One of my favourite things about history is unveiling the truth – and not the pared down, often whitewashed and edited versions to make things fit into a neat little box.

I originally entered the Bachelor of Science program, but something just clicked for me in History 260 with Dr. Robert Irwin and Classics 102 with Dr. Isabelle Donald. I wanted to dive in further so I switched to the Bachelor of Arts program.

Exploring gender and mysticism in Dr. Sean Hannan's 400-level history class, I had the chance to research Joan of Arc. With some guidance and recommendations, I decided to present a research poster on my work. 

I focused on her life, specifically how she was able to achieve an unprecedented level of political and military autonomy for a common woman in 15th-century France, using the divine connection through her visions and her prediction of clearing the siege at Orleans, along with the holy notions of virginity – and thereby Godly power – that she adhered to.

Gender was another angle of research that came up – specifically surrounding the gendered notions of clothing. Both contemporary and modern scholarship often paint Joan as dressing as a man to obtain her power. But based on the records from Joan's trial, she didn’t seem to consider that her clothing changed her gender identity from a female to a male. She was perfectly accepting of female clothing given to her from her jailers and the church, and strongly professed herself as the female armoured virginal savior of France. She was simply wearing armour because it was necessary equipment for battle. 

This project was a chance to ask questions and discuss a topic I hadn’t thought of before. It’s an experience I think all students can benefit from – having and honing these skills makes you stand out from the crowd.

– Steven Jewkes, Bachelor of Arts, History student

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