John curran the painted veil edward norton as walter fane and naomi watts as kitty fane. The purgatorio section of the comedy contains the lines pray, when you are returned to the world, and rested from the long journey. If there is a sparknotes, shmoop, or cliff notes guide, we will. Somerset maughams novel the painted veil is today recognized as a 20th century classic. Sigmund freud was the founding father of psychoanalysis.
The painted veil william somerset maugham was born in 1874 and lived in paris until he was ten. The painted veil is a novel written by w somerset maugham in 1925. 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. She doesnt love her husband so she soon falls in love and begins an affair with her husbands superior. It was short, a fast read, and possessed of an intriguing setting. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is.
The painted veil differences between the book and the film. Net login register for bookmarks and favorites menu login. Download the lifted veil study guide subscribe now. Thomass hospital with the idea of practising medicine, but the success of his first novel, liza of lambeth, published in 1897, won him. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. I suspect well have plenty to talk about tomorrow night. I love the 2006 adaptation of the movie, and i read the book for the first time last year. Kitty s mother was hard,cruel,managing,ambitious,parsimonious,stupid woman. But when walter discovers her deception, he exacts a strange and terrible vengeance. 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. 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.
The painted veil summary and analysis free book notes. Only yesterday i borrowed the book again because i wanted to write a brief comparison between the two. The painted veil lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. The painted veil summary and analysis like sparknotes free. The painted veil vintage international and millions of other books are. 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. 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. Popular videos the painted veil the painted veil topic. First of all, you never have to twist my arm too bad to have me watch anything with edward norton in it. All this is evident in the painted veil, a story of self love, which dams a womans search for personal happiness until she find s the one major element which releases true love for others and self. The painted veil 25 movies every photographer cinematographer must see the painted veil is a 2006 film based on the somerset maugham book. About the painted veil set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the painted veil by w.
Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful, but lovestarved kitty fane. The main characters of the book are kitty an walter fane. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. This thesis aims to analyze the awakening and maturity of the heroine kitty in maughams work the painted veil from the perspective of freudian consciousness theory which includes the origin of the unconscious, the id, the ego and superego. Somerset maugham, quote from the painted veil about the author. Somerset maugham, which was first serialized in cosmopolitan and nashs magazine. Her male companion charles townsend assures her that it must be one of the chinese servants, since walter never comes back from the laboratory this early in the afternoon. Cakes and ale,the painted veil,liza of lambeth,razors edge,theatre,moon and sixpence. 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. After basically ruining her marriage with an affair, kitty accompanies her husband, walter, to meitanfu, a chinese province afflicted with a cholera epidemic. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. Maughams story of an unfaithful woman who follows her husband into a cholera epidemic and ultimately earns redemption was inspired by a story in dantes the divine comedy.
I remember watching once the razors edge from the mid 1940s, filmed immediately after the publishing of the novel. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelley s sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. Kitty, unmarried and nagged by her mother to marry accepts the. It is a morality tale of astonishing depth and humanity.
This is a story of a woman who suffers a lot in her life trying to find her way to peace. Later freud rectified and supplemented his earlier theory and proposed the idea of personality. Character analysis and comparison with book and drama and focused essay and period piece the painted veil nathan 5. Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles. 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. It focuses on a young debutante named kitty garstin, who. Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of w.
Kitty fane is a beautiful, vain, upperclass british woman unhappily married to walter fane, a bacteriologist working in hong kong. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the. This is the third film adaptation of the maugham book. The painted veil book summary, the painted veil is a novel by british author w. When he uncovers her infidelity, in an act of vengeance. Somerset maughams novel the painted veil doesnt happen in the book. Kitty garstin cries out in shock, certain that someone just tried to open the door of the bedroom. 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 upperclass woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else. 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. Sites like sparknotes with a the painted veil study guide or cliff notes. Unsatisfied by her marriage, she starts an affair with charming, attractive and exciting charles townsend.
Kitty must accompany him to his new posting in remote. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the painted veil near you. She is conducting an affair with charles townsend, the assistant colonial secretary, and the two are in her room when the knobs to her door mysteriously turn from the outside. The novel also inspired a 2006 drama movie of the same name starring edward norton and naomi watts. Its no surprise that one of the best scenes in the latest and third film iteration of w. The painted veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive. 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. The painted veil film analysis 42 words 6 pages introduction the painted veil 2006 film in this assignment is going to tell the story of a young british couple who came to chinas rural life in the 1920s after they marriage. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran. Find all available study guides and summaries for the painted veil by w.
The painted veil summary and analysis of chapters 17. The book is set in the united kingdom and hong kong. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. I think he is a brilliant actor and he came through again in painted veil. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by w.
Sparknotes are the most helpful study guides around to literature, math, science, and more. Somerset maugham im pretty sure i have never read a book so depressing and yet so interesting as this book. Its the 1920s, and as china seethes with revolutionary unrest and. He was educated at kings school, canterbury, and at heidelberg university. Kitty, indifferent to everything and anxious to cut herself off completely from the past, realised that it would outrage the susceptibilities of. Essays and criticism on george eliots the lifted veil the lifted veil, george eliot. Most probably know of this book due to the 2006 adaptation of it starring naomi watts and edward norton ive seen parts of the movie, so i knew the basic plot, but not the details. The main character, kitty, has been groomed and pushed all her life by her mother to marry a suitable man. 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.
The painted veil study guide contains a biography of w. Lift not the painted veil which those who live by percy. The painted veil discussion questions classics reading group. Kitty fane is a beautiful young woman whose mother has raised her to make a suitable match. The main thrust of the book is kittys transformation after she and walter husband move to a cholerastricken region and she volunteers in a conventhospital. The storyline of the painted veil has some major changes between the movie and the novel. Find sample tests, essay help, and translations of shakespeare. 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.
It is a story of love, betrayal, hatred, revenge and redemption. Not only is beverle graves myerss the painted veil a wellcrafted mystery. Beautifully written and entertainingly read, it it is well worth listening to more than once. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane. Somerset maugham, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and.
717 1244 935 1469 519 1049 429 1661 1454 737 1048 751 1392 1196 1541 806 1624 1373 519 156 1379 931 1251 737 1006 1216 622 1395 184 671 357 1202 777 520 149 1185 154