this is the monologue
that got me into drama 3. i dont remember how much of it i had to act out, but i do remember the first paragraph.
The Lark (1953) by Jean Anouilh
Part I: Rouen, France, early fifteenth century. Joan of Arc is on trial for heresy and witchcraft and begins her defense with this speech before her judges, the English Earl of Warwick and Cauchon, the French Bishop of Beauvais.
Joan: May I begin wherever I like? I like remembering the beginning: at home, in the fields, when I was still a little girl looking after the sheep, the first time I heard the Voices, that is what I like to remember… it is after the evening Angelus. I am very small and my hair is still in pigtails. I am sitting in the field, thinking of nothing at all. God is good and keeps me safe and happy, close to my mother and my father and my brother in the quiet countryside of Domremy, while the English soldiers are looting and burning villages up and down the land. My big sheep-dog is lying with his head in my lap; and suddenly I feel his body ripple and tremble, and a hand seems to have touched my shoulder, though I know no one has touched, and —-
I turned to look. A great light was filling the shadows behind me. The voice was gentle and grave I had never heard it before, and all it said to me was: ‘Be a good and sensible child, and go often to church.’ But I was good, and I did go to church often, and I showed I was sensible by running away to safety. That was all that happened the first time. And I didn’t say anything about it when I got home; but after supper I went back. The moon was rising; it shone on the white sheep; and that was all the light there was. And then came the second time; the bells were ringing for the noonday Angelus. The lights came again, in the bright sunlight, but brighter than the sun, and that time I saw him. A man in a white robe, with two white wings reaching from the sky to the ground. He didn’t tell me his name that day, but later on I found that he was the
blessed St. Michael.
[Joan, in the voice of the Archangel Michael.] He said: ‘Joan, go to the help of the King of France, and give him back his kingdom. [She replies in her
voice.] Oh, sir, you haven’t looked at me; I am only a young peasant girl, not a great captain who can lead an army. —You will go and search of Robert de
Beaudricourt, the governor of Vaulcouleurs. He will give you a suit of clothes to dress you like a man, and he will take you to the Dauphin. St. Catherine and St. Margaret will protect you. [She drops to the floor and sobs with fear.] —Please, please pity me, Holy sir! I’m a little girl; I’m happy here alone in the fields. I’ve never had to be responsible for anything, except my sheep. The kingdom of France is far beyond anything I can do. If you will only look at me you will see I am small, and ignorant. The realm of France is too heavy, sir. But the king of France has famous captains, as strong as you could need and they’re used to doing these things. If they lose a battle they sleep as soundly as ever. They simply say the snow or the wind was against them; they just cross all the dead men off their roll. But I should always remember I had killed them. Please have pity on me! … No such thing. No pity. He had gone already, and there I was, with France on my shoulders.
