Berliner Ensemble Adaptations

by Bertolt Brecht

  Bishop I have been told that your only reason for not removing your men’s clothes is that you have heard of a plan to rescue you.

  Joan I won’t answer any more questions. You’ll find my answers in the record. (She throws herself on the cot)

  Bishop Very well. Let us close the proceedings. Transmit the bill of particulars to the court for engrossment.

  5

  The weekly market in Rouen.

  Two stalls. The Peasant Woman and her Son are selling cheese, butter, and eggs, the Fishwife is selling fish. A War Cripple is playing the bagpipes. Customers, among them Dr. Dufour and His Two Nieces.

  An English soldier, already loaded down with merchandise, points at the wares in the Peasant Woman’s stall. He makes her sell him twenty eggs, four cheeses, and two prints of butter. He allows the Peasant Woman to fish the money out of his purse.

  Peasant Woman (counting) Twenty, twenty-two, twenty-four.

  The English Soldier Stop.

  A Shabbily Dressed Woman Two eggs, madame.

  (The soldier lumbers to the Fishwife’s stall and buys the biggest fish.

  He takes out his purse, the Fishwife takes out the money)

  The English Soldier Stop. (With a friendly grin he leaves)

  Fishwife Hope it poisons you. (To Dr. Dufour) Nice mackerel today, doctor.

  Dr. Dufour (choosing one) This one with the soulful eyes. No doubt she heard voices too. I suppose they advised her to take the bait.

  First Niece (from the Peasant Woman’s stall) Uncle!

  Peasant Woman People shouldn’t joke about religion. The girl is a witch and that’s that.

  Fishwife Too bad she’s a witch if she’s against the English.

  Peasant Woman Her voices come from the devil.

  Fishwife Bah, her voices seem to say what we’re all saying. I mean, that the English should get out of France.

  Son She’s a saint.

  Peasant Woman You shut up!

  Dr. Dufour (addressing his mackerel) You may have been a saint and you may have been a witch, but now you’ve been caught and you’re going to be fried.

  Fishwife Very true, doctor, witch or not, she’s being tried because the English want to swallow up the rest of France.

  First Niece Come along, uncle, you’ll get into trouble. (Leaves, anxiously looking over her shoulder)

  Dr. Dufour (with a negative gesture to his niece) Ah, madame, you’re against the Maid because she’s a witch. If she weren’t a witch, Madame Braillard would be for her because she’s a good Frenchwoman. Madame, I’m now going to buy one pound of your certified Catholic butter, and a minute ago you saw me buying a certified French fish from Madame Braillard. These opposites, dear ladies, will be united in my frying pan to make a mouth-watering dish.

  Fishwife You never change, Doctor Dufour.

  Dr. Dufour Why should I change, Madame Braillard?

  Fishwife The Maid might be able to tell you why, Dr. Dufour.

  Son They say she’s giving the court a hard time.

  (Four priests, Beaupère, d’Estivet, Mancbon, and Lefèvre, in conversation, cross the market)

  Manchon Well, what’s next?

  Beaupère It’s all over.

  Manchon What do you mean?

  Beaupère The report of the Paris faculty has come in.

  D’Estivet Fuel for the fire, crushing for the accused.

  Beaupère Schismatic and heretical on twelve counts.

  Lefèvre Of course people will say that Paris is occupied by the English, just as much as Rouen.

  Manchon No, Paris is Paris!

  Lefèvre I understand there’s another report from old Gerson—favorable to the accused. There’s no denying that for years now the man has been Europe’s leading luminary. His opinion has been decisive in all ecclesiastical trials.

  Beaupère The old fox has always made his decisions with an eye to the common people. In Constance he sent Hus to the stake, but this time it’s a child of the people.

  Manchon Child of the people, indeed! As subtle as ten theologians. How careful she is, for instance, not to say that her voices advised her to wear men’s clothes. She knows that would finish her, because it would show incontestably that her voices came from the devil.

  Lefèvre Even then we wouldn’t have been able to prove that she’s in league with the devil. Maid who doth the devil see can no more a maiden be. I understand that Lady Bedford in person has established her virginity.

  D’Estivet And I understand that her husband, our beloved Duke of Bedford, has done likewise, thanks to an aperture in the floor, made for that express purpose.

  (Laughter. They move on)

  (Dr. Dufour has whispered to the war cripple. The latter nods and plays the well-known song lampooning Cauchon of Beauvais. Manchon drops him a coin, but is informed by d’Estivet that the song is not intended to be friendly)

  D’Estivet (to the War Cripple) Scoundrel.

  (Indignantly the churchmen leave)

  Fishwife (joins in the singing)

  Bishop Cauchon of Beauvais

  Is an Englishman now, they say

  On sentimental grounds

  And for five thousand pounds.

