摘要本文首先分析莎士比亚主要的喜剧作品中的女性形象，综合得出莎士比亚在其喜剧作品中塑造的一系列丰富生动、光彩动人的女性群像的共同特征，即肯定女性的智慧, 讴歌女性的美德, 赞美女性不畏强暴勇于追求的气概；还提出在她们身上体现出了对新人文主义的生活原则和理想的追求,她们是人文主义的典范；最后指出当时的政治经济背景以及文艺复兴运动时期的人文主义思潮对当时的社会以及莎士比亚的深刻的影响，即伊丽莎白统治下的社会以及以人为本的社会思潮。
关键词：莎士比亚；喜剧；形象；共同特征；背景ABSTRACTThis paper first analyzes some women images in Shakespeare‘s main comedies, on such basis, it concludes the common features of the series of those rich female imagery in Shakespeare‘s comedies. It affirms women‘s wisdom; eulogize the virtues of women; and praise the courage of not fear for violence and the spirit of pursuing their ideals. The paper also explores the life principles and the pursuit of ideals of new humanist that reflected on them. They are the models of humanism. At the end of this paper, it points out the profound influence of the political and economical backgrounds and the thoughts of humanism of the Renaissance period on the society as well as on Shakespeare at that time, that is, the society under the rule of Elizabeth I and the people-centered social thoughts.Keywords：Shakespeare; comedies; imagery; common feature; backgroundsContents1. Introduction (1)2. The common features of the females in shakespeare’s comedies (2)2.1 External beauty (2)2.2 Internal beauty (2)2.2.1 The pursuit of love (2)2.2.2 Loyalty to friendship (3)2.2.3 Extinguished wisdom (3)2.2.4 Noble morality (4)2.3 Round personality (4)3. Reasons of shaping those female images (6)3.1 Backgrounds (6)3.1.1 Political and social background (6)3.1.2 Economic background (8)3.1.3 Humanism (9)3.2 Symbol meaning of those female images (11)4. Conclusion (13)Acknowledgements (14)References (15)1．IntroductionShakespeare is perhaps the most quoted author in liter ature. Shakespeare‘s early years was his comedy times, he created many famous comedies such as "The Merchant of Venice", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Twelfth Night" and so on. In those comedies, he made an analysis of the unique style and the witty remarks in the description of the beauty of women images and the profound connotations of thought in Shakespeare‘s comedies, holding that the beauty of women images should be embodied in the harmony of self-respect, independence, amiability, devotion to love and the relationship of human beings and that of human beings and nature. Starting from the exploration of human civilization and the progress of society, the paper expounds the truth that mercy conquers cruelty; friendship conquers enmity; wisdom conquers ignorance, and justice conquers evil. Therefore the ideal beauty of humanism is realized. All of those women images symbolize the impact of humanism.2. The common features of the femalesIn Shakespeare’s comediesWomen images in Shakespeare‘s comedies have unique style and the witty remarks in the description of the beauty and the profound connotations of thought. The beauty of women images were embodied in the harmony of self-respect , independence , amiability , devotion to love and the relationship of human beings and that of human beings and nature.2.1 External beautyFemales in Shakespeare‘s comedies always had beautiful outside. In ―The Merchant of Venice‖ Bassanio once said, ―In Belmont is a lady richly left; And she is fair, and, fairer than that word, Of wondrous virtues: sometimes from her eyes I did receive fair speechless messages: Her name is Portia, nothing undervalued To Cato's daughter, Brutus' Portia: Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth, For the four winds blow in from every coast Renowned suitors, and her sunny locks Hang on her temples like a golden fleece; Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos' strand, And many Jasons come in quest of her. O my Antonio, had I but the means To hold a rival place with one of them, I have a mind presages me such thrift, That I should questionless be fortunate‖[1]1. That is Portia. Beatrice in ―M uch Ado About Nothing‖is a "precious jade" which is worthy of "all the world's wealth". Viola in ―Twelfth Night‖ causes Miss Count to fall in love with her at first sight even she is dressed as a man.2.2 Internal beautyWomen in Shakespeare‘s comedies are all beautiful ladies with rich inner beauty and rich Personality such as their special opinions about purchasing their true love, great loyalty to friendship, having outstanding wisdom and noble morality.2.2.1 Pursuit of loveIn Portia‘s mind, the nobles are all dull and have nothing available but enjoy their lives. ―First, she said that the Neapolitan prince is a colt indeed. Then there is theCounty Palatine. He doth nothing but frown. The French lord, Monsieur Le Bon hath a horse better than the Neapolitan's, a better bad habit of frowning than the Count Palatine; he is every man in no man. Then, to Falconbridge, the young baron of England, How oddly he is suited. The young German, the Duke of Saxony's nephew is very vilely in the morning, when he is sober, and most vilely in the afternoon, when he is drunk: when he is best, he is a little worse than a man, and when he is worst, he is little better than a beast. ‖ [1]1 Portia would not be controlled by power or property. In order to find the true love, she went against her father‘s will.Beatrice in ―M uch Ado About Nothing‖is a noble, but her mind is filled with humanism. She thinks that the qualification of an individual is the basic standard of choosing her lover, not the property or noble classical or power. She calls for the equality of both male and female; stick to individual independence, and safeguards women's dignity. She said ―But manhood is melted into courtesies, valour into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules that only tells a lie and swears it. I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.