Perdita has grown up to become a beautiful young lady and she and the Prince of Bohemia, Florizel, have fallen in love with each other. He secretly visits her in disguise at the Shepherd’s cottage with who they both believe is her real father. Although Polixenes (Florizel’s father and King of Bohemia) is worried about his son, he over reacts just a little bit when he breaks up the young lovebirds’ engagement. He plans to have the Shepherd hanged and Perdita’s pretty face “scratched with briers and made More homely than thy state” (4.4.429-430). Although Polixenes eventually changes his mind, this was still a harsh punishment for finding out about his son’s almost-wedding with a beautiful young girl.
It is almost as if Polixenes has repressed feelings from his lost friendship with Leontes. His anger and resentment has stimulated around his son for marrying a fellow civilian of no royal blood. When was Polixenes ever like this? The audience has always known him to be kind and gentle and warming. After all, he spent nine months in his best friend’s kingdom when he himself had a country to attend to. Maybe he has hidden feelings about Leontes for treating him and suspecting him of sleeping with his wife. Maybe he has grown to resent him for that. Polixenes knew he never did any wrong yet Leontes was stubborn and believed his own suspicions. Maybe the way Polixenes treated Florizel was mirroring what Leontes did to Hermione, even though Polixenes was not there for her trial. Could old friends have similar characteristics? They did grow up together, did they not?
This is a really interesting idea. We can compare the development of the two kings by the time we get to Act 5. There is indeed a kind of hysteria in the reaction of Polixenes to this apparent breach of social rank.