  6

  May 9, 1431. In the armory of the royal castle. Joan is threatened with torture.

  Armory in the great tower of the royal castle. The Bishop of Beauvais, all the assessors, Brother Raoul, the Clerk, The Executioner, Joan, and the Guards.

  Bishop Praised be the Lord.

  All Forever and ever. Amen.

  Brother Raoul Your Eminence, this is Monsieur Dujardin, the executioner.

  (The Executioner kneels before the Bishop and kisses the hem of his cassock. The bishop blesses him)

  Bishop Monsieur Jean de Chation, Professor at the Theological Faculty of Paris.

  Chation Joan, in humility and moderation, with no thought of vengeance or punishment, solely intent on your salvation and instruction, we shall make a last attempt to save your body and soul.

  Joan Just reel off your speech, then I’ll answer you.

  Chation Is that all you wish to say?

  Joan Don’t beat about the bush. Read the indictment.

  Chation Joan, we have meticulously examined your acts and deeds as recorded in these minutes. We have found grave trespasses.

  Joan How do I know what extra tidbits you’ve worked into the minutes?

  Chation Do you mean to say that you do not recognize us as your secular judges appointed by the church?

  Joan Exactly.

  Chation Joan, if as you indicate you refuse to recognize the article Unam Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam, the court must send you to the stake.

  Joan Even in the fire I couldn’t say anything else.

  Chation Joan, we have shown you how hazardous, nay dangerous it is to direct one’s curiosity to things that transcend the capacity of human understanding, to place one’s faith in new things and even invent new and unheard-of things, for the demons find ways of insinuating themselves into our curiosity. All the learned masters and doctors of the University of Paris have recognized your statements concerning your voices and apparitions to be pure lies. Heedless of our admonitions, you in your pride have deemed yourself worthy to receive voices and inspirations directly from God. Forgetting that God tempts prideful persons like you with diabolical visions, you yourself have invented these voices. We therefore exhort you to subdue your vanity and cast off your lies. If you will not submit to the church today your soul will be consumed by eternal fire and your body by temporal fire.

  Joan Do you think you can intimidate me with such talk and win me over to your side?

  Bishop Monsieur La Fontaine!

  La Fontaine Joan, dearest sister. I beg you, don’t let the worst happen. If you really heard voices, dear sister, accept the opinion of the University of Paris which declares your voices to be imaginings and nonsense. What would you have done if one of your soldiers had said, I refuse to obey the orders of my king’s officers? So
what can you think of yourself when you refuse to obey the representatives of your church? Abandon your resistance, dear sister, or your soul will suffer eternal torments. Moreover, I am very much in fear for your life. Submit, I implore you, in order that we may save your body and your soul.

  Joan I have submitted to God, isn’t that enough?

  La Fontaine You should know, Joan, that we distinguish the church triumphant from the church militant. The church triumphant consists of God, his saints and all redeemed souls; the church militant of the Holy Father, the cardinals, prelates, bishops, priests and all Christians. This church, congregated upon earth, led by the Most Holy Ghost, is infallible. Will you submit to it?

  Joan I won’t answer any more questions.

  Bishop Joan, for the last time I ask you, will you submit to the church?

  Joan What is the church? No. I will not submit to you judges.

  Bishop Will you submit to the pope?

  Joan Take me to him and I’ll tell him.

  Bishop Will you submit to the Council of Basel?

  Joan The Council of Basel? What’s that?

  Lefèvre It is an assembly representative of the entire church. In other words, it includes members of the English party as well as your own.

  Joan I think I’d rather submit to them.

  Chation Basel!!

  Lefèvre She has every right to do so.

  Chation It’s out of the question.

  Beaupère What an idea!

  Bishop Who has been advising her since our last session?

  Massieu No one.

  Manchon Why, then, is she being asked?

  Clerk Can her submission be recorded as final?

  Bishop No, wait.

  Joan You’re not letting him record anything in my favor.

  Bishop Be still!—Inasmuch as you, Joan, are unresponsive to our admonitions and continue to deny the truth, we are obliged to subject you to torture. Monsieur Massieu, show the accused the instruments.

  (The Guards lead Joan to the table where the instruments are displayed)

  Manchon Pray answer us, Joan!

  Lefèvre Pray submit!

  D’Estivet Won’t you give in, girl?

  La Fontaine You’re not helping anyone.

  Chation Joan, the torturers are ready to lead you to the truth by force, for the salvation of your soul.

  (Joan faints; she is brought front stage again)

  Joan If you break my bones with these instruments and squeeze my soul out of my poor body, I will not say anything different. And if I do say something different, I’ll say afterwards that it was torn from me by force.

  Massieu (in an undertone) Should we?

  La Fontaine (in an undertone) Let us spare her.

