Examining the Visions and Voices of Joan d’Arc

Authors

  • Kennedy Benjamin Samuels

Keywords:

Joan of Arc, Religious history, Feminist iconography, Epilepsy and mental health

Abstract

This paper explores the mystique surrounding Joan of Arc’s divine visions and voices, interrogating whether her experiences were spiritual revelations, political strategy, or symptoms of neurological or psychological conditions. Drawing from historical texts, trial records, religious doctrine, and modern psychiatric scholarship, Samuels presents a multifaceted analysis of Joan’s piety, influence, and legacy. The essay weighs theological interpretations against medical explanations—such as epilepsy—while examining how Joan has been represented in literature, film, and art. Ultimately, it reflects on the enduring complexity of Joan’s narrative and her role as both saint and symbol.

Author Biography

Kennedy Benjamin Samuels

Kennedy B. Samuels is a senior in the Honors College
double-majoring in History and Political Science with a minor
in Law and Legal Studies. In addition to attaining
membership within Phi Alpha Theta, Athenaeum, and Pi
Sigma Alpha honor societies, he was also recently awarded an
Arts and Sciences Opportunity Meets Innovation Challenge
Summer Undergraduate Research Grant to research the
depictions of Judaism and Jewish culture in early modern
Europe. His excellent academic record also granted him an
invitation to the BA/MA Dual Degree Program. He has
maintained a commitment to public service through his work
in the Honors College, and he was recently able to participate
in Congressman Donald Norcross’ internship program where
he assisted him and his team in serving the needs of all district
constituents. Currently, he is a member of the inaugural
Dean’s Undergraduate Advisory Council where he serves to
better the experience of Camden College of Arts and Sciences
and University College-Camden students. While a full-time
student, he has worked multiple part-time jobs to put himself
through college. He is an aspiring lawyer who hopes to
further develop the skills he has gained at Rutgers University
to serve the needs of the public.

Cover of The Undergraduate Review, Fall 2021 edition, from the Honors College at Rutgers University–Camden. The top features the red Rutgers logo and text: “Rutgers University–Camden Honors College.” The background is a bold, colorful painting of a wide, orange-and-yellow dirt path or road stretching into a vivid landscape of green bushes and rolling hills beneath a blue sky. The title “The Undergraduate Review” and subtitle “Fall 2021” appear in white text near the center. “Volume 2, Issue 2” is displayed in the lower-right corner.

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Published

2025-06-25

How to Cite

Samuels, K. B. (2025). Examining the Visions and Voices of Joan d’Arc. The Rutgers-Camden Undergraduate Review, 2(2), 12. Retrieved from https://rcur.libraries.rutgers.edu/index.php/rcur/article/view/2220

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 2 (2021): The Undergraduate Review

Section

Articles