The action takes place at the beginning of the 20th century.
Nine-year-old Philip Carey is left an orphan and sent to be raised by his priest uncle in Blackstable. The priest does not have tender feelings for his nephew, but in his house Philip finds many books that help him forget about loneliness.
At the school where the boy was sent, his classmates mock him (Philip is lame from birth), causing him to become painfully timid and shy - it seems to him that suffering is the lot of his whole life. Philip prays to God to make him healthy, and for the fact that a miracle does not happen, he blames only himself - he thinks that he lacks faith.
He hates school and doesn't want to go to Oxford. Contrary to his uncle’s wishes, he strives to study in Germany, and he manages to insist on his own.
In Berlin, Philip falls under the influence of one of his fellow students, the Englishman Hayward, who seems extraordinary and talented to him, not noticing that his deliberate unusualness is just a pose, behind which there is nothing. But the debates between Hayward and his interlocutors about literature and religion leave a huge mark on Philip’s soul: he suddenly realizes that he no longer believes in God, is not afraid of hell, and that a person is responsible for his actions only to himself.
After completing a course in Berlin, Philip returns to Blackstable and meets Miss Wilkinson, the daughter of Mr. Carey's former assistant. She is about thirty, she is cutesy and flirtatious, at first Philip does not like her, but nevertheless soon becomes his mistress. Philip is very proud; in his letter to Hayward he writes a beautiful romantic story. But when the real Miss Wilkinson leaves, she feels great relief and sadness that reality is so different from her dreams.
His uncle, having come to terms with Philip's reluctance to enter Oxford, sends him to London to study as a chartered accountant. Philip feels bad in London: he has no friends, and his work brings unbearable melancholy. And when a letter arrives from Hayward with an offer to go to Paris and take up painting, it seems to Philip that this desire has long been brewing in his soul. After studying for only a year, he, despite his uncle’s objections, left for Paris.
In Paris, Philip entered art studio"Amitrino"; Fanny Price helps him get used to his new place - she is very ugly and unkempt, they can’t stand her for her rudeness and huge conceit with a complete lack of drawing ability, but Philip is still grateful to her.
The life of a Parisian bohemian changes Philip's worldview: he no longer considers ethical tasks to be fundamental to art, although he still sees the meaning of life in Christian virtue. The poet Cronshaw, who does not agree with this position, offers Philip to understand the true goal human existence look at the pattern of the Persian carpet.
When Fanny, having learned that Philip and his friends were leaving Paris in the summer, made an ugly scene, Philip realized that she was in love with him. And upon his return, he did not see Fanny in the studio and, absorbed in his studies, forgot about her. A few months later, a letter arrives from Fanny asking him to come see her: she has not eaten anything for three days. When Philip arrives, he discovers that Fanny has committed suicide. This shocked Philip. He is tormented by a feeling of guilt, but most of all by the meaninglessness of Fanny’s asceticism. He begins to doubt his painting abilities and turns to one of his teachers with these doubts. And indeed, he advises him to start life again, because he can only become a mediocre artist.
The news of his aunt's death forces Philip to go to Blackstable, and he will never return to Paris. Having parted with painting, he wants to study medicine and enters the institute at St. Luke in London. In his philosophical reflections, Philip comes to the conclusion that conscience is main enemy personality in the struggle for freedom, and creates a new life rule for himself: one must follow one’s natural inclinations, but with due regard for the policeman around the corner.
One day in a cafe he started talking to a waitress named Mildred; she refused to continue the conversation, hurting his pride. Soon Philip realizes that he is in love, although he perfectly sees all her shortcomings: she is ugly, vulgar, her manners are full of disgusting affectation, her rude speech speaks of poverty of thought. Nevertheless, Philip wants to get her at any cost, including marriage, although he realizes that this will be his death. But Mildred declares that she is marrying someone else, and Philip, realizing that main reason His torment is wounded vanity, despising himself no less than Mildred. But we need to move on with our lives: pass exams, meet friends...
Meeting a young, pretty woman named Nora Nesbit - she is very sweet, witty, and knows how to take life's troubles lightly - restores his faith in himself and heals his emotional wounds. Philip finds another friend after falling ill with the flu: his neighbor, doctor Griffiths, carefully looks after him.