  Bishop (in a loud voice) In view of the obstinacy of the accused and the insolence of her answers we, the judges, fear that torture can no longer benefit her. We shall therefore dispense with it. Take her back to prison.

  (Joan is dragged out)

  7

  Sunday in the prison of La Tour des Champs. Joan hears a song, but does not understand the words.

  Prison. Joan is lying on the cot. The two English Guards. In the distance a bagpipe is playing “ Bishop Cauchon of Beauvais.”

  Joan Why are the people so gay?

  Guard Because it’s a holiday. Why shouldn’t people be gay?

  Joan Yes.

  8

  Joan thinks the people have forgotten her, But in the markets and taverns they are beginning to understand her.

  The “St. Peter’s Catch” tavern. The Peasant family from the outskirts are eating their lunch. A young, shabbily dressed curate. The Loose Woman. The Well-Dressed Gentleman. The Innkeeper. Bagpipe music.

  Legrain I see there are decent people here. Anybody who can read?

  Young Curate What is it?

  Legrain It’s a copy of the letter she wrote to the English before she raised the siege of Orléans. I don’t know if you’d care to read it.

  Young Curate Does my cassock look as if it were paid for, by English money? (He reads) “Jesus Mary! You, King of England, and you, Duke of Bedford, who call yourselves regents of the kingdom of France, and you, William Pole, Earl of Suffolk, John Talbot, Thomas Lord of Scales, who call yourselves lieutenants of the said Duke of Bedford: render His due to the King of Heaven and give back the keys of all the fortified cities of France which you have taken and ravished. The Maid has come in the name of God. She is ready to make peace as soon as you leave France and pay for your presence here. And you, all the rest of you, archers, soldiers, and so on, who are here before our city of Orléans, go back to your country, in the name of God. If you do not, you may expect the Maid, who will visit you very soon to your great grief.”

  Loose Woman She’s good.

  Young Curate “King of England, wherever I find your men on France’s soil, I will drive them away, whether they will or not. And if they will not, I will have them all killed. Wherever we find you we will strike you and raise a clamor the like of which has not been heard in France for at least a thousand years. Written this day, Tuesday of Holy Week …

  Joan.”

  Unconquerable.

  English Soldier (comes in and demands a drink) Evening. Some wine!

  Young Curate Praised be Jesus Christ.

  Peasant (tipsy, plants himself in front of the English soldier) If you are a servant of the Duke of Bedford, then listen to this: the Duke of Bedford’s a drunk.

  Well-Dressed Gentleman Come along, Blanche. (They leave the tavern)

  Peasant Woman Guillaume!

  Peasant He drinks from morning to night, and all he ever thinks of is hitting us with taxes and grinding down the people.

  (The English soldier leaves, looking back over his shoulder. A roar of laughter)

  Young Curate Give me the letter.

  9

  In the chapel of the graveyard of Saint-Ouen. Threatened with the stake and worn down by a feeling of utter forsakenness, Joan signs a recantation. It is May 24, 1431.

  The chapel of the graveyard of Saint-Ouen. La Fontaine. Joan is carried in. Guards and an English officer. Church bells and the noise of a crowd are audible while Joan is being carried in.

  La Fontaine Joan, you are in the chapel of the graveyard of Saint-Ouen. Collect yourself, dear sister. Out on the square the stake is ready.

  Joan (barely audible) Saint Michael.

  La Fontaine (steps up to her) Believe me, Joan, it is not too late for your salvation.

  (Enter the Bishop, Maître Erard, Massieu, Beaupère, Brother Raoul. Once more bells and the noise of crowds are heard)

  Bishop Maître Erard, we are obliged to you for postponing your journey. You say you had a better impression of her yesterday?

  Maître Erard God will help.—Her physical condition is not of the best. She keeps asking how the people are reacting to her trial—with sympathy or indifference. Attempts by her partisans to communicate with her have been thwarted: She is upset because her voices have abandoned her. Has it been sufficiently impressed on her that today …

  La Fontaine She was told at five o’clock this morning.

  Massieu Here are the three documents. This is the sentence in case she recants. (Hands it to the Bishop who gives it to Brother Raoul) This is the sentence if she fails to recant. (He keeps it) This is the recantation. (Gives it to Maître Erard) Bid her sign the recantation in order that this sentence (the document in his hand) may not become effective.

  Bishop Maître Erard! Monsieur Massieu!

  Maître Erard The ground has all been covered, dear sister. Your king is a heretic; moreover, he has forgotten you. Your apparitions are illusions; the professors have said so and they know; you know nothing. You may as well take off your male attire, nobody has come with a horse to set you free. Your voices have deceived you, and what’s more, they have stopped coming. I know they have. Were they here today? Did they come yesterday?