Abstract
This paper endeavors to analyze carnival elements from aspects of carnival spirits, carnival square and grotesque characters on the basis of M.M. Bakhtin’s carnival theory.  It attempts to expound Carter’s creations of the irrational world and dig out the concrete practices of carnival theory in Angela Carter’s Nights at the Circus. With the unique angel of view, Angela Carter endows her female roles with remarkable destiny and tendency of fate, strongly appealing for female thirst for freedom and exploration within themselves. This paper consists of two chapters. Chapter one grubs out carnival spirits in this novel, through specific explanation of Nights at the Circus. They are the spirit of subversion, equality and utopia respectively. Chapter two discusses the carnival masses, comprised of elements like clowns and carnival square. Then it comes to the conclusion. This part reviews the paper above. Thanks to the application of carnival theory, feminism in this novel is more positive. 
Keywords   Angela Carter   Carnival theory   feminism   Nights at the Circus

本文从巴赫金的狂欢理论为出发点，试图对安吉拉卡特的《马戏团之夜》中的狂欢精神、狂欢广场以及怪诞的人物形象等方面的狂欢化元素进行分析，重新阐释卡特笔下非理性的世界并且深层挖掘狂欢成分在小说中的实践。同时，本文关注安吉拉卡特以其独特的视角所描写的女性命运,女性的发展以及女性对自身自由的渴望和探索的强烈诉求。本文分为两个部分，第一章通过对《马戏团之夜》的具体解读，挖掘小说之中的狂欢精神：颠覆精神、平等精神以及乌托邦精神。第二章讨论了狂欢大众，而这些狂欢的元素由小丑形象、狂欢广场等组成。最后是总结部分，此部分对本文进行了综述。正是由于狂欢理论在小说中的应用，使小说中的女性主义赋予更积极的意义。
关键词  安吉拉卡特   狂欢理论   女性主义   《马戏团之夜》 

Angela Carter is one of the most distingushed eminist writers in the contemporary literary society, which has witnessed her intense feminist concern and self-examination, unique artistic style, exquisite writing skills, as well as wild uncontrollable imagination. Besides, Carter’s works cover a wide range of subjects from magic realism, postmodernism, meta-fiction, feminism to Gothic-style. As a prolific author, she has created nine fictions, three short story collections, and other forms of literature works during her 20-year creation career.