Saint Joan

by

George Bernard Shaw

The Executioner carries out Joan’s execution and informs everyone that Joan’s heart wouldn’t burn. At the end of the play, when everyone learns that Joan has been canonized, the Executioner praises her, as her sainthood redeems the executioners of the world for the role they play in “the death of the soul.” Ultimately, however, he wants Joan to remain dead and makes excuses when she asks if she should resurrect herself.
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The Executioner Character Timeline in Saint Joan

The timeline below shows where the character The Executioner appears in Saint Joan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Scene 6
Institutions and the Corruption of Integrity Theme Icon
The Quest for Personal Knowledge  Theme Icon
The Executioner enters and tells Warwick that the deed is done: Joan is dead. Her remains were... (full context)
Epilogue
Institutions and the Corruption of Integrity Theme Icon
Sanity vs. Madness  Theme Icon
The Quest for Personal Knowledge  Theme Icon
The Executioner appears, announcing that Joan’s strength of spirit makes her “more alive” than Stogumber. Warwick enters... (full context)