Day Seven

Henry VI, Part 1
2.1

One week in, and going strong.

SYNOPSIS

As the French set a nightwatch, the English, led by Talbot plot to climb the walls and attack 'em, even busting out scaling ladders. They surprise the French. Reinforcements come in, half-prepared, half-not. Duaphin shows up and is all, “Joan?” Joan immediately turns Dauphin's blame to those that deserved it, Alencon and his men, and then pleads for the infighting to stop.

IMPRESSIONS

Well, it didn't take long. It's amazing how quickly goodwill can turn to ill. As Talbot and Co. climb over the walls and re-start the fight, rather than blame the watch or the guard when he finds out, Dauphin immediately assumes it's Joan's doing:

Talbot

Is this thy cunning, thou deceitful dame?

I mean he was just giving her the kingdom not two pages ago—highest praise and sainthood and all that. Now, she's a treacherous bitch. Nice one, Dauphin. How very kingly. Then Joan has to utter a bit of dialogue that seems to encapsulate the larger struggle of women whom, longer after proving their merit, find themselves at the bitter end of whimsical distrust:

Joan

Sleeping or waking, must I still prevail

Or will you blame and lay the fault on me?

Right on, sister. But, is she a feminist character? Or is she a cheap characterization? She behaves man-ish, dresses like one, and talks crazy (not unusual in Shakespeare, but perhaps unusual in his Histories?). But acting like a man isn't feminist. The Dauphin runs pretty hot and cold with her, so I am a little wary, knowing what we know about her already, if she's being set up to be disliked.

...AND THEN SOME

Nothing today, although I have been reading bits and parts of Contested Will by James Shapiro, where it is pretty clear to the author that this play was written by "Shakespeare."  Maybe two or three playwrights, and perhaps touched up by our man.  Their names elude me at the moment, but I will post them later.