‖ [2]42.2.2 Loyalty to friendshipPortia is a generous lady. When she heard that Bassanio‘s friend is in danger, she said to Bassanio, ―Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond; double six thousand, and then treble that, before a friend of this description shall lose a hair through Bassanio's fault. First go with me to church and call me wife, and then away to Venice to your friend; for never shall you lie by Portia's side with an unquiet soul. You shall have gold to pay the petty debt twenty times over: When it is paid, bring your true friend along. My maid Nerissa and myself meantime Will live as maids and widows.‖ [1]3 After saying this to her husband, she later dresses up as a man and finds a way to release Antonio from his bond with Shylock, when no one else is able to. She proves to the audience and to her friends that even though she might have been perceived as an unlesson'd, unschool'd, unpractic'd girl, her inner self, posses the strength, intelligence and experience that enables her to do what she did.When Beatrice‘s cousin Hero is wronged and slandered by Hero‘s husband Claudio in the wedding part, she insisted that her cousin was innocent and angrily said ―O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place.‖ [2]42.2.3 Extinguished wisdomIn Shakespeare‘s works, women are always wiser than men. They stay calm and never draw back when confronting frustration and difficulties. Portia in ―The Merchant of Venice‖is learned and capable. She saved Antonio‘s life with her wise and talent words: ―Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh. Shed thou no blood, nor cut thou less nor more But just a pound of flesh: if thou cut'st more Or less than a just pound, be it but so much As makes it light or heavy in the substance, Or the division of the twentieth part Of one poor scruple, nay, if the scale do turn But in the estimation of a hair, Thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate.‖ [1]4Another example is Viola who in "Twelfth Night" falls in love with the Duke Orsino. She boldly posed as a boy and masquerading as a young castrato under the name Cesario. Viola is lively and enthusiastic, with gentle but masculine, and her intelligence, eloquence eventually made her gain the goodwill of the Duke.2.2.4 Noble moralityFemale in S hakespeare‘s comed ies have had the lofty morality strength, they always have appeared before the common people with friendly consummate attitude. They can always help others and embody the harmony between humans. They cherish friendship, love. They go completely the opposite way to the code of ethics and go against tradition. Such description and narration by Shakespeare embody that harmonious relationship should be established. Those women images reflect the strength of love and hate.Celia in ―As You Like It‖ was a person who cherish friend much more than her life. She comforted Rosalind whose father was exiled, ―You know my father hath no child but I, nor none is like to have: and, truly, when he dies, thou shalt be his heir, for what he hath taken away from thy father perforce, I will render thee again in affection; by mine honour, I will; and when I break that oath, let me turn monster: therefore, my sweet Rose, my dear Rose, be merry.‖[3]1Celia fought against her father in order to safeguard her pure friendship with Rosalind.2.3 Round personalityWomen in Shakespeare‘s comedies are those female have original characters. Whatthey reflect is the purchase of personality freedom, the character of personality liberty of the new bourgeoisie females in the United Kingdom or even the whole European continent in the renaissance period. In their opinions, family status, grade and money are no longer the amatory basis; they hold the power to make decision of happiness on their own hands. In order to pursue a life of happiness and free love, they dare to break through the feudalism fence, having self-judgment, defying father rights and the regime.Hermia in ―A Midsummer Night's Dream‖ dared to fight against her father in order to have marriage freedom. ―So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, Ere I will my virgin patent up Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke My soul consents not to give sovereignty.‖[4]1 Such frank character, such disregard of feudal dignity, and behavior to fight for the right of free love prominently displayed the courage of the new bourgeois female.3. Reasons of shaping those female imagesThe Elizabethan Age –the period during which Elizabeth I (1558–1603) was England‘s ruling monarch – is often thought of as a golden age in the cou ntry‘s history. It was the highpoint, for example, of the English Renaissance, and poetry and literature truly thrived. It was the time of Elizabethan theatre, when William Shakespeare and his contemporaries wrote new, dynamic, groundbreaking plays. Moreover, the Elizabethan era was one of unprecedented expansion and exploration abroad, while within England itself, the Protestant Reformation was influencing the thought and approach of the population as a whole.Elizabeth‘s reign was marked by her effective use