But Mildred returns - having learned that she is pregnant, her betrothed confessed that he was married. Philip leaves Nora and begins to help Mildred - his love is so strong. Mildred gives up the newborn girl to be raised, not having any feelings for her daughter, but she falls in love with Griffiths and enters into a relationship with him. The offended Philip nevertheless secretly hopes that Mildred will return to him again. Now he often remembers Hope: she loved him, and he acted vilely to her. He wants to return to her, but finds out that she is engaged. Soon word reaches him that Griffiths has broken up with Mildred: he quickly grew tired of her.
Philip continues to study and work as an assistant in an outpatient clinic. Communicating with many of the most different people, seeing their laughter and tears, grief and joy, happiness and despair, he understands that life is more complex than abstract concepts of good and evil. Cronshaw arrives in London, finally getting ready to publish his poems. He is very sick: he suffered from pneumonia, but, not wanting to listen to the doctors, he continues to drink, because only after drinking does he become himself. Seeing the plight of his old friend, Philip takes him to his place; he soon dies. And again Philip is depressed by the thought of the meaninglessness of his life, and the life rule invented under similar circumstances now seems stupid to him.
Philip becomes close to one of his patients, Thorpe Athelney, and becomes very attached to him and his family: his hospitable wife, healthy, cheerful children. Philip likes to visit their house, warm himself by their cozy hearth. Athelny introduces him to the paintings of El Greco. Philip is shocked: it was revealed to him that self-denial is no less passionate and decisive than submission to passions.
Having met Mildred again, who now makes a living as a prostitute, Philip, out of pity, no longer having the same feelings for her, invites her to live with him as a servant. But she doesn’t know how to run a house and doesn’t want to look for work. In search of money, Philip begins to play on the stock exchange, and his first experience is so successful that he can afford to operate on his sore leg and go with Mildred to the sea.
In Brighton they live in separate rooms. Mildred is angry about this: she wants to convince everyone that Philip is her husband, and upon returning to London she tries to seduce him. But she does not succeed - now Philip feels physical disgust for her, and she leaves in a rage, causing a pogrom in his house and taking away the child, to whom Philip had become attached.
All of Philip's savings were spent on moving out of an apartment that brings back painful memories for him and is also too big for him alone. In order to somehow improve the situation, he again tries to play on the stock exchange and goes bankrupt. His uncle refuses to help him, and Philip is forced to leave his studies, move out of his apartment, spend the night on the street and starve. Upon learning of Philip's plight, Athelney gets him a job in the store.
The news of Hayward's death makes Philip think again about the meaning of human life. He recalls the words of the now deceased Cronshaw about the Persian carpet. Now he interprets them as follows: although a person weaves the pattern of his life aimlessly, but, weaving various threads and creating a pattern at his own discretion, he must be satisfied with it. The uniqueness of the drawing is its meaning. Then it happens last meeting with Mildred. She writes that she is sick, that her child has died; In addition, when Philip comes to her, he finds out that she has returned to her previous activities. After a painful scene, he leaves forever - this darkness of his life finally dissipates.
Having received an inheritance after the death of his uncle, Philip returns to college and, after graduating, works as an assistant to Dr. South, and so successfully that he invites Philip to become his partner. But Philip wants to go traveling “to find the promised land and to know himself.”
Meanwhile eldest daughter Philip really likes Athelney, Sally, and one day while picking hops, he gives in to his feelings... Sally reveals that she is pregnant, and Philip decides to sacrifice himself and marry her. Then it turns out that Sally was mistaken, but for some reason Philip does not feel relieved. Suddenly he realizes that marriage is not self-sacrifice, that giving up fictitious ideals for the sake of family happiness, even if it is a defeat, is better than all victories... Philip asks Sally to become his wife. She agrees, and Philip Carey finally finds the promised land to which his soul has longed for so long.
"The Burden of Human Passions"(English) Of Human Bondage) - one of the most famous novels English writer William Somerset Maugham, written in 1915. Main character books - Philip Carey, a lame orphan whose fate can be traced from an unhappy childhood to student years. Philip painfully searches for his calling and tries to find out what the meaning of life is. He will have to experience a lot of disappointments and part with many illusions before he can find his answer to this question.
Plot
The first chapters are devoted to Philip's life in Blackstable with his uncle and aunt and his studies at the royal school in Terkenbury, where Philip endures a lot of bullying because of his lame leg. Relatives expect that after graduating from school, Philip will enter Oxford and take holy orders, but the young man feels that he has no real calling for this. Instead, he goes to Heidelberg (Germany), where he studies Latin, German and French.
