Narration: William Somerset Maugham. The burden of human passions. Reviews of the book The Burden of Human Passions

Cross-cutting theme, running through all creativity Somerset Maugham, - the burden of human passions. The burden of human passions - this is the title of one of his most significant and at the same time least characteristic novels (1915). It is not typical because much of this massive, free-form novel of education does not correspond to the usual reader’s idea of ​​Maugham - a master of constructing a tense dramatic or ironic-comedy plot, a skeptic who, with professional interest, but without much emotion, observes strange zigzags of human behavior at different latitudes of the globe...

Philip Carey, main actor novel, was the same age as Maugham, whose youth also fell at the end of the 19th century - the twilight era of Victorian England and British Empire. In terms of life circumstances, in his psychological structure, in the direction of spiritual and intellectual searches, Philip Carey is close to young Willie Maugham - an orphan raised in the family of his uncle - a provincial priest, a student at a closed school in Canterbury, a London medical student at St. Thomas, who completed obstetric practice in the slums of the city. Even the theme of a painful physical disability is autobiographical: for Carey it is lameness, for Maugham it is a stutter, which greatly complicated his life in childhood and adolescence. Of all Maugham's literary masks, Philip Carey is least of all a mask. Turning to his still recent past, the forty-year-old Maugham sought to resurrect events and states of mind, the memory of which still tormented him. In order to “get rid of” the past, it was necessary to recreate it in every detail, but in a transformed form. Overcome it by subordinating it to your writing will.

The writer will never return to this region of his inner life, although the Kentish town of Whitestable - in the books it will become Blackstable - will return more than once to the geographical region of his childhood, adolescence and youth. After Philip Carey, Maugham's lyrical hero is replaced by his masks - variants of the image that he will create to the public, but at the same time for himself until the end of his long life.

The burden of human passions remains Maugham's constant theme in his short stories, wherever their clear and rich plots unfold - among the exotic South Seas or in the Chippendale-like interiors of London salons. However, the novel, with its large narrative space, provided opportunities for a broader and more versatile disclosure of this cardinal theme for the writer. In the next after The burden of human passions works of this genre Moon and penny (1919) we're talking about about only one passion - For art, but a passion so all-consuming and cruel, disinterested and inhuman (after all, the artist Strickland does not care whether at least one sees alive soul his canvases), that the most fatal love slavery. Perhaps, nowhere else did Maugham write with such a temperament, as if charged with the creative rage of his hero, his frantic painting. Strickland, shown as an openly immoral and humanly repulsive creature, latently impresses the narrator in that he managed to shake off the colorless respectable existence of a stockbroker, respectable bourgeois and family man and gain something incredible for a man of his circle - personal freedom. The desire for personal freedom, for independence from the structure and conventions of social caste is a motif that runs through all of Maugham’s prose and drama.

Place in literature

Reflection on creativity Somerset Maugham always raises a question that, judging by the literature about the writer, has always caused very sharp disagreements: the question of the place of the writer himself in the system of bourgeois values. Maugham was called - let's name the two most extreme points vision - a satirist-accuser and commercial writer, skillfully tickling the nerves of that very bourgeois readership, whose morals and customs he depicts so causticly and evilly.

Before trying to answer this question, we should once again listen to Maugham himself, whose objective attitude towards his own person we have already had occasion to verify.

I've always been a storyteller. That is why I found myself somewhat on the outskirts among the writers of my generation. Although I am as concerned and troubled as others by the disorder that reigns in our world, and by social injustice and political turmoil, I have never considered the novel the best vehicle for expressing views on such issues. I have no inclination to preach or prophesy. I have a consuming interest in human nature and have always felt that I can best share my observations through storytelling.. (From an autobiographical sketch published in New York in 1959).

It seems to us that Maugham, as usual, is telling the truth about himself, although not the deepest one. We can go a little further and note that such elements of bourgeois self-awareness as egocentric individualism and the conviction in the dominant role of money in the life of man and society are not alien to the writer and that he himself is too strong is sitting in his social system, so that it would not be a stretch to find in him a conscious intention to undermine the foundations of bourgeois society.