of Parliament and the Privy Council, a small advisory body of the important state officials, and by the development of legal institutions in the English counties. Elizabeth firmly established Protestantism in England, encouraged English enterprise and commerce, and defended the nation against the powerful Spanish naval force known as the Spanish Armada. Her reign was noted for the English Renaissance, an outpouring of poetry and drama led by William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, and Christopher Marlowe that remains unsurpassed in English literary history.3.1 Backgrounds of Shakespeare‘s time3.1.1 Social and political backgroundShakespeare‘s comedies are almost created in his early time, in which is the peak of Elizabethan era. The Elizabethan Age is viewed so highly because of the contrasts with the periods before and after. It was a brief period of largely internal peace between the English Reformation and the battles between Protestants and Catholics and the battles between parliament and the monarchy that engulfed the seventeenth century. The Protestant or Catholic divide was settled, for a time, by the Elizabethan Religious Settlement, and parliament was not yet strong enough to challenge royal absolutism. England was also well-off compared to the other nations of Europe. England held on to the Church of England throughout Elizabeth's reign and those who disagreed on religious grounds, such as the Puritans set out for the Americas and settled in andaround Boston, Massachusetts.Elizabeth realized the importance of securing the cooperation of powerful men in order to rule effectively. She made extensive use of the Privy Council and summoned ten parliaments during her reign. She used Parliament to raise taxes and to endorse her policies, but also allowed its members to suggest laws regarding local issues, something rarely permitted by prior monarchs. The House of Lords and the House of Commons both grew in size during her reign.Elizabeth effectively expanded royal government by increasing the role of sheriffs in the counties and by relying upon justices of the peace to perform the basic administrative work of local government. Thousands of gentlemen served in this capacity, each an official, if unpaid, member of the regime. Meeting in quarter sessions, justices enforced everything from the Poor Laws to statutes against theft. At the center of her government, Elizabeth was fortunate in having a succession of capable ministers.Elizabeth‘s accession marked the final change in the nation‘s official religion. Elizabeth inherited a highly charged religious situation, which she handled with great skill. Although there was never any doubt she would return England to Protestantism, Elizabeth had to contend with opposition from both Catholics and radical Protestants. Catholic bishops and peers controlled the House of Lords and fought Elizabeth‘s first attempts to bring back Protestantism. Protestants exiled under the reign of Mary I returned to England, and many brought with them new and radical Protestant ideas, especially those of John Calvin, a French religious reformer. Calvin stressed the importance of predestination, the belief that salvation was predetermined for some people and not for others. Calvin also wanted the clergy to play a less important role in the state church and to concern themselves with preaching the gospel rather than in becoming bishops.Under Elizabeth, England again broke with the pope, Catholic services were forbidden, priests were allowed to marry, and relics and decorations were removed from the churches. In attempting to diffuse the religious situation, Elizabeth tried to accommodate Catholic sensibilities in matters she judged less essential. She used Parliament to establish the official doctrine of the new church, which ensured that the voice of Catholic peers would be heard. Under the Act of Supremacy, she assumed the title of Supreme Governor of the Church, rather than the title of Supreme Head, a move to placate critics because Supreme Governor sounded less powerful. She would not allow retaliation against those who had assisted Mary, and she treated with someleniency those who refused to swear an oath to her supremacy.Elizabeth viewed the church as an inseparable part of her monarchy and would not tolerate challenges to it. Such challenges came from both Catholics, who clung to the old faith and plotted to remove the queen, and from Puritans, radical Protestants who wanted to abolish all traces of Catholicism.3.1.2 Economic backgroundEconomically, the country was beginning to benefit enormously from the new horizons offered by trans-Atlantic trade. Elizabethan England had an active role in the slave trade and the repression of Catholic Ireland. Despite the great achievements seen during the Elizabethan era itself, it is worth noting that the country descended into the Civil War (1642-51) less than forty years after Elizabeth‘s death.All told, Elizabeth certainly provided the country with increasing overall prosperity. Having inherited a practically bankrupt nation, her cautious, frugal approach instigated a new sense of economic responsibility. The founding of the Royal Exchange (1565) –the first stock exchange in England and one of the earliest in Europe –proved an enormously valuable step for the economic development of England and, subsequently, for the world in general. Taxes were lower in England than