During his stay in Germany, Philip meets the Englishman Hayward. Philip immediately takes a liking to his new acquaintance; he cannot help but be admired by Hayward's extensive knowledge of literature and art. However, Hayward's ardent idealism does not suit Philip: “He always passionately loved life and experience told him that idealism is most often a cowardly flight from life. The idealist withdraws into himself because he is afraid of the pressure of the human crowd; he does not have enough strength to fight, and therefore he considers it an activity for the mob; he is vain, and since his neighbors do not agree with his assessment of himself, he consoles himself with the fact that he pays them contempt.” Another of Philip’s friends, Weeks, characterizes people like Hayward this way: “They always admire what is usually admired - whatever it is - and one of these days they are going to write a great work. Just think - one hundred and forty-seven great works rest in the soul of one hundred and forty-seven great men, but the tragedy is that not one of these one hundred and forty-seven great works will ever be written. And nothing in the world changes because of this.”
In Heidelberg, Philip ceases to believe in God, experiences an extraordinary elation and realizes that he has thereby thrown off the heavy burden of responsibility that gave significance to his every action. Philip feels mature, fearless, free and decides to start a new life.
After this, Philip makes an attempt to become a chartered accountant in London, but it turns out that this profession is not for him. Then the young man decides to go to Paris and take up painting. New acquaintances studying with him at the Amitrino art studio introduce him to the poet Cronshaw, who leads a bohemian lifestyle. Cronshaw is Hayward's antithesis, a cynic and a materialist. He ridicules Philip for abandoning the Christian faith without abandoning Christian morality along with it. “People strive for only one thing in life - pleasure,” he says. - A person performs this or that act because it makes him feel good, and if it makes other people feel good, the person is considered virtuous; if he is pleased to give alms, he is considered merciful; if he enjoys helping others, he is a philanthropist; if he enjoys giving his strength to society, he is a useful member of it; but you give twopence to a beggar for your own personal satisfaction, just as I drink whiskey and soda for my personal satisfaction.” Desperate Philip asks what, then, according to Cronshaw, is the meaning of life, and the poet advises him to look at Persian carpets and refuses further explanation.
Philip is not ready to accept Cronshaw’s philosophy, but he agrees with the poet that abstract morality does not exist, and refuses it: “Down with legalized ideas about virtue and vice, about good and evil - he will set the rules of life for himself.” Philip gives himself advice: “Follow your natural inclinations, but with due regard for the policeman around the corner.” (To those who have not read the book, this may seem wild, but it should be borne in mind that Philip’s natural inclinations are quite consistent with generally accepted norms).
Philip soon realizes that he will not make a great artist, and enters the medical school at St. Luke's Hospital in London. He meets the waitress Mildred and falls in love with her, despite the fact that he sees all her shortcomings: she is ugly, vulgar and stupid. Passion forces Philip to undergo incredible humiliations, waste money and become delighted with the slightest sign of attention from Mildred. Soon, as one would expect, she leaves for another person, but after a while she returns to Philip: it turns out that her husband is married. Philip immediately breaks off contact with the kind, noble and resilient girl Nora Nesbitt, whom he met shortly after breaking up with Mildred, and repeats all his mistakes a second time. In the end, Mildred unexpectedly falls in love with his college friend Griffiths and leaves the unfortunate Philip.
Philip is at a loss: the philosophy that he invented for himself has shown its complete failure. Philip becomes convinced that the intellect cannot seriously help people at a critical moment in life; his mind is only a contemplator, recording facts, but powerless to intervene. When the time comes to act, a person bows helplessly under the burden of his instincts, passions and God knows what else. This gradually leads Philip to fatalism: “When you take off your head, you don’t cry over your hair, because all your strength was aimed at removing this head.”
Some time later, Philip meets Mildred for the third time. He no longer feels for her old passion, but still feels some kind of harmful attraction to this woman and spends a lot of money on her. To top it all off, he goes broke on the stock exchange, loses all his savings, quits medical school and gets a job in a dry goods store. But it was then that Philip solves Cronshaw’s riddle and finds the strength to abandon the last illusion, throw off the last burden. He admits that “life has no meaning and human existence is purposeless. […] Knowing that nothing makes sense and nothing matters, a person can still find satisfaction in choosing the various threads that he weaves into the endless fabric of life: after all, it is a river that has no source and flows endlessly without flowing into no seas. There is one pattern - the simplest and most beautiful: a person is born, matures, gets married, gives birth to children, works for a piece of bread and dies; but there are other, more intricate and amazing patterns, where there is no place for happiness or the desire for success - perhaps some kind of alarming beauty is hidden in them.”
