Who is Joan to women?

Anne Barstow's "She Gets Inside Your Head: Joan of Arc and Contemporary Women's Spirituality" uncovered many interesting truths about how women portray Joan of Arc as a trend-setter for women. In Anne's chapter, she asks contemporary women what Joan means to them. She shows how women have adopted Joan for women's rights movements, spiritual role models, redefining their place in the home, and showing courage.

Barstow begins by calling on the events of the Seneca Falls convention of 1848. At the convention Elizabeth Cady Stanton used Joan's mysticism to further her reformist faith. She is quoted by Barstow by saying "when all human power seemed unavailing, the French no longer despised the supernatural aid of the damsel of Domremy." She also applies Joan's strategies to reform-minded women by saying that women hear voices every day. She says these voices come from sorrow, degradation and despair. By applying Joan's actions to her own cause, she puts Joan down on their level. Her mind set was if Joan could do it so can we.

Conservative women also had their chance to apply Joan's image to their cause as well. According to conservative women, Joan was the model of the woman in the household. Barstow points out that this view is contradictory to Joan's life. Isabel O'Reilly praised Joan and explained that Joan was an exception to her dictum of a woman's place in the home. This was because Joan was commanded by God to enter public life. Barstow concluded that Joan was not a martyr in the eyes of women but a powerful visionary.

Barstow also discovers what Joan's voices mean to women as well. The survey revealed that few women mention her voices. When they did, they described the voices as a single voice from God and that Joan obeyed God despite the doubts and pressures from the outside world. This prompts some women to follow their own "inner voice" and to follow what they really believe.

I thought it was interesting that Barstow also included information about other women hearing voices just like Joan. One woman, a former Mormon explained that "Voices tell me what to write, give me no peace until I've done it and then more speak up." It is interesting that women that do hear voices of some kind try to make this connection to what they're experiencing to what Joan experienced. Other women explained that Joan showed how to be true to ones beliefs and provides an example of saying no to peer pressure.

Barstow's survey also uncovered some extreme beliefs about Joan of Arc and what their thoughts about her were. One woman rejected Joan's image and described it as "simpering, syrupy piety" and that she had an obligation towards martyrdom. Others thought that Joan's story made the Church look scary. Another even prayed to Joan at an altar and even meditating on a statue of Joan.

These cases reveal that Joan is wide open to interpretation. Women see Joan as a role model both spiritually and morally. Although interpretations vary greatly on what she was, she has proven to be a go-to source for women who need direction and are looking for answers. Barstow's survey also revealed that people choose what they want to see in Joan. Women look at Joan and focus on what they need help with. Although Joan has been looked at in every way possible, she continues to be a source for women to look up to and look for answers.

Work Cited

Barstow, Anne. "She Gets Inside Your Head: Joan Of Arc And Contemporary Women's Spirituality." In Coursepacket compiled by Dr. Woldbrink. Fall 2014.