<DIV>Charting the meteoric rise and fall of Joan of Arc and her mission to drive the English from France, Shaw's<I> Saint Joan </I>draws directly on the medieval records to cut through the sentiment that characterized previous literary treatments of her story. A powerful example of a new kind of history play<I>,</I> its staging of dissent and social constraint, personal responsibility and female assertion, as well as fervent adherence to a cause, gave it a powerful modernity in its own day and continuing resonance in ours. Acclaimed internationally, this instant modern classic propelled Shaw to the Nobel Prize for 1925. </DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>This new edition includes Shaw's definitive text and full Preface and provides the most comprehensive scholarly treatment of the play to date, featuring commentary on: </DIV><DIV>* the historical and theatrical context</DIV><DIV>* the development of the text and stage-worthiness of the play</DIV><DIV>* correlation of the dialogue with the records of Jeanne D'Arc's trial </DIV><DIV>* an international stage history</DIV><DIV>* an appendix identifying the historical models for the characters</DIV>