The painted veil is a novel written by w somerset maugham in 1925. The tale being introduced in this literary work focuses on the primary female character, kitty garstin, and her husband, walter fane. Aug 22, 2008 character analysis and comparison with book and drama and focused essay and period piece the painted veil nathan 5. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. I felt all this was done with tremendous knowledge of this social milieu and with great psychological insight into the character of kitty, her. It was short, a fast read, and possessed of an intriguing setting. But the more i read, the more i felt as though it ran deeper than this. There was the unfaithful mildred rogers of of human bondage portrayed on screen by bette davis, eleanor parker and kim novak. The novel also inspired a 2006 drama movie of the same name starring edward norton and naomi watts. In the preface to his book, maugham tells how the main characters were. 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.
Her philosophical journey is about half a mile from not caring for anyone but herself to believing she can raise her own daughter differently. Vintage classics, 1925, 214 pages first published in 1925, the painted veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. The painted veil essays are academic essays for citation. The painted veil is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane, who marries for money rather than love. Somerset maugham this set of lesson plans consists of approximately 164 pages of tests, essay questions, lessons, and other teaching materials. 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 opens with kitty and walter standing in the chinese countryside, waiting for their escort to arrive and take them to the village, so walter can begin treating the cholera outbreak. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane. Kitty goes against shelleys warning to lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. And also, how kitty went back and slept with charles again. This is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young english couple, walter fane edward norton, a middle class doctor and kitty naomi watts, an upperclass woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else.
When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. Somerset maugham tells a complex story that addresses sex, infidelity, marriage, personal growth, and life lessons. The painted veil is simple, well told and enjoyable, but i wish there had been more descriptions of this area of china and its people. As the film progresses, one learns to see life though both kitty s and her husbands eyes. It focuses on a young debutante named kitty garstin, who, after rejecting dozens of marriage proposals, finds herself marrying an eccentric doctor named walter fane. First published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. May 04, 20 in regards to charles townsend, kitty s lover, in the book i thought him to be a character similar to jack favell from rebecca. I didnt even know who was playing kitty till the credits rolled, but i was impressed with naomi watts, too. The painted veil opens with a husband arriving home early to find his wife, kitty, the main character, in bed with his boss. Published november 14th 2006 by vintage first published april 1925 more details.
The painted veil discussion questions classics reading group. Your students can use these discussion questions to navigate these themes, as well as their own thoughts on the novel. Somerset maugham, which was first serialized in cosmopolitan and nashs magazine. Walter fane out of pressure from her mother even though she was not even fond of him.
When her younger sister announces her own engagement to a prosperous duke, kitty panics and accepts the proposal of the very quiet, very shy, dr. The painted veil beautifully presents the story of a young society woman named kitty and her redemption from a shallow and selfcentered life through her growing ability to love. Gender, sexuality, and history in the painted veil. The painted veil is a beautiful and very believable story of transformation. This love story has kitty naomi watts meeting young, intelligent, shy and somewhat dull dr. At the start of the painted veil, kitty is vain, arrogant and a little airheaded. I finished reading the painted veil and felt a little let down. The painted veil is a novel about love, betrayal, and selfsacrifice.
Dec 20, 2006 first published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. From a young age, her mother put a great amount of pressure on her to use her. Kitty garstin is a shallow socialite who decides to marry boring bacteriologist walter fane when she finds that. From lift not the painted veil which those who live by persy bysshe shelley 17921822. It was silly of us to look for qualities in each other that we never had. The painted veil is a 2006 drama based on the novel of the same name by w. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the painted veil by w.
Subsequently, like walter in the painted veil, he takes risks with his. He does not confront the two lovers, but he later forces kitty to either leave hong kong with him for the remote, cholera ridden town of meitanfu or convince her lover to marry otherwise he will file for divorce causing. Kitty is disappointing in the book, but i love maughams writing and i suppose i can forgive him for not letting kitty grow a bit more. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. Aug 18, 2017 the painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. Somerset maugham and stars edward norton and naomi watts. Aug 20, 2009 the painted veil was definitely great, changed in a skilfull way but no so much and beautiful in its own, rather different than the novel, way. The novel ends with kitty vowing to bring up her daughter as a strong and. It is in such a hurry to get to its second actin which the cuckolded walter fane takes his unfaithful wife into the heart of a cholera epidemic so that they can both discover too late that they actually do love rather than hate one anotherthat we are no more certain why kitty was unfaithful than we are why walter. Jan 18, 2015 but the more i read, the more i felt as though it ran deeper than this. This was nowhere to be found in the painted veil, a work that almost seemed to have been written by a different person. I think the painted veil is the first movie in which ive seen her. Beginning in may 1925, it was serialised in the united kingdom in eight parts in.
