishwife The English give you plenty of business, don’t they?

  Dr. Dufour Well said!

  (Loose Woman laughs)

  Well-Dressed Gentleman I beg your pardon!

  Peasant Woman (to Child) Isn’t it a lovely holiday, Jacqueline?

  Wine Merchant I’ve already seen one of these witches burnt.

  Executioner When was that?

  Wine Merchant Four years ago, in Beauvais, in the spring of twenty-seven.

  Executioner I see.

  Fishwife That’s Monsieur Dujardin, the executioner.

  Peasant Woman Where?

  (All turn around to look at The Executioner)

  Loose Woman Dear me!

  Well-Dressed Gentleman Seems like he’s taking her measurements.

  Dr. Dufour Look, there are the doctors from Paris.

  Son Why can’t the English try her themselves?

  Dr. Dufour They’d rather let the French do it for them.

  Son But the French have no reason to.

  Dr. Dufour All those doctors ought to be able to find one.

  Legrain As long as she answers boldly. That’s the main thing.

  Sister-in-Law Boldly! How can a girl stand up against so many?

  Loose Woman What did she have to stick her neck out for? Why didn’t she stay home?

  (Well-Dressed Gentleman assents)

  Legrain Because the English came to France. Because the English occupied all France as far as the Loire. Because they’re gobbling up the whole country. Because they’ve dethroned the king. Because before she came along the king was too lazy to defend himself.

  Peasant Woman Because—because—because, is that a reason to get crazy ideas and run around in men’s clothes in front of soldiers?

  Peasant Shut up!

  Well-Dressed Gentleman She says she owes it to her country, madame.

  Dr. Dufour Country? What do you mean by country?

  Fishwife Her voices told her to drive the English out of the country, Dr. Dufour.

  Dr. Dufour Country! What difference does it make to the country who’s on the white horse that’s trampling it into dust? The Duke of Bedford or the Duke of Orléans? What difference does it make to the country who gobbles up its wheat and its wine, its venison and fruit, its taxes and tithes? The Lord of Beauvais or the Duke of Gloucester?

  Fishwife It’s easier to give a French lord a piece of your mind. Those English gentlemen don’t even understand our curses.

  Child Is that the king?

  Sister-in-Law No, that’s an English trumpeter.

  (Drumrolls)

  Loose Woman Here she comes! Here she comes!

  English Soldier Move back! Back, I say!

  Peasant Woman Careful with the eggs, Eugene!

  Loose Woman My, she’s little.

  Sister-in-Law Those chains must be heavy on her. No bigger than an apple.

  (The Wine Merchant laughs)

  Legrain That little apple had the English on the run.

  Dr. Dufour The Duke of Bedford paid the Duke of Luxemburg twelve thousand pounds for that little apple.

&nb
sp; Peasant Why did he do that?

  Fishwife To make his Englishmen stop running.

  3

  At the first session of the great ecclesiastical trial in the Chapel Royal of the castle, Joan cleverly eludes the trick questions of the churchmen who are out to convict her of heresy, and boldly reminds them of the wretched state of France.

  The Chapel Royal of the castle. The churchmen, Beaupère, Chation, La Fontaine, d’Estivet, Manchon, Midi, Lefèvre, Massieu, Brother Raoul and the Clerk. Enter the English Observer with His Adjutant and the Bishop of Beauvais. The churchmen kneel.

  Bishop Praised be the Lord.

  All For ever and ever. Amen.

  The English Observer (to the Bishop) Splendid crowd of doctors.

  Bishop Thank you.

  The English Observer Pleasant chapel, even if not one of the oldest.

  Bishop Nor one of the newest. Built by Charles the … (He raises five fingers)

  The English Observer Oh, the fifth, I see. Don’t let me keep you.

  (All take their seats)

  Bishop We, Bishop Cauchon of Beauvais, and our illustrious assessors, the noble lords and doctors here present, have gathered this day to conduct a trial which we hereby declare opened. Milord, have you conveyed to the accused the summons to appear before us and answer our questions in accordance with the law?

  Adjutant Said woman has answered the summons and is waiting outside. She requests, however, to be admitted to confession before the trial.

  (The Bishop consults the assessors. They nod)

  Bishop The request must be denied. In view of the gravity of the charges and the refusal of the accused to relinquish her male clothing. Monsieur Massieu, bring in the accused.

  Massieu The accused may be brought in.

  Adjutant Bring her in.

  (Joan is led in by two English soldiers)

  Bishop This woman now appearing before us, Joan, popularly called the Maid, has been apprehended in the jurisdiction of our diocese. As a suspected heretic she has been turned over to us by our Most Christian Lord, the King of England and France. And inasmuch as rumors concerning her offenses against the faith have spread far beyond our diocese and indeed throughout France and the whole of Christendom, we have brought her before this court in order that she may justify herself. We admonish you, Joan, to touch these Most Holy Gospels and swear to reply truthfully to all questions. Monsieur Massieu!

