「奇優」一詞出自《紅樓夢》第二回，曹雪芹指出秉賦天地正邪之氣、介於仁惡之間的第三類人，若生於薄祚寒門，必為奇優名娼。「奇優」是指色藝特出、性情孤高的伶人，雖然身處社會底層，卻不願自甘下流、屈從權貴，往往特立獨行、卓爾不群。本文從「奇優」著手，以明末清初李漁(1611-1680)與清代曹雪芹(1715-1763)為例，探討二人筆下伶人的文學形象，及明清文人班主與伶人的交往，進而觀看文人品評伶人的審美論點。 本論文共分為六章，首章緒論，說明論文研究動機與目的，以確立研究的興趣意向，復次說明研究方法、範圍與架構，最後以文獻回顧作一文本脈絡梳理，檢視與本論文相關之研究。 第二章本章以李漁《比目魚》與曹雪芹《紅樓夢》為主要文本，將二人筆下的伶人形象作一連結，先論《紅樓夢》的女伶齡官，再論《比目魚》的女伶劉絳仙及其女劉藐姑。 第三章本章敘述明清文人班主與家班伶人的互動交往。先敘述李漁與喬王二姬的，再敘曹雪芹祖父曹寅的家班伶人。兼論明清之際的張岱與家班伶人的互動。 第四章本章敘述明清的奇優與名娼。本章先闡述明清的社會風氣，影響文士形成品評色藝的文化，以余懷《板橋雜記》中的青樓名娼為主。接著論及男風現象，以陳森《品花寶鑑》與《紅樓夢》中的同性之情為主。最後論及明清奇優名伶的風采，以張岱詩文中的女伶為主。 第五章結論：文人傳世，伶人不朽。綜述李漁與曹雪芹筆下的伶人形象，總結明清人物審美新論點。The phrase “talented actors" comes from chapter two of Dream of Red Chamber. Cao pointed out that people, who were endowed with both the Qi of good and evil, acting between benevolent and evil, if born in a poor family, definitely became either talented actors or famous prostitutes. “Talented actors" refers to actors that are beautiful, outstanding and with aloof temperament. Although living in the bottom of society, they are unwilling to wallow in the lower class, or to succumb to the power or the wealth. Furthermore, they are often independent, unique in mind and action, and, not sociable. Focusing on “talented actors", this article explores the literary image of the actors depicted by Li Yu (1611-1680) and Cao Xueqin (1715-1763) of the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, and the interaction between literati, the troupe owners, and actors of their own troupe. And then, it presents the arguments of literati over appreciation of those actors.
