Despite being mediated by scribes, the detailed records from Joan's trial and rehabilitation offer an exceptionally rare opportunity to hear the wit, courage, and personality of a 15th-century peasant girl in her own words. This direct voice is a primary source of her enduring historical power.

Contrary to the popular image, Joan of Arc was not a shepherdess and displayed a degree of class consciousness about it. During her trial, she insisted she was a spinner and sewer—a more respectable trade—and challenged the court women to match her skill, revealing a pride in her higher-than-lowest-peasant status.

Joan consciously or unconsciously adopted the persona of a hero from popular chivalric romances. This was an effective strategy, as it tapped into a pre-existing cultural narrative that inspired knights and soldiers to follow her, making her spectacle a key element of her success.

After months of defiance, Joan suddenly recanted at the sight of the execution pyre. She later admitted her reason was brutally simple: "I did it for fear of the fire." This reveals the immense psychological pressure she faced, framing her ultimate defiance as a return to her core identity despite the fatal consequences.

Joan's decision to wear men's clothing was a profound theological transgression, explicitly condemned in the Book of Deuteronomy. She never justified it on practical grounds like safety, but as a direct command from her voices. This framed the act as one of religious obedience that paradoxically broke religious law, making it central to her heresy charge.

Joan's success relied on an "infectious bravery" that inspired demoralized troops and overrode the caution of veteran commanders. She consistently pushed for aggressive attacks when professionals advised delay. This highlights how a leader's conviction and confidence can become a tangible strategic advantage, transforming a unit's psychology and capacity for risk.

Her companions noted that despite her beauty, Joan did not inspire carnal desire. This reinforced her image as a holy "maid," making her a non-threatening and divinely sanctioned leader in the hyper-masculine environment of a military camp, where her virginity was a marker of her holiness.

The very first literary account of Joan of Arc was written in 1429 by Christine de Pizan, considered the first professional female writer in Western history. This establishes that Joan's narrative was shaped and celebrated by a prominent female voice in real-time, not just in hindsight.

Joan adopted the martial glamour of a male knight while leveraging the spiritual power associated with female virginity. This unique combination of potent gender archetypes made her an exceptionally compelling and authoritative figure, transcending conventional roles.