Punctuation Placing

How important is the placing of a simple, little, unobtrustive, inconspicuous symbol of punctuation?

Consider:


A woman, without her man, is nothing.

A woman, without her, man is nothing.


Which sentence is correct?

Well, perhaps I need restate that question. What is the author’s intent? Two very, very different meanings can arise, all dependent on where that comma is placed.

Just something the writer / editor / perfectionist in me found quite interesting.

[From the interesting book, Will Power: How to Act Shakespeare in 21 Days, by John Basil. This book also inspired me to re-take-on the Bard again, in the next couple of days.]