Watts, who has been raised for a life of abject uselessness. Somerset maughams novel the painted veil is today recognized as a 20th century classic. First published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. 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. Kitty fane is a beautiful young woman whose mother has raised her to make a suitable match. Kitty is horrified, and certain that the cholera epidemic will mean her death. 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 title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. May 04, 2011 in my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group. Only yesterday i borrowed the book again because i wanted to write a brief comparison between the two. The painted veil begins with a story of a young, upperclass woman names kitty married a middleclass bacteriologist calls walter.
Aug 22, 2008 the painted veil presents a story of redemption in such a captivating and gorgeous way that its scenes and characters all too easily take up residence in the mind, quietly, only to reassert themselves at odd intervals with a surprising insistence, causing a mood of reflection that while not unwelcome is nevertheless often distracting to whatever task is at hand. Walter fane is enamored of kitty, but the two couldnt be more. When her husband learns she has had an affair, he volunteers to fight a cholera epidemic in chinas wartorn interior. The aim of this study is to see what medical students think about the role of spouse of a devoted medical doctor through the book reports of the painted veil 1925.
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. The painted veil was an excellent introduction to somerset. Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. 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. In the book, walters character is an important one but not as much as it is in the film. The 53 medical students were asked to read maughams the painted veil and to have. The main characters of the book are kitty an walter fane.
Garstin, a pretty uppermiddle class debutante, squanders her early youth amusing herself by living a social high life, during which her domineering mother attempts to arrange a brilliant match for her. He made no further claim for himself than that he was a good storyteller. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the painted veil by w. The painted veil summary buy study guide kitty fane is a beautiful, vain, upperclass british woman unhappily married to walter fane, a bacteriologist working in hong kong. Dec 04, 2019 the painted veil is a novel written by w somerset maugham in 1925. Somerset maughams the painted veil and comparative analysis. The painted veil essays are academic essays for citation.
When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. Apr 17, 2016 the storyline of the painted veil has some major changes between the movie and the novel. In his preface to the novel maugham wrote, that he had felt a desire to use the story as an inspiration, but rewrote it and made a more modern version of it. Several scenes later, with no explicit mention, a piano is seen in the apartment.
Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful, but lovestarved kitty fane. While maughams book is really about kitty and her journey towards selfdiscovery, the film in turn is about walter and kitty and how these two people with nothing in common live together. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the painted veil by w. Kitty s mother was hard,cruel,managing,ambitious,parsimonious,stupid woman. Somerset maughams the painted veil is easily the best book ive read all year. 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.
There, amid death and misery, kitty sees in a convent of french nuns great. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on the painted veil by w. 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. This is the third film adaptation of the maugham book. The novel itself takes its title from a percy bysshe shelley sonnet that states, lift not the painted veil which those who live call life maugham, ix. I have just read one of the somerset maughams novels under the title of the painted veil, which he wrote in 1925. Aug 04, 2009 there are several changes that have been introduced in the film. See the essay titled place and travel in the painted veil for more analysis of this relationship, as well as for further analysis of kitty s character in the film. 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 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. Obviously then, i wasted no time in buying somerset maughams the painted veil to see how differently the filmmakers had interpreted the story.
Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane. 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. Kitty fane naomi watts is a frivolous young english woman who longs for romance and excitement, trapped in a loveless marriage to a staid shanghai researcher. This is a story about love with the heroine, kitty garstin, sacrificing her life with death risk caused by cholera in the deep forest of china, trying to dig her heart to be given to her husband. She married her husband because he seemend then a yong man of. The painted veil study guide contains a biography of w. On this occasion, i would like to thank all these people who have contributed to the completion of this thesis. Through the whole film, kitty follows walter to meitanfu and this changes kitty, selfcentered lady to a loving wife. 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. The two main protagonists were played by naomi watts kitty garstin and. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. Often a different character would say lines from the novel, giving it a contradictory meaning.
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. 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. May 04, 20 i love the 2006 adaptation of the movie, and i read the book for the first time last year. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran. The painted veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive. Dec 20, 2006 first published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. The painted veil is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane, who marries for money rather than love. Kittys awakening in the painted veil masters thesis. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. There are many changes, but both the book and the film are exquisite. Maugham uses a thirdpersonlimited point of view in this story, where kitty garstin is the focal character.
Aug 20, 2009 i happened to see the literary adaptation by john curran made in 2006 over the weekend and was deeply moved by the experience. 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. Aug 22, 2008 kitty, visibly unimpressed with the apartment, questions disappointedly no piano. It focuses on a young debutante named kitty garstin, who, after rejecting dozens of marriage. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly in love with her. The deepest gratitude and appreciation are extended to hadiyanto, s. Published november 14th 2006 by vintage first published april 1925 more details.
The painted veil integrity in writing, the power of. How kitty fane, struggling to break female stereotypical roles prevailed at that time led her to a pity. When i first started reading the painted veil, i thought it was a story about love. The painted veil has the ingredients of a great film, including cinematography alternatively lush and parched and highcaliber actors. My feeling is that he was better than good he was great. This is a story of a woman who suffers a lot in her life trying to find her way to peace. The novel also inspired a 2006 drama movie of the same name starring edward norton and naomi watts. Somerset maugham, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. Both walter and kitty come to respect each others flaws and vulnerabilities as human beings. Gender, sexuality, and history in the painted veil. The story revolves around kitty garstin, an outgoing upper middle class socialite and walter fane, an introvert bacteriologist and physician. The painted veil integrity in writing, the power of conversation, and grief february 29, 2020 marian 15 comments note. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by w.
I admired the potraiture of people as people complex. The storyline of the painted veil has some major changes between the movie and the novel. Somerset maughams the painted veil comes into a completion. 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. Kitty, much to the chagrin of her mother, has declined marriage proposal from quite a few prospective gentlemen. After basically ruining her marriage with an affair, kitty accompanies her husband, walter, to meitanfu, a chinese province afflicted with a cholera epidemic.