The awareness of the purposelessness of life does not lead Philip to despair, as one might think, but on the contrary makes him happy: “Failure changes nothing, and success is zero. Man is only the smallest grain of sand in a huge human whirlpool that has overwhelmed for a short moment earth's surface; but he becomes omnipotent as soon as he unravels the secret that chaos is nothing.”
Philip's uncle dies and leaves his nephew an inheritance. This money allows Philip to return to medical school. While studying, he cherishes the dream of going on a trip, visiting Spain (at one time he was greatly impressed by the paintings of El Greco) and the countries of the East. However new girlfriend Philippa, nineteen-year-old Sally, the daughter of his former patient Thorpe Athelney, announces that she is expecting a child. Philip, as a noble man, decides to marry her, despite the fact that this will not allow his dreams of travel to come true. It soon turns out that Sally was mistaken, but Philip does not feel relieved - on the contrary, he is disappointed. Philip understands that you need to live for today, not tomorrow; the simplest pattern of human life is the most perfect. That's why he proposes to Sally after all. He doesn’t love this girl, but he feels great sympathy for her, he feels good with her, and besides, no matter how funny it sounds, he has respect for her, and passionate love, as the story with Mildred showed, often brings nothing but grief.
In the end, Philip even comes to terms with his lame leg, because “without it he could not have felt beauty so keenly, passionately loved art and literature, excitedly followed the complex drama of life. The mockery and contempt to which he was subjected forced him to go deeper into himself and grew flowers - now they will never lose their aroma.” Eternal dissatisfaction is replaced by peace of mind.
Autobiographical
According to Maugham, The Burden of Men is "a novel, not an autobiography: although there are many autobiographical details in it, much more is fictional." And yet it should be noted that, like his hero, Maugham lost his parents at an early age, was raised by a priest uncle, grew up in the town of Whitstable (in the novel Blackstable), studied at the royal school in Canterbury (in the novel Turkenbury), studied literature and philosophy in Heidelberg and medicine in London. Unlike Philip, Maugham was not lame, but he did stutter.
Maugham's attitude to the novel
Maugham himself believed that the novel was overloaded with excessive details, that many scenes were added to the novel simply to increase volume or due to fashion - the novel was published in 1915 - ideas about novels at that time differed from modern ones. Therefore, in the 60s, Maugham significantly shortened the novel “... it took a long time before writers realized that a one-line description often gives more than a full page.” In the Russian translation, this version of the novel was called “Burden of Passions” - so that it would be possible to distinguish it from the original version.
Film adaptations
- 1934 film starring Leslie Howard as Philip and Bette Davis as Mildred
- 1946 film starring Paul Henryd as Philip and Eleanor Parker as Mildred
- 1964 film starring Laurence Harvey as Philip and Kim Novak as Mildred
Notes
The Burden of Human Passion is a largely autobiographical novel by Somerset Maugham. It was translated into almost all languages of the world and filmed three times, and was also included in the list of the 100 best English-language works of the 20th century. After reading this novel, Theodore Dreiser called Maugham a “great artist” and his book “a work of genius.” "The Burden of Human Passions" can be called a "novel of education", where the author traces the life of the main character Philip Carey from childhood to adolescence, from youth to maturity. He faces many challenges: early death parents, a desperate search for one’s calling in the world, a doomed relationship with a frivolous woman. Having endured many disappointments, changing his views, from submission to his own passions to self-denial, Philip tries to weave the pattern of his own life thread by thread...
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“The Burden of Human Passions” - plot
The first chapters are devoted to Philip's life in Blackstable with his uncle and aunt and his studies at the royal school in Terkenbury, where Philip endures a lot of bullying because of his lame leg. Relatives expect that after graduating from school, Philip will enter Oxford and take holy orders, but the young man feels that he has no real calling for this. Instead, he goes to Heidelberg (Germany), where he studies Latin, German and French.
During his stay in Germany, Philip meets the Englishman Hayward. Philip immediately takes a liking to his new acquaintance; he cannot help but be admired by Hayward's extensive knowledge of literature and art. However, Hayward's passionate idealism does not suit Philip.
In Heidelberg, Philip ceases to believe in God, experiences an extraordinary elation and realizes that he has thereby thrown off the heavy burden of responsibility that gave significance to his every action. Philip feels mature, fearless, free and decides to start a new life.
