“Voltaire’s Orléans virgin” in brief summary
The action of this satirical poem takes place during the Hundred Years War between France and England. Some contemporaries of Voltaire said that the author, ridiculing Joan of Arc, treated her more cruelly than Bishop of Beauvais, who burned her once at the stake. Voltaire, of course, laughed ruthlessly, he showed Jeanne the seduced, depicted her in the most ambiguous and indecent scenes. But he was not laughing at Jeanne d’Arc, not at that girl from the people who, sincerely believing in her patriotic mission, sent down to her by God, led the French to fight with the enemy and fearlessly went to the fire, leaving the history of her noble name and her human beautiful appearance.
From the first song we learn that the French King Charles VII is in love with the beautiful Agnes Sorel. His adviser Bonnoe has a lock in a secluded wilderness, there, far away from curious eyes, and lovers go. Within three months, the king is buried in the bliss of love. Meanwhile, the British prince,
Lorraine gave France to John, here she was born, “alive, deft, strong, in clothes clean, full of hand and muscular bags dragged… laughs, works before the fire.” St. Denis goes with John to the temple, where the virgin “admires the steel with a cloak… and raves with glory.” John on a donkey, accompanied by a saint, rushes to the king. On the way, near Orleans, they find themselves in a camp of sleeping, drunk British. John takes a sword, Jean Shandos, a sword and broad trousers from a famous warrior. Arriving at
Beautiful Agnes, tormented by jealousy, accompanied by Bonno secretly follows them. At night in the parking lot, she steals the clothes of John and immediately in this dress falls prisoner to the British, “to top it off, it was just Shandosov mounted platoon.” Shandos, sworn to take revenge on the enemy, who stole his armor, seeing Agnes, changes his decision, he is embraced by passion…
John with the same army gives battle to the English, who are defeated. The French commander Dunois, “flying like lightning, is nowhere wounded, chopping off the English”. John and Dunois “are enraptured, they so quickly rushed, so wildly with the English they fought, that soon with the army the rest parted”. Lost, the heroes are in the castle of Hermaphrodite. It is a sorcerer whom God created ugly and lascivious. He kisses John, but in return receives a powerful slap. The insulted villain orders the guard to put both strangers on the stake. Unexpectedly appeared monk Griburdon asked to pardon John, offering his life in return. His request is accepted. Caught in hell, visiting Satan, Griburdon told the following. He, trying to dishonor John, suddenly saw an ass descending from heaven and seized the valiant knight Dunois, who, swinging his sword, attacked Griburdon, the Monk turns into a pretty girl – and Dunois lowers his sword. The driver, who was with the monk at the same time and guarded John, seeing the beauty, rushes to her, releasing the captive. Virgo, being at large, grabs a brilliant sword, forgotten Dunois, and straightens the monk. “The virgin saved her honor, and Griburdon, guilty in blasphemy, said” forgive “earthly existence.” The donkey, whom St. Denis inspired to fly to Lombardy, takes Dunois with him, leaving John alone.
