In Shakespearian times women usually had no rights. They were expected to stay at home, do their husband’s bidding and never protest. When a woman broke any of those rules it was considered an outrage. As we see in Act II Scenes 2 and 3, Paulina was unique in the fact that she defied that unwritten rule. She ignored her husband’s request (Lines 44-46 in Scene 3) and protested against the king (Lines 82-90 in scene 3). …showed first 75 words of 623 total…

…showed last 75 words of 623 total…with the outraged king in spirited fashion, something which the men dared not do. She is not silent when injustice is being done, but like Camillo she strives to right it. Even though during much of the two scenes she seems bold and ill-mannered, beneath that there is a softness of love and femininity, and this is shown in the line” we do not know how he may soften at the sight o’th’child”.