Philip is at a loss: the philosophy that he invented for himself has shown its complete failure. Philip becomes convinced that the intellect cannot seriously help people at a critical moment in life; his mind is only a contemplator, recording facts, but powerless to intervene. When the time comes to act, a person bows helplessly under the burden of his instincts, passions and God knows what else. This gradually leads Philip to fatalism: “When you take off your head, you don’t cry over your hair, because all your strength was aimed at removing this head.”
He admits that “life has no meaning and human existence is purposeless. […] Knowing that nothing makes sense and nothing matters, a person can still find satisfaction in choosing the various threads that he weaves into the endless fabric of life: after all, it is a river that has no source and flows endlessly without flowing into no seas. There is one pattern - the simplest and most beautiful: a person is born, matures, gets married, gives birth to children, works for a piece of bread and dies; but there are other, more intricate and amazing patterns, where there is no place for happiness or the desire for success - perhaps some kind of alarming beauty is hidden in them.”
The awareness of the purposelessness of life does not lead Philip to despair, as one might think, but on the contrary makes him happy: “Failure does not change anything, and success is zero. Man is only the smallest grain of sand in a huge human whirlpool that has swept over the earth’s surface for a short moment; but he becomes omnipotent as soon as he unravels the secret that chaos is nothing.”
Story
According to Maugham, The Burden of Men is "a novel, not an autobiography: although there are many autobiographical details in it, much more is fictional." And yet it should be noted that, like his hero, Maugham lost his parents at an early age, was raised by a priest uncle, grew up in the town of Whitstable (in the novel Blackstable), studied at the royal school in Canterbury (in the novel Turkenbury), studied literature and philosophy in Heidelberg and medicine in London. Unlike Philip, Maugham was not lame, but he did stutter.
Maugham himself believed that the novel was overloaded with excessive details, that many scenes were added to the novel simply to increase volume or due to fashion - the novel was published in 1915 - ideas about novels at that time differed from modern ones. Therefore, in the 60s, Maugham significantly shortened the novel “... it took a long time before writers realized that a one-line description often gives more than a full page.” In the Russian translation, this version of the novel was called “Burden of Passions” - so that it would be possible to distinguish it from the original version.
Reviews
Reviews of the book “The Burden of Human Passions”
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Christina Reading
Depth dramatic conflicts determines the structure of Maugham's novels, which form a significant part of his literary heritage. The hero of The Burden of Human Passions, Philip Carey, suffers deeply. Having been orphaned early, he lost love, care and affection. His dream of becoming an artist does not come true, his relationship with Mildred is deeply painful.
Literally translated, the name of this is largely autobiographical novel- “About human slavery.” This is the name of one of the chapters of the work of the philosopher of the 17th century. Spinoza's Ethics. Spinoza's teaching is close to Maugham. The definition of affects as the cause of human slavery had a particularly strong influence on him. Man is a slave to his passions, his affects, but he does not know the reasons for the drives he experiences. And because they are hidden from him, his suffering increases. Only reason, only turning to activities useful to people can free a person from slavery. The hero of the novel “The Burden of Human Passions” goes through a difficult path of knowledge. Having become a doctor and helping people, he gains long-awaited freedom. But liberation from slavery occurs not only for this reason. Maugham believes that you can feel happy when you understand: “the pattern of human life” is very simple - “a person is born, works, gets married, gives birth to children and dies.” Awareness of this truth frees a person from many illusions, and thereby helps him to live.
By its nature, “The Burden of Human Passions” is “ Novel of education", the hero's entry into life. It conveys the movement from childhood to adolescence, and then to youth and maturity. This path is marked important events, many discoveries, overcoming difficulties. The hero gets to know himself, people, life. He has to make choices, solve more and more new problems. Most a difficult situation appears in the life of Philip Carey with the appearance of Mildred. The story of his love for this woman is described in detail, completely, and in detail. The full depth of the grief, pain, despair, humiliation, powerlessness he experiences is conveyed; the rise of hope and despair are shown. “His life seemed terrible while happiness was the criterion, but now that he decided that it could be approached with a different standard, he again gained strength. Happiness mattered as little as grief. Both of these, along with other small events of his life, were woven into its pattern.” Everything that happens to him next will only weave a new thread into the complex pattern of his life, and when its end comes, he will rejoice that the pattern is close to completion. It will be a work of art, and it will not become less beautiful because he alone knows about its existence, and with his death it will disappear. Philip was happy.