So, where did the flying ass of knight Dunois fly? He finds himself in the amazing Temple of Rumor, where he learns of the Dorothea sentenced to be burned and hurries to her to help in Milan. The executioner is ready to execute the order of the inquisitor, but suddenly Dunois appears on the town square and asks the girl to tell everyone about what she is accused of. Dorothea, without restraining tears, says in response: “Love is the cause of all my sorrow.” Her beloved, la Trimuyl, leaving Milan a year ago and going to war, swore to her in love, promised to marry on his return. Dorothea, alone, away from the world, suffered separation and concealed from her curious eyes her baby, the child of love. Once her uncle, the archbishop, decided to visit his niece and, despite the dignity and sanctity of kinship, began to molest her. To the cries of the struggling Dorothea the crowd rushed in, and my uncle, struck her on the face, said: “I excommunicate her from the church and with her the fruit of her adultery… I curse them, the servant of God.” Let the inquisition judge them severely. ” So Dorothea found herself on the spot of execution. Fearless Dunois struck the archbishop’s warrior with his sword and quickly dealt with his assistants. Unexpectedly, La Trimuil appears on the square, and the beautiful Dorothea finds herself in his arms. Dunois is going on the road, he is hurrying to John and the king, negotiating with the lover about a meeting in the palace in a month. During this time Dorothea wants to make a pilgrimage to Lauret, and La Trimuyl will accompany her. Fearless Dunois struck the archbishop’s warrior with his sword and quickly dealt with his assistants. Unexpectedly, La Trimuil appears on the square, and the beautiful Dorothea finds herself in his arms. Dunois is going on the road, he is hurrying to John and the king, negotiating with the lover about a meeting in the palace in a month. During this time Dorothea wants to make a pilgrimage to Lauret, and La Trimuyl will accompany her. Fearless Dunois struck the archbishop’s warrior with his sword and quickly dealt with his assistants. Unexpectedly, La Trimuil appears on the square, and the beautiful Dorothea finds herself in his arms. Dunois is going on the road, he is hurrying to John and the king, negotiating with the lover about a meeting in the palace in a month. During this time Dorothea wants to make a pilgrimage to Lauret, and La Trimuyl will accompany her.
Having reached the goal of the voyage, the houses of the Virgin Mary, beloved ones stop for the night and get acquainted with the Englishman d’Arondel. With him is a young mistress, who is not the same with Dorothea. La Trimuyl asks the British to admit that Dorothea is more beautiful than his lady. A proud Englishman, offended by this, offers the Frenchman a duel. An Englishwoman, Judith de Rosamor, watches with interest the duel, while Dorothea pale with fear for her chosen one. Suddenly, the robber Martinger abducts both beauties and disappears faster than lightning. But the fight is going on. Finally, the duelists noticed the absence of women. The unhappiness unites them, and two new friends go in search of their beloved. Martinger has already managed to deliver the captives to his castle, a gloomy crypt. There he proposes to share a bed with him. Dorothea burst into tears and Judith agreed. God rewarded her with mighty hands, so, seizing the sword hanging over the robber’s bed, she chopped off his head. Beauties flee from the castle and board a ship that rushes them to the Rock of Bliss, the shelter of lovers. There they meet with their valiant knights. “The brave Frenchman and the British hero, setting themselves on the saddle of the nice ones, set off on the road of Orleans… but, as you understand, they themselves were good friends, and neither beauty, nor kings between them could not cause a quarrel.”
And what about our king? Learning that Agnes was taken prisoner, he almost lost his reason, but astrologers and sorcerers persuaded him that Agnes was faithful to him and she was not in danger. And yet, being in a castle belonging to the confessor of Shandos, she is persecuted by the master. The young page of Shandos, Monroe, stands up for her protection. The monk enters into battle with the page and is defeated. Monroe is passionately in love with Agnes. Soon the girl ran to the monastery, but there she does not rest. In the monastery appears a detachment of Britons, who are ordered to capture Agnes. The Britons desecrate the monastery, and Saint Denis, the patron of France, admonishes John to save the monastery, which is overcome by evil. John “full of courage, rages with anger” and the holy spear smashes the English. And Saint Denis appeals to Saint George, patron of England, with the words: “
Returned from the wanderings of La Trimuyl and Dorothea. Their happiness is overshadowed, since, defending Dorothea from the harassment of Shandos, La Trimuyl gets seriously wounded. And again Dunois comes to the rescue of Dorothea: he summons Sandoz to a duel and kills him. Soon Dunois will fight with the British, who, having learned about the feast of the French in the Orleans Town Hall, went on a general offensive and staunchly stick in battle. “Karl, Dunois and Virgo fly on the Britons, pale with anger.” British troops, fearing an attack, are rushing to leave Orleans. In the chaos of horror and disorder, D’Arondel and the fearless Judith Rosamor find death. “The daughter of death, a merciless war, robbery, which we call heroism! Thanks to your terrible properties, the land in tears, in blood, is ruined.”
