Saturday, April 26, 2014

The Painted Veil - W Somerset Maugham

Many years ago I tried to read 'The Moon and Sixpence' and failed, I hated it, and ever since then I've viewed Maugham with a deep prejudice. I was not therefore particularly enthusiastic when  'The Painted Veil' turned up as the latest read for my postal book group and I can't say that I approached it with an open mind so it came as a real surprise to find that I loved it. I'm guessing that the plot is fairly well known given the several film versions, at least one radio adaptation I'm sure I listened to part of, and that it's been considered a classic for any number of the years since 1925 when it was first published but there will be a brief synopsis anyway...

Kitty Garstin is a pretty and  spoilt socialite who didn't make the most of her matrimonial opportunities, at the age of 25 with an 18 year old sister who has just managed to make a very eligible match she accepts a proposal from Walter Fane and goes out to Hong Kong with him. Walter is morbidly sensitive, intelligent, honourable, very much in love with Kitty, and not at all the man to capture her heart or imagination. As the book opens he's basically catching her in flagrante (it's not as salacious as it sounds) with Charles Townsend an Assistant Colonial Secretary. Kitty's lover is as vain and selfish as she is so when it all blows up on them he has no hesitation in dumping her in it. Walter gives Kitty a choice, if  Charles will divorce his wife and promise to marry Kitty he'll allow her to divorce him, otherwise Walter can divorce her naming Charles as co-respondent and in the process creating the sort of scandal which would ruin his career and her reputation, or she can go with him to a cholera ridden city which means likely death. Walter knows exactly the kind of man Charles is, Kitty finds out the hard way when he basically sends her off to die with a cheery wave.

Initially Kitty isn't an attractive character but a combination of falling in love for the first time (with Charles) being exposed to death and poverty, and losing the adoration of her husband does a lot to build her character. What doesn't kill her makes her stronger. Perhaps the biggest revelation for Kitty is that there is nobody in the world who cares if she lives or dies, second is that here Walter isn't just valued for his work he's seen almost as a saint. The balance of their relationship changes again and then quite shockingly Walter dies.

What really blew me away about this book is how Maugham kept wrong footing me, the way things work out makes sense, they're believable, human, have an element of hope, but are not happy endings in the traditional sense. The film version from 2006 changes things somewhat (or so I gather from the plot summery on Wikipedia) and has Kitty fall in love with Walter. She never gets further than a profound pity in the book which was hard on this reader. I liked Walter, Maugham does I think attempt to make him unsympathetic - he keeps pointing out that people don't like him and that he's somehow unattractive, but it's not enough. I wanted Kitty to - not fall in love with him, but to no longer be bored by him, or at least not to feel so much sympathy for him myself, but then it wouldn't have been such a powerful read so what do I know.

Ann Bridge's Peking Picnic which I didn't really like (both are set in China and involve adultery) is an interesting companion read to this - I don't think the Bridge comes out particularly well from the comparison - Maugham's characters are so much more believable and this book just generally better in every way, but it does give some context and in some ways Bridge's Laura Leroy is very like Charles wife Dorothy, had I read 'The Painted Veil' first I might have enjoyed 'Peking Picnic' more.

10 comments:

  1. I saw the film first and then read the book and in fact loved them both. Your comments on the ending are interesting -- predictable that they changed the end for the film but as you say, so much more interesting, if uncomfortable, the way it was written. Thanks.

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    1. From what I read it sounds like the film ends the way I might want it to (as a bit of a romantic), bar Walter dying which is quite sad in both book and film - though certainly tidy from Kitty's point of view in the book. I think the thing about the book is that Kitty behaves in such a believable manner. Her reaction to Charles Townsend when she sees him again is behaviour I've seen over and over and it makes a good foil for all the high flown bits about her soul soaring like a white egret and perfect freedom - which she may one day find but it would have been a bit much if it had all happened at once. The book version sounds like better art but I'd like to see the film too.

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  2. I've never read Maugham - but do own this one. Might be a good place to start, and I've not seen the film either so would come to it totally fresh.

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    1. It's a great book Annabel, and quite short too, in short a very good place to start.

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  3. I liked The Painted Veil much more than Moon and 6pence.

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    1. I had a good search last night but couldn't find my copy of Moon and Sixpence so assume I sent it to Oxfam some time in the past. It's not one I'm particularly keen about having another go out - silly because I don't remember a thing about it really - but I will certainly read more Maugham now because quite a lot of it sounds like I might enjoy it very much indeed.

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  4. I've never really liked Maugham's novels, but once spent a summer reading all four volumes of his short stories and have been a fan ever since. Also liked his autobiographical work The Summing Up.

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    1. I'm generally a fan of short stories so will look out for those. I'm hoping to get to some good independent bookshops whilst I'm on holiday next week so will be looking for books to buy - fingers crossed they come through for me!

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  5. I have only read his 'Ashenden', which I loved, and a couple of short stories. I'm interested in your comment re Peking Picnic as a companion to this one, as that is on my wishlist ever since I read Illyrian Spring. I liked that one a lot although I couldn't warm to her 'Julia' series at all.

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    1. I didn't like Peking Picnic much though I know plenty of people who love it, it partly put me off reading more Ann Bridge and then Angela Thirkell's version of her in Pomfret Towers finished the job. What she did do though was introduce me to China between the wars and that was interesting.

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