In the context of early-century English literature, Maugham's novel is thematically close to such works as The Longest Journey (1907) by E. M. Forster, Sons and Lovers (1913) by D. H. Lawrence, and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916). ) D. Joyce. These novels were written by writers of different aesthetic orientations, but each of them tells about the hero’s entry into life, about the search for his calling.
The novel “The Moon and a Penny” is about the artist’s tragedy. The theme of the scientist’s fate is heard in the novel “Color Cover”. The fate of the actress is described in the novel “Theatre”. The heroes of these works are people devoted to their calling, resisting the philistine elements for the sake of serving painting, science, and the stage. By finding himself, a person weaves a thread into his destiny.
Maugham's talent manifested itself with particular force in the short story genre. The peculiarity of Maugham's stories lies in the combination of sharp plotting and psychologism. “Character studies are my specialty,” said Maugham. At the same time, he noted his tendency to dramatize the action and the severity of the development of the conflict. In the story “Something Human,” Maugham wrote: “ I love stories that have a beginning, middle and end. I definitely need “salt”, some meaning. Mood is wonderful, but mood alone is a frame without a picture." Maugham followed the principle: to be entertaining without being whimsical, to create captivating stories while remaining true to life. And one more feature: the presence in the story of the author himself, on whose behalf the story is most often told. Sometimes it is Somerset Maugham himself - insightful, not striving for teachings and moralizing, somewhat alienated from what is happening; sometimes it is someone else - the “storyteller”, whose image, without merging with the image of the author, remains somewhat close to him; sometimes the narrator appears under the name of Ashenden, whose image and appearance are reminiscent of Maugham. No matter who tells the story, it always keeps the reader and listener in suspense, and the denouement impresses with its surprise.
The life situations that Maugham conveys may seem unexpected, a person’s behavior unpredictable, his actions unforeseen, but behind all this there is something completely understandable, “something human,” as the writer himself defines it. Many of Maugham's stories have become classics of the short story genre ("Rain", "An Hour Before Fife-O-Clock", "Sanator", etc.).
In critical and biographical literature, the interpretation of Maugham's work and personality is contradictory and ambiguous. One of the first biographers of the writer (T. Morgan, 1980) focuses on the negative aspects of Maugham’s nature and character. He writes about him as a cynic, a misogynist, a person who reacts painfully to any criticism and easily compromises. R. Calder (1989) creates a different image: not a misanthrope or a cynic, not a bitter and embittered person, but a witty and ironic, sympathetic and tolerant, invariably hardworking and firm, independently and decisively making his way in literature. There is also no unity in assessments of the artistic merits of the writer’s works: for some, Maugham is the author of works designed for the undemanding reader, whose tastes he is guided by, for others, he is the creator of novels and stories that have deservedly taken a prominent place in the literature of modern times. The reader made his choice independently, having long shown interest in Maugham’s works.
Maugham's uncompromising critique of moral and many social phenomena in bourgeois society it gets along with conciliation. The aristocrat's contempt for bourgeois commercialism was combined with the bourgeois idea of the struggle for existence.
Maugham devoted over thirty years to the theater. All creative path Maugham the playwright is conventionally divided into three periods. During the first period, which lasted from the early 900s to 1910. Maugham created mainly farcical comedies: Lady Frederick (1905), Mrs. Dot (1904), Jack Straw (1905). The second period of the playwright’s work (1910-1920) is characterized by the creation of serious social plays. The play "The Circle" (1919). Among the works of the third period (1920-1933), the socio-political anti-war plays “The Unknown” (staged in 1920) and “For Military Merit” (1932) stand out.
Maugham the novelist (he wrote 19 novels) convincingly showed that in the center of the most powerful and richest empire, tens of thousands of its subjects eke out a half-starved existence (“Lisa of Lambeth” - 1897). The main theme of the novel “Mrs. Craddock” (1900) is the decline of the nobility and the collapse of the power of the aristocracy under the pressure of the advancing bourgeoisie. “The Burden of Human Passions” (1915) is an autobiographical work written in the tradition of a realistic novel of education. His hero Philip Carey is gradually freed from a sense of class superiority and contempt for people physical labor. He comes to the conclusion that only work, kindness, love and family give true satisfaction and happiness. The novels “The Moon and a Penny” (1919) and “The Painted Veil” (1925) reveal the drama of an intellectual in bourgeois society. Maugham wrote over 100 stories. They are conventionally divided into three groups. The first series of stories, published in the early 20s, has an anti-colonial theme.