La Trimuyl unexpectedly encounters Tirkonel, the friend of the late Shandos, who vowed to avenge his murderer. Finding next to the churchyard, where he was buried Shandos, secluded lovers, Tirconnel is enraged. During the duel, the unfortunate Dorothea rushes to La Trimuyl, drenched in blood, but the one who does not know anything, responds to the blow of the Englishman, piercing Dorothea’s heart. The merciless Brit is stupefied. On Dorothea’s chest, he finds two portraits. One depicts La Trimuille, on the second he recognizes his features. And immediately remembers how in his youth he left the waiting baby Carminetta, giving her his portrait. There is no doubt that before him is his daughter. At the cry of the British ran the people, and “if they had not arrived, probably life would die out in Tirkonel!” He sails to England and, taking leave of the worldly life, goes to the monastery. John calls for revenge on the British for the death of the knight and Dorothea. But she has a different test. Terrible Griburdon and the Hermaphrodite, staying in hell, come up with a plan for revenge to the Virgin. At the prompt of Satan, they send John to the donkey, in which the demon has settled, he must seduce her, “since it was known that this gang was dirty, that the key kept under his skirt from the besieged Orleans and from the fate of all of France John.” The tender impudence of the donkey confuses the Virgin, while Dunois, dozing next to him, having heard the sweet speech soaked in sweet poison, wants to know “what kind of Celadon made his way to the locked bedroom.” Dunois has long been in love with John, but hides his feelings, waiting for the end of the war. Amazed John, seeing Dunois, takes possession of himself and grabs the spear. Fleeing, the demon flees. Terrible Griburdon and the Hermaphrodite, staying in hell, come up with a plan for revenge to the Virgin. At the prompt of Satan, they send John to the donkey, in which the demon has settled, he must seduce her, “since it was known that this gang was dirty, that the key kept under his skirt from the besieged Orleans and from the fate of all of France John.” The tender impudence of the donkey confuses the Virgin, while Dunois, dozing next to him, having heard the sweet speech soaked in sweet poison, wants to know “what kind of Celadon made his way to the locked bedroom.” Dunois has long been in love with John, but hides his feelings, waiting for the end of the war. Amazed John, seeing Dunois, takes possession of himself and grabs the spear. Fleeing, the demon flees. Terrible Griburdon and the Hermaphrodite, staying in hell, come up with a plan for revenge to the Virgin. At the prompt of Satan, they send John to the donkey, in which the demon has settled, he must seduce her, “since it was known that this gang was dirty, that the key kept under his skirt from the besieged Orleans and from the fate of all of France John.” The tender impudence of the donkey confuses the Virgin, while Dunois, dozing next to him, having heard the sweet speech soaked in sweet poison, wants to know “what kind of Celadon made his way to the locked bedroom.” Dunois has long been in love with John, but hides his feelings, waiting for the end of the war. Amazed John, seeing Dunois, takes possession of himself and grabs the spear. Fleeing, the demon flees. but hides his feelings, waiting for the end of the war. Amazed John, seeing Dunois, takes possession of himself and grabs the spear. Fleeing, the demon flees. but hides his feelings, waiting for the end of the war. Amazed John, seeing Dunois, takes possession of himself and grabs the spear. Fleeing, the demon flees.
On the way, he devises a cunning plan. Once in Orleans, he settles in the soul of the wife of the French president, Louve, in love, not without reciprocity in the great English commander Talbot. Bes inspired the lady to let in the nightfall of Talbot and his army to Orleans. Mrs. Louva appoints a date to her beloved. The monk Lourdi, sent by Denis to the English, learns about the impending date and warns the king about him. Carl summons all the military commanders and, of course, John for advice. A plan has been developed. First comes Dunois, “it was hard the long way that he went, and is famous in history until now.” The troops followed him along the plain towards the city wall. ” The astonished British, defending themselves against the swords of John and her troops, fall into the hands of Dunois, Talbot meanwhile enjoyed meeting his lover. Without doubting and in his other victory, he goes out to look at the conquered city. What does he see? “To him are not the Britons faithful, but the Virgin is rushing on the donkey, trembling with anger… the French are breaking through the secret passage, Talbot was shaken and trembled.” Talbot heroically stands to the last. The English are defeated, jubilant France celebrates the victory.
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