Self-Assuredness
Joan is repeatedly cautioned that she may be guilty of the sin of pride. It was shocking for a young woman from a humble background to show so much confidence, and to see herself as worthy of being God's messenger. While Joan does not seem to think she is better than anyone else, she also does not question that she has the right to serve in God's plan. In a time when both gender and class norms would have suggested that she consider herself far below the powerful men she interacts with, Joan is not afraid to stand up for herself and ask to be taken seriously. She even sees herself as capable of giving advice to the Dauphin. What other characters misinterpret as pride is actually Joan's self-assuredness and her devout faith in God's plan.
Power
The whole play presents the struggle for power in the fight between the French and the Englishmen. Power also plays out in other ways: for example, Warwick and Cauchon spar over the powers of the Church and feudal lords. Both men are fearful of Joan because she has the potential to disrupt their hold on power, but they strive for power in different ways. As a whole, the play depicts power as a force that motivates people to do whatever is necessary. Joan dies because she ends up caught in the middle of power struggles, and many people are willing to let her burn even though they know she is innocent.
Gender
Joan is a very strange character for her age. She is a woman, yet she acts like she is a soldier and refuses to do the things that are expected of her, such as getting married and listening to what men say to her. Instead, she rebels against the conventions of her time and chooses to pick her own path and do what she thinks is right. Joan sees her gender as irrelevant to her mission: God chose her, and she will follow Him no matter what he asks. It may be significant that two of the three saints who communicate with Joan are also women: she has models of what it means for women to be holy and carry out God's will. But for the men around her, Joan's gender is a huge negative: her refusal to conform to gender norms and dress like a woman represents one more way in which Joan threatens to disrupt the delicate power balance of medieval power.
Holiness
Throughout the play, characters debate whether Joan is a holy figure or a fraud. Interestingly, many of the characters that serve the Church are among the first to accuse Joan of being a fraud and question her ability to perform miracles. They know better than anyone that holiness can be feigned as a way to manipulate people or hold on to power. It is typically the more humble characters, such as common soldiers, that believe most earnestly in Joan's holiness. Joan herself is also surprised whenever characters question her motives because her faith is so integral to he—it never occurs to her that anyone would use God or holiness as a tool for manipulation.
Justice
Justice is a major theme in the play, especially since Joan's trial plays such a prominent part. Most people would like to assume that a lengthy court trial carried out by educated people would result in a just verdict, but Shaw shows that this is not always the case. Many of the people involved in Joan's trial are determined to see her executed whether she is guilty or not. The play also shows that integrity and good deeds are not always rewarded justly. Joan lives according to her principles and never does anything wrong. In a just world, she would be celebrated and respected. Yet in a flawed world of scheming and manipulation, she suffers a terrible death which she does not deserve.
Nationalism
Shaw very explicitly introduces the theme of nationalism into the play. Many historians argue that the 100 Years' War was important in defining both French and English identities since years of warfare created a sense of loyalty and distrust of "the other." Warwick specifically criticizes Joan for the way in which she encourages soldier to think of themselves as primarily loyal to their ruler and country, rather than to their local feudal lord. Warwick fears that the consequences of this centralized political power will affect the power of himself and other land-owning aristocrats. Joan is less interested in whom people are loyal to because she values loyalty to God above all else. For her, nationalism is connected with the language spoken in a region, and she uses this characteristic to define which territories should be controlled by a given ruler.
Integrity
Throughout the play, the integrity of Joan and other characters is challenged and tested. Many people assume that Joan must have other motives or be seeking to somehow expand her own power and influence. Disbelief about Joan's integrity seems to stem from the fact that most other characters have very little integrity. They are motivated by the desire to secure power and influence, and they will do whatever is necessary to hang on to that power. In fact, even Joan's integrity wavers due to fear of death. Confronted with the prospect of being executed, she signs a confession she does not believe in. However, Joan retracts the confession and goes to her death determined to live and die according to her principles.
