Before the Renaissance, women were always in the role of being oppressed and exploited, as a result, religion and litera-ture often focused on human weakness. On the contrary, the humanist movement focused more on human morality and wisdom. In The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare placed an ideal of new humanist woman—Portia, who became a towering character in Shake-speare's works. From her, the spirit of pursuing love and human right can be revealed completely, influencing the development of humanism profoundly.
