Published by vintage international on february 10, 2004 originally published april 1925. The book touched a lot of themes, the ones that stood out for me. Hes invited to a party where he espies uppercrust socialite kitty garstin watts, and for walter, its love at first sight. While i was in the midst of a somerset maugham obsession triggered by selina hastingss superb biography, i mentioned that i thought the painted veil would be an excellent choice for the literary ladies book club. The christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. The painted veil is a novel written by w somerset maugham in 1925. First published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. The painted veil is a brilliant, morally uplifting drama for mature audiences. Jun 07, 2012 the painted veil william somerset maugham this is a book to get lost in, not just in the usual way of books, but in a way that is haunting and will have you musing for days and days, long after you have turned the final page. Books similar to the painted veil meet your next favorite book. Beginning in may 1925, it was serialised in the united kingdom in eight parts in. In the novel the veil is painted, which means that it is not an innocent veil the characters are wearing. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highestpaid author during the 1930s.
Beautifully written and entertainingly read, it it is well worth listening to more than once. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him more. It also contains strong, positive christian content. Naomi watts and john curran interviewed the painted veil. Somerset maugham, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Your students can use these discussion questions to navigate these themes, as well as their own thoughts on the novel. The painted veil should get 4 or 5 oscar nominations.
In walter fane she sees a man who truly loves her, and she realizes that he is someone she can take. Dec 20, 2006 first published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. May 18, 2010 below are some questions to get us started. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly in love with her. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. The painted veil tells about a woman named kitty garstin, who ends up marrying someone she barely knows for the wrong reasons, such as her desire to escape her family, combined with wanting to marry before her younger and less attractive sister. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. Somerset maughams novel was deeply controversial at the time of publication, at the last minute the setting was altered from hong kong to a fictional colony of tchingyen to avoid accusations of slander. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane. She doesnt love her husband so she soon falls in love and begins an affair with her husbands superior. What is the significance of the title the painted veil. Rather, as this slowburning, oftentimes bitter romance unfolds, it takes patience but is ultimately rewarding.
The painted veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive. How frighteningly yellow were the faces that surrounded them. Since its themes of love, pain, and forgiveness are universal, viewers can relate, at some level or another, to the internal struggles of kitty and walter. Jan 12, 2007 the christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. At the beginning, kitty does not love her husband walter, but is instead enamored with the dashing politician charles townsend. Only yesterday i borrowed the book again because i wanted to write a brief comparison between the two. The painted veil has the ingredients of a great film, including cinematography alternatively lush and parched and highcaliber actors. It was short, a fast read, and possessed of an intriguing setting. The painted veil is a compelling tale of lust and redemption, a story that begins sordidly and ends profoundly and one that is rich in reality, compassion, and hope. But john currans version is both lush and intimate, a showcase for subtle performances in which china becomes an exotic backdrop for white folks troubles. Several times in the novel, the death of a character is a liberation for those close to them.
Both maughams parents died before he was 10, and the orphaned boy was raised by a paternal uncle who was emotionally cold. The painted veil a beautifully written story about a young wife, kitty fane, who is brought to hong kong by her doctor husband in the 1920s. Somerset maugham was one of the twentieth centurys most popular novelists as well as a celebrated playwright, critic, and short story writer. The painted veil is a novel about love, betrayal, and selfsacrifice. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. It is a morality tale of astonishing depth and humanity. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call. This study guide consists of approximately 34 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the painted veil. The painted veil has that rare combination of time, place and character that makes a great period drama. The painted veil william somerset maugham 1925 babbling. Somerset maugham novel, the painted veil tracks the troubled marriage of kitty naomi watts and walter edward norton.
The nature of love is one of the primary themes of the novel. In her prime, she was the apple of her mothers eye and virtually guaranteed a marvelous marriage only she waited too long to choose a husband from amongst her many suitors. Walter and kitty barely spoke as they travelled by chair through the inscrutable chinese hinterland. Somerset maugham this study guide consists of approximately 34 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the painted veil. Lifting the veils in william somerset maughams the. I suspect well have plenty to talk about tomorrow night. Oct 01, 2007 the painted veil, a reelsingingstar edward norton, naomi watts. Somerset maugham published by vintage international on february 10, 2004 originally published april 1925 series. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life the novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925.