other European countries at the time, as the economy expanded although the nation‘s wealth was undoubtedly distributed unevenly, there was certainly more money in the s tate‘s coffers at the end of Elizabeth‘s reign than there had been before her accession. And, it was precisely this general peace and prosperity that allowed the wonderful achievements that are associated with the era –with the ‗golden age‘ of Elizabethan England.The nation that Elizabeth inherited was experiencing a steady increase in population. The continued population growth placed strains on the economy, which was made worse by serious harvest failures in every decade of Elizabeth‘s reign. Prices for food and clothing skyrocketed in what became known as the Great Inflation. The 1590s were the worst years of the century, marked by starvation, epidemic disease, and roving bands of vagrants looking for work.Elizabeth‘s government enacted legislation kno wn as the Poor Laws, which made every local parish responsible for its own poor, created workhouses, and severely punished homeless beggars. Parliament also passed bills to ensure fair prices in times of shortage and to regulate wages in times of unemploym ent. One of the queen‘s most important economic decisions was to issue a new currency that contained a standardamount of precious metal. This raised confidence in the currency and also allowed businesses to enter into long-term financial contracts.During Elizabeth‘s reign, England expanded trade overseas and the merchant community grew. Private shipbuilding boomed and navigational advances made long sea voyages safer. England‘s chief commodity was woolen cloth, traded mostly at the Dutch port of Antwerp for finished goods and such luxuries as French wines. Cloth exports grew over the course of the reign, but suffered from competition from finer Spanish products and from Antwerp‘s decline after its harbor silted up and became impassable by the mid-1560s. In the 1560s financier Sir Thomas Gresham founded the Royal Exchange to help merchants find secure markets for their goods.At the same time, new enterprises like the Muscovy Company were chartered to find outlets for English products. In 1600 the government granted the English East India Company a monopoly to trade in Asia, Africa, and America. The desire to expand overseas trade was also a motive in the ventures of English explorers such as Sir Francis Drake, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and Sir Walter Raleigh. Such adventurers established the first English outposts in North America.3.1.3 HumanismThe word humanism has been freely applied to a variety of beliefs, methods, and philosophies that place central emphasis on what it means to be human. Frequently, the term is used with reference to a system of education and mode of inquiry that developed in northern Italy during the 14th century and later spread through Europe and England. Alternately known as "Renaissance humanism," this program was so broadly and profoundly influential that it is one of the chief reasons why the Renaissance is viewed as a distinct historical period.Humanities meant the development of human virtue, in all its forms, to its fullest extent. The term thus implied not only such qualities as are associated with the modern word humanity--understanding, benevolence, compassion, mercy--but also such more aggressive characteristics as fortitude, judgment, prudence, eloquence, and even love of honors. Consequently the possessor of humanities could not be merely a sedentary and isolated philosopher or man of letters but was of necessity a participant in active life. Just as action without insight was held to be aimless and barbaric, insight without action was rejected as barren and imperfect. Humanities called for a fine balance of action and contemplation, a balance born not of compromise but of complementarities. The goal ofsuch fulfilled and balanced virtue was political in the broadest sense of the word. The purview of Renaissance humanism included not only the education of the young but also the guidance of adults (including rulers) via philosophical poetry and strategic rhetoric. It included not only realistic social criticism but also utopian hypotheses, not only painstaking reassessments of history but also bold reshaping of the future. In short, humanism called for the comprehensive reform of culture, the transfiguration of what humanists termed the passive and ignorant society of the "dark" ages into a new order that would reflect and encourage the grandest human potentialities.Humanism emphasizes the belief in human beings, his environment and doings and his brave fight for the emancipation of man from tyranny of the church and religious dogmas. The most important content is assurance of human values. From art to social life, people should focus on human history, human activities, human spirit, and human images and so on. People's nature, life purpose and happiness ought to be the subject of study.Humanists advocate contending with destiny: they think everybody was born equal; they oppose the feudalism hierarchical system of judging individual family background with the social position, family status. They believe that individual social position should be decided by morality and physical labor, not comes from family status or rights of inheritance.The humanists all regard ethics as the centre: They think science and perfect morality