The painted veil discussion questions classics reading group. The novel also emphasizes the importance of productive work outside the home for women, and the dangers that result from denying women access to education and other opportunities. Only yesterday i borrowed the book again because i wanted to write a brief comparison between the two. There are many changes, but both the book and the film are exquisite. This is the third film adaptation of the maugham book. And remember to check out our other book resources.
Naomi watts and john curran interviewed the painted veil. Join moderator kathy schultenover for a discussion of w. Kittys awakening in the painted veil masters thesis. The pictures they paint, the music they compose, the books they write, and the lives they lead. Parnassus book club meetings are free and open to anyone.
Painted veil download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The painted veil of the novel suggests the appearance of daily life. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran. Opinions about the characters varied widely and we talked as much about the authors intent as we did the story. Book discussion with myself tuesday, november 22, 2016. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The painted veil william somerset maugham was born in 1874 and lived in paris until he was ten. First of all, you never have to twist my arm too bad to have me watch anything with edward norton in it.
From lift not the painted veil which those who live by persy bysshe shelley 17921822. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. Cakes and ale,the painted veil,liza of lambeth,razors edge,theatre,moon and sixpence. Good news, the painted veil is on showtime and its streaming online. Obviously then, i wasted no time in buying somerset maughams the painted veil to see how differently the filmmakers had interpreted the story. If youre looking to watch the painted veil on showtime right now you will need to first sign up for showtime through your cable provider. Somerset maugham published by vintage international on february 10, 2004 originally published april 1925 series. I happened to see the literary adaptation by john curran made in 2006 over the weekend and was deeply moved by the experience. Your students can use these discussion questions to navigate these themes, as well as their own thoughts on the novel.
This summary of the painted veil includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. While plots and settings remain mostly the same in the hands of a narrator or rather, in his or her voice characters become whoever the narrator wants them to be. 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. Somerset maugham andits about a young english couple, played by edward norton and naomi watts, whomove to. Kittys mother was hard,cruel,managing,ambitious,parsimonious,stupid woman.
The painted veil has often been hailed as a protofeminist work. Im quite stingy when it comes to rating books and normally would not give more than 4 stars, even for a book i thoroughly enjoyed. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. Sigmund freud was the founding father of psychoanalysis. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane. Later freud rectified and supplemented his earlier theory and proposed the idea of personality. On this occasion, i would like to thank all these people who have contributed to the completion of this thesis. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on the painted veil by w. Classics club discusses the painted veil parnassus books. Another movie that was better than the book was the godfather and the godfather part ii. Somerset maughams novel the painted veil is today recognized as a 20th century classic. In my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group.
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 also inspired a 2006 drama movie of the same name starring edward norton and naomi watts. Thomass hospital with the idea of practising medicine, but the success of his first novel, liza of lambeth, published in 1897, won him. 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. The painted veil is a novel about love, betrayal, and selfsacrifice. Of all these the richest in beauty is the beautiful life. Click download or read online button to get painted veil book now. It is a story of love, betrayal, hatred, revenge and redemption. 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.
And when, the table being set and dinner brought in, he put aside his book and gave her a glance not knowing how the light on his face threw into distinctness his expression, she was startled to see in his eyes a look of physical distaste. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful, but lovestarved kitty fane. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november march 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 is a novel written by w somerset maugham in 1925. 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. An elegy on the death of a mad dog by oliver goldsmith 17281774. 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. The main characters of the book are kitty an walter fane.
Kitty fane shows a growth and dynamism that the men around her lack, and is ultimately able to move past the bad choices. The painted veil created the most lively discussion our group has ever had. In writing the painted veil, he decided to bring this story into a modern setting and change the ending. He was educated at kings school, canterbury, and at heidelberg university. The painted veil 2006 fullhd movie eng sub the painted veil 2006 fullhd movie fullhd stream the painted veil 2006 fullhd movie high quality stream the painted veil 2006 fullhd movie online. It comes from the poem by percy bysshe shelley, which describes the unreality of the world and the perhaps unsuccessful quest of a seeker to find some truth in it. Somerset maughams classic the painted veil, the first thought that came into my head after finishing the book is that this is a masterpiece that absolutely deserves nothing less than 5 stars. Somerset maughams the painted veil comes into a completion. The 2006 movie adaptation of the painted veil, a novel written by somerset mangham in 1925, romanticises the resolution of the marriage of walter fane and kitty, an english frivolous socialite.
Buy the book, read the book and join the discussion. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. Topics about this book topics that mention this book. Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. 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. I think he is a brilliant actor and he came through again in painted veil. The novel also emphasizes the importance of productive. A british medical doctor fights a cholera epidemic in a small chinese village, while being trapped at home in a loveless marriage to an unfaithful wife. I havent read the painted veil by maugham, but ive read some of his other books and admired his lack of sentimentality and avoidance of cliches. The main thrust of the book is kittys transformation after she and walter husband move to a cholerastricken region and she volunteers in a. I love the 2006 adaptation of the movie, and i read the book for the first time last year. 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.