2006B FRQ #2

Post date: Apr 29, 2013 7:49:41 PM

2. In the following passage from George Bernard Shaw's play Saint Joan, which is based on the life of Joan of Arc (1412?-1431), Joan, a young French woman, is on trial in a church court for allegedly spreading heresy (beliefs at variance with the established religious doctrine). Dressed in armor, Joan led the French troops against the English. She was eventually captured, turned over to the English, and then tried by French clerics who supported the English. The most serious crime she was charged with was her claim that she had received direct inspiration from God. 

Carefully read the Inquisitor's speech to the church court whose members were to decide Joan's fate. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the rhetorical strategies the Inquisitor uses to argue his case against Joan.

To read the passage, click the following link: 2006B FRQ