He does not confront the two lovers, but he later forces kitty to either leave hong kong with. I happened to see the literary adaptation by john curran made in 2006 over the weekend and was deeply moved by the experience. The painted veil character descriptions for teachers. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly in love with her. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane.
This is the third film adaptation of the maugham book. Watts, who has been raised for a life of abject uselessness. May 20, 2016 recently i picked up the painted veil, and after just finishing my degree and a term of reading a dickens novel a week i was relieved to find it to be completely undemanding. Dec 04, 2019 the painted veil is a novel written by w somerset maugham in 1925. The book touched a lot of themes, the ones that stood out for me. Both walter and kitty come to respect each others flaws and vulnerabilities as human beings. Somerset maugham published by vintage international on february 10, 2004 originally published april 1925 series. One of the few occasions where i prefer the movie over the book.
My main disappointment is that i never could feel any emotion for kitty. First published in 1925, the painted veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. Only when it is too late does dymovs wife olga like kitty realize her husbands moral worth and see that he is a far finer man than she had realized. 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. I had anticipated the leisurely, late victorian style of mrs. In the book his story isnt really tied up yes, we see that he has used kitty again and doesnt care about. Kitty is an englishwoman from a very proper family. The main thrust of the book is kitty s transformation after she and walter husband move to a cholerastricken region and she volunteers in a conventhospital. His kitty fane in the painted veil is a less forceful character than these and she has been portrayed by greta garbo, eleanor parker and, now, naomi watts. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran.
Jun 07, 2007 june book club discussion the painted veil i finished reading the painted veil and felt a little let down. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by w. It depicts historic events with great accuracy, and the sceneries in the film were breathtaking. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, this beautifully written character study is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. The painted veil is a beautifully written story about a girl who completes a great journey of love and learning. 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.
In spades kitty gets to see walter at work, and sees. They realize that the qualities they looked for at the beginning of their marriage were unreal constructs they brought into the relationship and not the reality of who they were. Positive the painted veil was a truly beautiful film. Sep 28, 2015 the painted veil opens with a husband arriving home early to find his wife, kitty, the main character, in bed with his boss. I remember watching once the razors edge from the mid 1940s, filmed immediately after the publishing of the novel. Kitty s lover, in the book i thought him to be a character similar to jack favell from rebecca.
Jun 19, 2012 the painted veil opens with kitty and walter standing in the chinese countryside, waiting for their escort to arrive and take them to the village, so walter can begin treating the cholera outbreak. The painted veil by somerset maugham james reads books. 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. I didnt like how, in the book, walter and kitty never ended up falling in love. The novel comes full circle by returning to each location as the novel winds down. But i quickly got pulled into the story of kitty fane, a spoiled and. Kitty s mother was hard,cruel,managing,ambitious,parsimonious,stupid woman. Together, they move to hong kong where walter works as a bacteriologist. However, due to maughams expert pacing and character development, kittys. Character profile for kitty garstin from the painted veil page 1. Kitty, as a character, is the ideal vessel for this hugely important theme. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call. While there are several significant changes in how her journey toward a better life is portrayed and the particulars of her circumstances, the film nevertheless captures. Walter fane edward norton, whose forte is the study of infectious diseases, and the convenient marriage to which she finds herself committed.
The painted veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive. As the story proceeds, kitty gradually realises that there is more to life than. This is a story of a woman who suffers a lot in her life trying to find her way to peace. There are many changes, but both the book and the film are exquisite. He has an affair with kitty fane, and reacts indifferently when her husband finds out. She married her husband because he seemend then a yong man of. The painted veil opens as kitty is deplorably caught in the act with her. Kitty is the first character that comes to mind when i think of flaws. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to a remote region of china ravaged by a cholera epidemic. The main characters of the book are kitty an walter fane. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. 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. Apart from that, i thought nothing of him as a character. Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles.
Character analysis and comparison with book and drama and focused essay and period piece the painted veil nathan 5. In the book his story isnt really tied up yes, we see that he has used kitty again and doesnt care about her. Even in the end when i thought there may be a turning point in the story kitty. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life.