Taming of the Shrew: A Student Evaluates Peter Leithart’s Analysis

The last paper one of my senior students wrote as part of his independent study preparation for the English Literature Advanced Placement Test this year was an evaluation of The Taming of the Shrew chapter in Peter Leithart’s fine book Brightest Heaven of Invention.  (See my recommendation in the “Teacher’s Resources for Shakespeare“ blog entry dated 8-27-11.)  I’ve condensed Jordan’s paper as follows to give other students and teachers a brief example of a good college-entry level essay.

Peter Leithart’s Brightest Heaven of Invention includes an analysis of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew in which he intertwines the script and the Bible for a Christian perspective.  For example, he used Proverbs 10:11, “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence” to show that words have power to create (as in God speaking to create the world) and to destroy.  In the case of Petruchio, he says, words are used to create a new Katherine.  He also points out physical correction leading to wisdom (Proverbs 29:15) and relates that to the physical element of Petruchio’s taming of Katherine.  It is important to remember, though, that the script portrays their courting not as a physical wrestling match as much as a verbal one.  When Kate throws a literal punch, Petruchio sets a new precedent in their relationship going forward by not striking back but by threatening verbally.  Leithart aptly observes, “Their conflict is not about physical strength; it is a conflict about whose word will gain supremacy.”

Although Leithart is clearly well versed in working Shakespeare and the Bible together, he sometimes tries to prove too much and in one case is totally wrong, claiming that Petruchio and Katherine’s relationship is the only one in the play that doesn’t involve disguises and deceptions.  From the beginning of their relationship both characters wear figurative masks.  Petruchio’s is his initial “love” for Katherine which starts as nothing more than concern to marry rich even if “she has not a tooth in her head.”  This mask dissolves, however, as the two actually do fall in love.  Katherine’s mask is simply her shrewishness.  Even if she did have a predisposition to be shrewish, her wrath is actually brought about by jealousy for her sister.  In retaliation for being pigeon-holed as a lost cause and starved for love, she puts on her full shrewishness to deny her sister what would make her happy:  marriage.

Leithart stretches his major idea too far asserting that Petruchio’s taming of Katherine is much like Christ’s taming of His bride, the church.  His biblical examples do not help the analogy either, for example citing Christ correcting His bride in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.