The painted veil soundtrack, composed by alexandre desplat. May 04, 2011 in my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group. The painted veil is not a fastpaced and bubbly romance. Differences between the painted veil book vs movie page 1. It is a story of love, betrayal, hatred, revenge and redemption. The painted veil 2006 film, directed by john curran. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful, but lovestarved kitty fane. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. An elegy on the death of a mad dog by oliver goldsmith 17281774. Somerset maughams 1925 novel the painted veil, previously filmed rather beautifully in 1934 starring greta garbo and indifferently in 1957 as the seventh sin, is the tale of kitty naomi watts. While the chinese characters remain mostly anonymous, either children or suffering disease victims, kitty and walters exclusive. He made no further claim for himself than that he was a good storyteller. The painted veil study guide contains a biography of w. The idea for the novel began when maugham was studying italian under the tuition of the daughter of his landlady in tuscany before world war i he had by then decided to abandon a.
If you like the painted veil you are looking for touching, emotional and captivating movies about with loveless marriage, couple relations, love and romance, infidelity, cheating wife, marriage and unfaithful wife themes of drama and romance genre shot in china or usa. At a wedding, a veil is usually white, representing the innocence of the person wearing it. The painted veil remains an important interwar novel as it opened room for other writers to follow suit and sketch woman characters in such a way so as to normalise their being imperfect individuals, who should not be demonised for not meeting unrealistic societal standards of morality. The movie is based on the 1925 novel of the british author w. Financial analysis of the painted veil 2006 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. The painted veil is the sort of moviestar vehicle that usually provides for outsized, capital a acting. The painted veil 1934 film, directed by ryszard boleslawski. The plot centres around beautiful englishwoman kitty and. When charles heartlessly abandons her, she accepts walters demand to follow him into the cholera epidemic in mainland china. Apr 05, 20 the painted veil is not a fastpaced and bubbly romance.
Lifting the veils in william somerset maughams the painted veil. The painted veil is the fifth book ive read from my tbr pile challenge list. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane. Edward norton and naomi watts at an event for the painted veil 2006. Nov 14, 2008 walter and kitty barely spoke as they travelled by chair through the inscrutable chinese hinterland. Aug 18, 2017 the painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. Original score, cinematography a lock, editing, ad.
It is a powerful story of a broken marriage healed through love, charity and devotion to duty. From lift not the painted veil which those who live by persy bysshe shelley 17921822. Still, the movie version of the painted veil seems nonplussed when it has to come to terms with the catholic mysticism that pervades the last third of the novel. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of.
Stripped of the british society of her youth and the small but effective society she fought so hard to attain in hong kong, she is compelled by her awakening. For kitty, walter is a means to escape her family s depressing expectations her mother maggie steed dotes on kittys sister while fully expecting the spoiled kitty to dwindle into deserved spinsterhood. I love the 2006 adaptation of the movie, and i read the book for the first time last year. Somerset maugham, the painted veil is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young english couple, walter, a middle class doctor and kitty, an. I admired the potraiture of people as people complex. With the exception of a few changes, the film remains relatively close to the source material.
Maugham used this concept to show how all of society and the people living in it are tainted. Kitty may not be clever or deep, but she is beautiful and well bred. The two leads were passionate about the project with both naomi watts and edward norton choosing to produce the film. Vintage classics, 1925, 214 pages first published in 1925, the painted veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. We wont necessarily discuss each of these questions in order or in so many words, but these are general ideas and themes for the discussion. The novel also inspired a 2006 drama movie of the same name starring edward norton and naomi watts. Dec 21, 2006 the painted veil is a love story in reverse. The only characters in the novel that wear white, literally speaking, are the nuns. The biographer richard cordell notes that the book was influenced by maughams study of science and his work as a houseman at st thomas hospital. The painted veil william somerset maugham this is a book to get lost in, not just in the usual way of books, but in a way that is haunting and will have you musing for days and days, long after you have turned the final page.
The painted veil 2006 is an adaptation of the novel by w. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. The painted veil discussion questions classics reading group. May 04, 20 2006 babies book broken daphne du maurier death edward norton emotional favell films heart hero human jack literature lover medicine movie rebecca the end the painted veil post navigation previous post cranford. The painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. Watts, who has been raised for a life of abject uselessness. Somerset maugham andits about a young english couple, played by edward norton and naomi watts, whomove to china. The painted veil is both a critical social commentary and deeply personal tale of self realisation. Jun 07, 2015 the painted veil is both a critical social commentary and deeply personal tale of self realisation.
575 996 883 567 1385 93 593 1473 49 1112 1211 701 361 818 1118 1412 474 1353 28 1492 1427 308 207 572 847 56 289 1357 245 996 346 841 297 969 231 1448 976 464 287 1332 651 440 1020 1485 49 320 613 783