Abstract:The Old Testament is not only a religious canon, but also a controversial literary work. This dissertation attempts to study the images and status of the female characters in the book with an objective perspective, hence the recognition of its social background conveyed by it. Here, this dissertation chooses three most wide-spread female characters in the Old Testament, and studies the cultural meaning concealed behind their images through their stories and some related literary works. The next part is the general analysis of the overall status of women according to its content, aiming at a better understanding of the book. Through the study we can find out the influence of the female characters over the realm of literature, as well as the historical context and social phenomena. Classic as it is, the Old Testament is not flawless, which calls for a critical attitude when reading.

Key Words: the Old Testament; female character; image; status

摘 要:《旧约》一书不仅是一部宗教法典，更是一部备受争议的文学著作。本文试图从客观的角度去探索《旧约》中的女性人物的形象和地位，从而认识该书所传达的社会背景。在此，本文选择了三位《旧约》中最广为流传的女性人物，通过对她们的故事的研读，结合相关文学作品，从而对隐藏于她们形象背后的文化含义进行讨论。接着就根据其内容对书中女性的整体地位进行概括，以此来加深人们对该书的认识。通过研究我们不仅看到书中的女性人物在文学方面的影响力，也能认识到当时的历史背景和社会现象。尽管《旧约》是一部经典之作，但它并非完美无缺，这就要求我们抱着批判的态度去阅读此书。

关键词：《旧约》；女性人物；形象；地位