Paris women of my choice: Joan of Arc

    




 church of St Joan of Arc

    I chose to do my women’s choice blog on Joan of Arc. I was able to visit the City of Rouen which is where Joan was killed. She was tied to a stake and burned. This would just be an absolutely terrible way to die. Joan of Arc was seen as an early feminist and a symbol of freedom and independence. I learned that Joan was only a 19 when she died so within her few short years on this planet she was able to make a big impact. She was so brave. She joined the French military when she was only 17. She was captured and turned over to the English where she was tried with numerous accounts. These accounts lead to her being burned. I can not believe she did this at such a young age. I know for a fact that if I didn’t have to fight in a war I wouldn't go within 50 feet of the battlefield. Her courage is inspiring. 

    Her contributions were great. Firstly, she helped with a French victory and helped Charles VII to solidify his claim to the throne. Both of these things have had big impacts on modern France. This is a huge thing!  She also challenged gender roles. The military and military leadership was seen as a male thing, so the fact she did it as a woman was also a really big thing. This action of hers has made her a symbol of various feminist movements. I think Joan can help inspire young girls to take the lead. Her example can help women step out of being the background characters and be the leader, the commander, the one in charge!

    I was able to find multiple things that have been put in place to commemorate her. One of the things is the church of St Joan of Arc. I got to go inside this! It was a really interesting layout; I had never seen a church like this before. Another thing that has been created is the Joan of Arc Historical Exhibition. I think this is a great way to be commemorated because it allows people to go and learn about her and her life. I think the more people know about someone, the longer their legacy will be around for. Lastly, she can be found in Rouen's main church, The Cathedral of Notre – Dame. There is a chapel dedicated to her and you can see a statue of her inside. I also had the privilege of visiting this cathedral, but it was sadly under construction, so I was unable to see this statue. I feel like all of these things are great ways for her to be commemorated, and this is literally only in the small city of Rouen.

The Cathedral of Notre – Dame

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