Second series of stories dedicated to work Maugham in the Intelligence Service, published as a separate collection in 1928 under the title Ashenden, or the British Agent. The author debunks the myth created by the bourgeois press around the Intelligence Service, whose activities were presented in a semi-legendary light.
From the third group of stories, the story “The Fall of Edward Barnard” should be highlighted. Maugham severely criticizes the cult of money in bourgeois society. In one of latest stories- “Unconquered” - Maugham expressed his admiration for the heroism of the French people in their fight against the fascist invaders. D. Aldridge praised the story.
Maugham's works are characterized by social protest, loyalty to high moral principles, deep humanism, and a realistic approach to reality. Simplicity, clarity and euphony characterize the writer’s works.
Beginning of the 20th century Nine-year-old Philip Carey is left an orphan and sent to be raised by his priest uncle in Blackstable. The priest does not have tender feelings for his nephew, but in his house Philip finds many books that help him forget about loneliness.
At the school where the boy was sent, his classmates mock him (Philip is lame from birth), causing him to become painfully timid and shy - it seems to him that suffering is the lot of his whole life. Philip prays to God to make him healthy, and for the fact that a miracle does not happen, he blames only himself - he thinks that he lacks faith.
He hates school and doesn't want to go to Oxford. Contrary to his uncle’s wishes, he strives to study in Germany, and he manages to insist on his own.
In Berlin, Philip falls under the influence of one of his fellow students, the Englishman Hayward, who seems extraordinary and talented to him, not noticing that his deliberate unusualness is just a pose, behind which there is nothing. But the debates between Hayward and his interlocutors about literature and religion leave a huge mark on Philip’s soul: he suddenly realizes that he no longer believes in God, is not afraid of hell, and that a person is responsible for his actions only to himself.
After completing a course in Berlin, Philip returns to Blackstable and meets Miss Wilkinson, the daughter of Mr. Carey's former assistant. She is about thirty, she is cutesy and flirtatious, at first Philip does not like her, but nevertheless soon becomes his mistress. Philip is very proud, in a letter to Hayward he composes a beautiful romantic story. But when the real Miss Wilkinson leaves, she feels great relief and sadness that reality is so different from her dreams.
His uncle, having come to terms with Philip's reluctance to enter Oxford, sends him to London to study as a chartered accountant. Philip feels bad in London: he has no friends, and his work brings unbearable melancholy. And when a letter arrives from Hayward with an offer to go to Paris and take up painting, it seems to Philip that this desire has long been brewing in his soul. After studying for only a year, he, despite his uncle’s objections, left for Paris.
In Paris, Philip entered the Amitrino art studio; Fanny Price helps him get used to his new place - she is very ugly and unkempt, they can’t stand her for her rudeness and huge conceit with a complete lack of drawing ability, but Philip is still grateful to her.
The life of a Parisian bohemian changes Philip's worldview: he no longer considers ethical tasks to be fundamental to art, although he still sees the meaning of life in Christian virtue. The poet Cronshaw, who does not agree with this position, suggests that Philip look at the pattern of a Persian carpet to understand the true purpose of human existence.
When Fanny, having learned that Philip and his friends were leaving Paris in the summer, made an ugly scene, Philip realized that she was in love with him. And upon his return, he did not see Fanny in the studio and, absorbed in his studies, forgot about her. A few months later, a letter arrives from Fanny asking him to come see her: she has not eaten anything for three days. When Philip arrives, he discovers that Fanny has committed suicide. This shocked Philip. He is tormented by a feeling of guilt, but most of all by the meaninglessness of Fanny’s asceticism. He begins to doubt his painting abilities and turns to one of his teachers with these doubts. And indeed, he advises him to start life again, because he can only become a mediocre artist.
The news of his aunt's death forces Philip to go to Blackstable, and he will never return to Paris. Having parted with painting, he wants to study medicine and enters the institute at St. Luke in London. In his philosophical reflections, Philip comes to the conclusion that conscience is the main enemy of the individual in the struggle for freedom, and creates a new life rule for himself: one must follow one’s natural inclinations, but with due regard for the policeman around the corner.
