The Mystery of the Charity of Joan of Arc

Mystères #1

by Charles Péguy

English, French (translation)

Genres: Poetry, Religion, Fiction, Plays, Classics, Historical Fiction, French Literature

92 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1910

About the author

Charles Pierre Péguy (Orléans, 7 janvier 1873 ; Villeroy, 5 septembre 1914) est un écrivain, poète et essayiste français. Il est également connu sous les noms de plume de Pierre Deloire et Pierre Baudouin1.

Son œuvre, multiple, comprend des pièces de théâtre en vers libres, comme Le Porche du Mystère de la deuxième vertu (1912), et des recueils poétiques en vers réguliers, comme La Tapisserie de Notre-Dame (1913), d'inspiration mystique, et évoquant notamment Jeanne d'Arc, un personnage historique auquel il reste toute sa vie profondément attaché. C'est aussi un intellectuel engagé : après avoir été militant socialiste libertaire2, anticlérical puis dreyfusard au cours de ses études, il se rapproche à partir de 1908 du catholicisme et du conservatisme3 ; il reste connu pour des essais où il exprime ses préoccupations sociales et son rejet de la modernité (L'Argent, 1913).

Reviews

[Josh Pendergrass]

This is an interesting poem/meditation about young Joan (referred to as Jeanette here) and her thoughts and discussions concerning the Gospel. She is convinced that she would have intervened and stepped in to protect Jesus if she had been present at the crucifixion. It's quite a bold assertion; where does it come from? After all, even one of his closest disciples Peter, denied Christ in the end when the Romans came for him. It seems that Jeanette is overcome by her feelings of the suffering and pain in the world. Her awareness of suffering becomes so much that she cannot function in her day to day life, and yet somehow this pain is transformed into a sort of transcendence, the charity that the Gospels speak of, which is a totally selfless and unconditional love so rare that it might even be considered a miracle.

[Tristan Shropshire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poor. More of a lecture/sermon more than anything. Incredibly repetitive and lacks any form of conflict or tension to carry it. Can be read like a Socratic dialogue, but Peguy is not Plato unfortunately.

[Slow Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

exceptional ...the soliloquies will have you madly flipping pages in a trance very similar to the one that possesses young Jeanette. I have a hunch that Ingmar Bergman's "religious trilogy" was informed by this work ...genius, surely. Julien Green's comparison to Dante is apt

[sare]

such a weird play/poem, want to read again

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vraiment une porte unique sur l’esprit d’un temps, celui de peguy.
Ce n’est pas vraiment une pièce de théâtre, pas vraiment un dialogue / débat à l’antique, il n’y a pas vraiment d’intrigue : c’est une prière. Jeanne d’Arc, avant qu’elle ne soit prête à entendre les voix, notamment car trop orgueilleuse : à la place des apôtres, elle n’aurait pas renié jésus, elle ne l’aurait pas abandonné. A l’inverse sa pote hauviette travaille, prie, sans question, en toute innocence, en toute confiance, c’est plutôt elle qui est proche de la parole de Jesus. Surprenant à quel point c’est daté, et donc à quel point cela doit refléter son époque.
Et aussi : Hauviette qui dit que c’est plus facile d’être soldat que d’être paysan, mais qu’il y a toujours suffisamment de soldats et suffisamment de paysans.

[Ezekiel Kingsbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

“And the Savior knew that, even though he gave himself up completely, He was not saving that Judas, whom he loves. And it was then he knew infinite suffering.”

When I was 12, my friend Henry died in a car accident. He should not have been there. He died a fool, and was surrounded by fools. He snuck out of the house and died in a car accident. He denied Christ beforehand.

But I must believe He is merciful, that He is loving, because that is what we have been told of Him.

Peter denied, and Jeannette claims she would not have. But Peter was saved.

Children bring such suffering. “What a pity, it was a life that had so well begun.” Mary wept and was so sorrowful she seemed to have aged a decade in three days. What is this suffering? Henry’s mom, too. She brought into the world something so brief, and it ended like this.

I hope that he will be loved like Peter.

[Julien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je pense que c’est un chef d’œuvre qui n’était pas pour moi. Il y a des extraits incroyables. Les techniques de style sont impressionnantes, mais alourdissent la lecture au fil de pages. Ravi de l’avoir lu, mais sans plus.

[Jonathan Francois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the book. Not my favorite of Pèguy’s but definitely an amazing read. Does a great job explaining the heart of the Christian engraced by the Passion

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts which pierced me unbelievably, however, the last fourth of the poem was unbearably repetitious.