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1、thePreface&Chapters1&2SummaryTheprefaceisacollectionoffree-standingstatementsthatformamanifestoaboutthepurposeofart,theroleoftheartist,andthevalueofbeauty.SignedbyOscarWilde,theprefaceservesasaprimerforhowWildeintendsthenoveltoberead.Hedefinestheartistas"thecreatorofbeautifulthings,"andthecriticas"
2、hewhocantranslateintoanothermannerornewmaterialhisimpressionofbeautifulthings."Hecondemnsanyonewhofindsuglinesswherethereisbeautyas"corrupt."Hestatesthatabookcanbeneithermoralorimmoral,andthatmoralityitselfservesonlyas"partofthesubjectmatter"ofart.Sinceartexistssolelytocommunicatebeauty,Wildewarnsa
3、gainstreadingtoomuchintoanyworkofart:"Thosewhogobeneaththesurfacedosoattheirperil."Theprefaceendswiththewhimsicalstatementthat"Allartisquiteuseless";earlier,however,wearetoldthatthe"onlyexcuseformakingauselessthingisthatoneadmiresitintensely."Chapter1openswithadescriptionofBasilHallward,arespectedb
4、utreclusivepainter,whoisentertaininghisfriend,LordHenryWotton.Itisabeautifulspringday.LordHenryadmiresBasil'slatestwork-in-progress,afull-lengthportraitofabeautifulyoungman,andurgeshimtoshowitatagallery.Basilsaysthatheneverwillbecausehehas"puttoomuchofmyselfintoit."LordHenrylaughsathim,mistakinghis
5、meaning,andsaysthatthepainterisnothingliketheboyinthepicture.Inthefollowingdiscussion,itbecomesclearthatLordHenryoftenspeaksinelaborate,cynical,evenparadoxicalaphorisms,whileBasilisasimplermanwithmorepurelyromanticvalues.Basilclarifieshisearlierstatementbysayingthat"everyportraitthatispaintedwithfe
6、elingisaportraitoftheartist,notofthesitter."Thediscussionturnstowardsthesitter,whomBasildescribesasadelightfullypureandnaiveyoungmannamedDorianGray.LordHenryinsistsonmeetingtheman,butBasilrefuses.Hewantstoprotecttheboy'sinnocentpurityfromLordHenry'scynical,sensualistinfluence.ItbecomesclearthatBasi
7、lhasverystrongfeelingsforDorian,borderingonadulation.ToBasil'schagrin,thebutlerannouncesDorian'sunexpectedarrival,andtheartistimploresofLordHenry:"Hehasasimpleandabeautifulnature...Don'tspoilhim...Don'ttake