One day in a cafe he started talking to a waitress named Mildred; she refused to continue the conversation, hurting his pride. Soon Philip realizes that he is in love, although he perfectly sees all her shortcomings: she is ugly, vulgar, her manners are full of disgusting affectation, her rude speech speaks of poverty of thought. Nevertheless, Philip wants to get her at any cost, including marriage, although he realizes that this will be his death. But Mildred declares that she is marrying someone else, and Philip, realizing that the main reason for his torment is wounded vanity, despises himself no less than Mildred. But we need to move on with our lives: pass exams, meet friends...
Meeting a young, pretty woman named Nora Nesbit - she is very sweet, witty, and knows how to take life's troubles lightly - restores his faith in himself and heals his emotional wounds. Philip finds another friend after falling ill with the flu: his neighbor, doctor Griffiths, carefully looks after him.
But Mildred returns - having learned that she is pregnant, her betrothed confessed that he was married. Philip leaves Nora and begins to help Mildred - his love is so strong. Mildred gives up the newborn girl to be raised, not having any feelings for her daughter, but she falls in love with Griffiths and enters into a relationship with him. The offended Philip nevertheless secretly hopes that Mildred will return to him again. Now he often remembers Hope: she loved him, and he acted vilely to her. He wants to return to her, but finds out that she is engaged. Soon word reaches him that Griffiths has broken up with Mildred: he quickly grew tired of her.
Philip continues to study and work as an assistant in an outpatient clinic. Communicating with many different people, seeing their laughter and tears, grief and joy, happiness and despair, he understands that life is more complex than abstract concepts of good and evil. Cronshaw arrives in London, finally getting ready to publish his poems. He is very sick: he suffered from pneumonia, but, not wanting to listen to the doctors, he continues to drink, because only after drinking does he become himself. Seeing the plight of his old friend, Philip takes him to his place; he soon dies. And again Philip is depressed by the thought of the meaninglessness of his life, and the life rule invented under similar circumstances now seems stupid to him.
Philip becomes close to one of his patients, Thorpe Athelney, and becomes very attached to him and his family: his hospitable wife, healthy, cheerful children. Philip likes to visit their house, warm himself by their cozy hearth. Athelny introduces him to the paintings of El Greco. Philip is shocked: it was revealed to him that self-denial is no less passionate and decisive than submission to passions.
Having met Mildred again, who now makes a living as a prostitute, Philip, out of pity, no longer having the same feelings for her, invites her to live with him as a servant. But she doesn’t know how to run a house and doesn’t want to look for work. In search of money, Philip begins to play on the stock exchange, and his first experience is so successful that he can afford to operate on his sore leg and go with Mildred to the sea.
In Brighton they live in separate rooms. Mildred is angry about this: she wants to convince everyone that Philip is her husband, and upon returning to London she tries to seduce him. But she doesn’t succeed - now Philip feels physical disgust for her, and she leaves in a rage, causing a pogrom in his house and taking away the child to whom Philip had become attached.
All of Philip's savings were spent on moving out of the apartment, which brings back painful memories for him and is also too big for him alone. In order to somehow improve the situation, he again tries to play on the stock exchange and goes bankrupt. His uncle refuses to help him, and Philip is forced to leave his studies, move out of his apartment, spend the night on the street and starve. Upon learning of Philip's plight, Athelney gets him a job in the store.
The news of Hayward's death makes Philip think again about the meaning of human life. He recalls the words of the now deceased Cronshaw about the Persian carpet. Now he interprets them this way: although a person weaves the pattern of his life aimlessly, but, weaving various threads and creating a pattern at his own discretion, he must be satisfied with this. The uniqueness of the drawing is its meaning. Then the last meeting with Mildred takes place. She writes that she is sick, that her child has died; In addition, when Philip comes to her, he finds out that she has returned to her previous activities. After a painful scene, he leaves forever - this darkness of his life finally dissipates.
Having received an inheritance after the death of his uncle, Philip returns to the institute and, having completed his studies, works as an assistant to Dr. South, and so successfully that he invites Philip to become his partner. But Philip wants to go traveling “to find the promised land and to know himself.”
Meanwhile, Athelney's eldest daughter, Sally, really likes Philip, and one day, while picking hops, he gives in to his feelings... Sally reveals that she is pregnant, and Philip decides to sacrifice himself and marry her. Then it turns out that Sally was mistaken, but for some reason Philip does not feel relieved. Suddenly he realizes that marriage is not self-sacrifice, that giving up fictitious ideals for the sake of family happiness, even if it is a defeat, is better than all victories... Philip asks Sally to become his wife. She agrees, and Philip Carey finally finds the promised land to which his soul has longed for so long.