Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how, in "The Winter's Tale," William Shakespeare presents female characters with both inner and exterior strength. It shows that along with the strength, are the qualities of understanding, forgiveness and patience. It explores the three characters in the play that represent these female characteristics - Hermione, Paulina and Perdita. For all three female characters, they are a part of the action and suffer because of the events in the play. Yet even in suffering they remain gracious and strong and forgiving. The paper discusses how it is these characteristics that make "The Winter's Tale" a play about how strong and solid the female character can be, with the outcome of the play also showing what an impact these qualities can have.

From the Paper:

"Hermione is the central female character of the play and also the one who suffers the most. At the same time, she is the character who has the greatest amount of strength. In the play, Hermione is accused of infidelity by her husband, something that must hurt her deeply. And yet even when her husband accuses her, she remains calm. When Leontes first calls Hermione an adulteress she denies it calmly and elegantly saying, "should a villain say so, the most replenished villain in the world, he were as much more villain: you, my Lord, do but mistake" (II,i). For the audience, the calmness that Hermione possesses is emphasized by the contrast with her husband."

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