degree determine the destiny of a country. Human should perfect themselves through education. People should respect both their body and mind. Everyone, including lawyer, doctor and philosopher, ought to be responsible for the society.Humanism is the rebirth of classical learning- especially philosophy and ethics, but also the art of politics. Humanism was inspired by the ideas of the reformer, Erasmus of Rotterdam, based on respect of the human being, tolerance and Christian love ethics Renaissance Humanism is the spirit of learning that developed at the end of the Middle Ages with the revival of classical letters and a renewed confidence in the ability of human beings to determine truth and falsehood for themselves.The period from the 14th century to the 17th worked in favor of the general emancipation of the individual. Individualism and the instinct of curiosity were vigorously cultivated. Honest doubt began to replace unreasoning faith. The skeptical viewpoint proposed by Abelard reached high development and wide acceptance among the humanists. Finally, the spirit of individualism to a certain degree incited theProtestant revolt, which, in theory at least, embodied a thorough application of the principle of individualism in religion.3.2 Symbol meaning of those female imagesWilliam Shakespeare‘s comedies are almost created in his early time. At that time, he was influenced by the idea of humanism; therefore, his thoughts were mostly active and pure. Shakespeare expressed his thoughts of individual values by creating those wise pretty kind females in his works. Those images are a mirror of history and society.When William Shakespeare wrote, The Merchant of Venice, he included a female character that influences the play dramatically. In most of Shakespeare's plays, the women have little power and intelligence. In The Merchant of Venice, however, Portia is a woman that saves the life of a man with her wit and intelligence. Another woman created by Shakespeare that posses qualities similar to Portia is Beatrice, from Much Ado about Nothing. Both women add to the main themes of the play because of their ability to use their intelligence and witty remarks as well as having a loving heart. The women share many similarities as well as many differences which seem to be inevitable because Portia seems to be put on a pedestal that very few can reach. Portia is one of Shakespeare's great heroines, whose beauty, lively intelligence, quick wit, and high moral seriousness have blossomed in a society of wealth and freedom. She is known throughout the world for her beauty and virtue, and she is able to handle any situation with her sharp wit.The one female, Shakespearean character that is most like Portia would be Beatrice, from Much Ado about Nothing. Both of the women are known for their wit and intelligence. Beatrice is able to defend her views in any situation, as does Portia. Shakespeare gives each of them a sense of power by giving their minds the ability to change words around, use multiple meanings and answer wisely to the men surrounding them. By adding a loving heart to both of these women, Shakespeare makes their intelligence more appealing. Even though Beatrice hides the loving side of her character for most of the play, she still expresses her kindness and love in other ways. Like Portia, she is a dear friend and an obedient daughter. In the fourth act, after Portia has saved the life of Antonio, she uses her wit, just as Beatrice does to test Benedict's love, to convince Bassanio to surrender the ring that he vowed he would never part with.Portia displays all the graces of the perfect Renaissance lady. She is not ambitious, she is quiet rather than restrictive. She is modest in her self-estimation. Her generousspirit makes her wish she had more virtue, wealth, and friends so that she can better help those she loves. When Shakespeare created Portia's character, he contributed the likeness of Beatrice and added the elements of a perfect Renaissance woman. Even though Portia is a woman, she still posses the intelligence to use manipulates words, the beauty to women, and the soul that stands above many others. Her appearance adds to her angelic reputation and her wisdom allows the audience of the play to acknowledge the theme of deceptive appearances.All the examples show to us that Shakespeare creates those female images to express the influence of the revolution society and especially the idea of humanism.4．ConclusionThe tune of Shakespeare‘s comedies is active. Women images in Shakespeare‘s comedies have unique style and the witty remarks in the description of the beauty and the profound connotations of thought. First, women‘s images in Shakespeare‘s comedies are all beautiful ladies with rich inner beauty and rich Personality such as their special opinions about purchasing their true love, great loyalty to friendship, having outstanding wisdom and noble morality. Second, Shakespeare creates those rich images under the society of Elizabethan era, in which the politics, religion and economy are considerably stable and prosperous. Most important, it was the Renaissance period, in which the idea of humanism developed. Shakespeare create those rich female images in his comedies in order to express the central idea of Renaissance, and that human beings should change their traditional opinions of judging people. 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