  (At a sign from Massieu Brother Raoul brings the Bible)

  Bishop Now swear by these gospels. Place both hands on the book.

  Joan But I don’t know what you’re going to ask me. Maybe you want to know something that I won’t tell you.

  Bishop Come, come, just swear to tell the truth in all matters concerning the faith.

  Joan I’ll gladly swear to tell you about my family and my home and anything that happened before I came to Chinon, but I will not say one word about my voices and revelations, not even if you cut my head off.

  Bishop Very well, Joan. We ask you only to tell the truth in matters of faith, as the law requires in proceedings of this kind. Go on.

  Joan (kneels) I swear to tell the truth in matters of faith. (She sits down)

  Bishop Tell us your first and last name.

  Joan At home they called me Jeannette and in France Jeanne. I know of no other name.

  Bishop Where were you born?

  Joan In Domrémy on the Meuse.

  Bishop Who are your parents?

  Joan Jacques d’Arc and Isabeau.

  Bishop How old are you?

  Joan About nineteen, I think.

  Bishop Who instructed you in the faith?

  Joan My mother taught me everything: the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Creed.

  Bishop Say the Lord’s Prayer.

  Joan Hear my confession and I’ll say the prayer.

  Bishop In men’s clothes? Come now, just say the Lord’s Prayer.

  Joan I will not say it unless you hear my confession.

  Bishop Joan, we, your bishop, forbid you to leave the prison for whatsoever purpose except by our permission. To do so would be disobedience to the church and a grave offense against the faith.

  Joan I can’t accept that ruling. No one can accuse me of breaking my word if I escape, I haven’t given it to anybody. What’s more, I protest against these chains and shackles you’ve loaded me down with.

  Bishop You have made several attempts to escape. Hence our severity.

  Joan Naturally I tried to escape. Like any captive. I’d escape right now if I could.

  Bishop Have your voices given you permission to escape from prison whenever you feel like it?

  Joan I’ve asked their permission more than once, but never received it.

  Bishop I see.

  Joan But then they say that “God helps those who help themselves.”

  Bishop (to the English Observer) With your permission, my lord. (To the Guards) We enjoin you most urgently, you, John Grey, and you, William Talbot, to guard her closely and permit no one to speak to her.

  Guards Yes, sir.

  Bishop Monsieur Jean Beaupère, Professor of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Paris, you may question the accused.

  Beaupère (after having bowed to the English Observer) First of all, I must once again exhort you, Joan, to answer my questions with nothing but the truth. Have you learned a trade?

  Joan Yes. Sewing and spinning.

  Beaupère What work did you do at home?

  Joan I did the housework. Sometimes I helped to drive the cows into the fortress to prevent the English from stealing them.

  Midi Monsieur Beaupère, may I interrupt? Are the people of Domrémy loyal to our Most Christian Lord, the King of England and France, or do they follow the man whom you call King of France?

  Joan I know of only one person in Domrémy who’s in favor of the English. I’d gladly have seen his head cut off if it had so pleased the Lord.

  (Commotion among the assessors)

  Bishop Monsieur Beaupère, pray continue.

  Beaupère When did you first hear what you call your voices?

  Joan When I was thirteen I heard a voice that came from God. That was the first time, and I was really frightened. The voice came to me in my father’s garden, one summer afternoon. I heard it somewhere behind me, from the direction of the church. A great light came with the voice.

  Beaupère How could you see the light if it was somewhere behind you?

  Joan When I heard the voice for the third time, I knew it was the voice of an angel.

  Beaupère What did it say?

  Joan It has always protected me. It told me to be good and go to church often. And two or three times a week it told me to leave everything and go to my king. It said I would raise the siege of Orléans.

  Beaupère What was your answer?

  Joan I said: I’m a girl, I’ve never ridden a horse, I don’t know a thing about war. But the voice pressed me cruelly and gave me no peace. It told me to go. So I went.

  D’Estivet Question: Hadn’t you left home once before?

  Joan Yes, when the English attacked our village, we all ran away, and then two weeks later we came back. Everything had been burned to the ground.

  Bishop Let’s get on.

  La Fontaine (intervenes) Was it right to leave secretly? Are we not enjoined to honor our father and our mother?

  Joan Yes, but even if I’d had a hundred fathers and mothers, I’d have gone.

  Beaupère What kind of clothes were you wearing when you arrived in Chinon?

  Joan I went to my king in Chinon in men’s clothing. I had a sword, but no other weapons.

  Beaupère Who told you to wear men’s clothes?

  Joan Ask me something else.

  D’Estivet Your Eminence, we must insist on being told who advised the accused to wear male attire.