Does it follow from all this that Maugham is an accommodating, commercial writer, catering to the tastes of the bourgeoisie, glorifying its virtues? Not at all. He always had a desire for independence - human and literary. The desire to write the truth about people, even the most unpleasant ones. And the merciless light of this truth often made its way into the deepest recesses of a prosperous, respectable bourgeois life. Of course, Maugham maintained contact with his readership - plural It will be more appropriate here, because Maugham was read not only in many countries, but also in various social circles. He always wrote extremely clearly and understandably, that is, democratically, which greatly harmed him in the eyes of the intellectual elite, but attracted and favored a wide readership. However, there was no opportunism here either - such is the artistic individuality of the writer. In the era post-Joycean literary experiments, both truly innovative and clearly secondary, when writing simply and clearly was considered simply unfashionable, Maugham continued to work in traditional forms of sequentially developing narrative with a clear plot, which, according to him, has beginning, middle and end. His language is simple, colloquial, and despite the fact that the narrator’s speech will shine with elegant ironic aphorisms and witty observations, in his dialogues Maugham does not shy away from common expressions, clichés, and truisms. Psychological drawing he is sharp and knows no halftones; as an artist, he is strongest in the sphere of the comic - not infectiously cheerful, but light, relaxed and very sarcastic spelling. Where Maugham fails he is trivial and melodramatic, and in his vast literary heritage a lot of fictional slag. But all of this, we repeat, were truly failures, and not the result of compromises, disrespect for one’s own literary work. Maugham was absolutely devoted to literature, worked tirelessly and systematically, and always remained himself. He did not follow the lead of criticism, listened little to advice, could cut short the sensational career of a playwright (in the 1908 season, four of Maugham’s plays were performed on London stages simultaneously) in order to sit down to a huge novel in a new spirit for himself... He maintained the same consistency in the very essence of his writing. Sensitively monitoring changing public demands and moods, responding to them, wandering the seas and continents in search of plots and characters, Maugham remains true to his calling: to portray people as they are- how he sees them. Social status, fortune, official and secular prestige - everything fades into the background when oddities come into play human nature, its inconsistency, irrationality when it comes to the heavy, sometimes destructive and catastrophic impact of passions - be it sensual attraction, vanity, lust for power, self-interest or a thirst for creativity, or a thirst for independence. Maugham is not inclined to evaluate in any way quality these power instincts; if one can find in his works a trace of some kind of moral preaching, then, perhaps, it will be a preaching of hedonistic amoralism - in defiance of the rigorists and bigots. However - and this is important - any option is completely alien to him. cult of power, the slightest admiration of cruelty. Kipling's white man's burden plays no role in Maugham's colonial stories, and he himself a white man often looks very unpresentable.

This condensed description of Maugham’s artistic worldview will, however, be incomplete and incorrect if we do not once again emphasize its important feature: a skeptical and sometimes even cynical view of human vices and delusions in no way drowns out the writer’s ability to see attractive qualities in a person. , qualities worthy of respect and sometimes admiration: sincere kindness, selflessness, courage, high spiritual thoughts. These properties seem to him to be very rare - but all the more precious, and he finds the corresponding sounds in his writing register when he turns to heroes endowed with such gifts.

Finished reading today magnificent work British writer William Somerset Maugham's "The Burden of Human Passion." The impressions from reading the book are very positive. This novel enjoyed great success in England, was to some extent the autobiography of the writer.

At the center of the story is the figure of the unfortunate young man Philippa Carey. He lost his parents early and was under the care of a callous, cynical uncle and aunt. But most importantly, from birth he suffered from a serious illness - a curvature of the foot, for this reason he was forced to constantly limp.

Congenital lameness left a heavy imprint on his fate. He was mercilessly bullied by his peers at school, and adults bullied him. As a result, he developed complexes on this basis, he suffered terribly and received psychological trauma for life. In addition, Philip was a smart, well-read boy, with high level intelligence, and schoolchildren and others ordinary people middle-level people don’t like people like that. For this reason, he had few friends.

After graduating from school, Philip could find his place in life and get a normal job. At first his relatives plotted to make him a priest, but Philip flatly refused. He dreamed of becoming an artist, studied for 2 years in Paris art school until it was explained to him that good artist it won't work out. As a result, he wasted precious time.

Then Philip tried to study to become a doctor. But misfortunes constantly arose along his path. He was in love with a girl, a waitress, who, based on her behavior, today would be called a TP or a domestic prostitute. This everyday prostitute fooled him several times; out of naivety and stupidity, sometimes reaching the point of exaggerated absurdity, he forgave her everything until she cleaned out his apartment.

Then a bitter misfortune befell Philip: he became the victim of a stock exchange swindler, who lured him out of money by promising profits. As a result, the guy was left without a livelihood, lost his home and was even homeless for a week. The social situation at that time was simply terrible. There was terrible unemployment and poverty. People from the lower classes eked out a miserable existence, could hardly find work, and if they did, they received a pittance.

Philip himself also had to endure grief when looking for work; he lived on the street for a long time until he got a position as a senior administrator in a store, which by modern standards is almost similar to the vacancy of a janitor or security guard. Reading the works, one got the impression that the novel was not about England late XIX century, but about today's Russia. There is still the same unemployment, unemployed youth, but what’s funny is that some common professions today - watchmen and sales consultants - existed then, they were called administrators and clerks.

It was hard for Philip to be in a low-paid position, among all sorts of uncultured rabble, below him in intelligence and status. Of course, he had to experience rudeness and jokes from sellers and dorm neighbors. The main character's situation was so difficult that he even began to develop suicidal tendencies. He was in the deepest depression, in complete despair. I felt so sorry for him.

Approaching the ending of the book, I was afraid that it would be tragic, since, as a rule, there is no happy ending in such depressive works. I was afraid that the character would end up under a fence somewhere from alcohol poisoning or end up committing suicide.

Fortunately, the ending was not tragic. After his uncle's death, Philip received an inheritance and finally left the store and parted ways with the disgusting team. he graduated from college and became a doctor. Then he became friends with one of the patients. Then the patient’s daughter Sally fell in love with him.

And now it would seem that it should come happy ending. The hero, after much suffering, found his place in life and finally met his love. Ah, no. The ending was kind of strange, leaving mixed feelings. The girl got pregnant from Philip. But he is not happy about this, he wanted to travel, go to Spain, and then love and family fell on his head, which crossed out all his plans. Although it is not clear what prevented him from going to Spain, couldn’t he have asked his beloved to wait six months until he went, and then have a wedding. And it’s unclear whether he loves Sally. In some sentences it is noted that he likes her, it’s nice to be with her, but still somehow she repels him. Perhaps they have different tempers and a person with a high level of education and intelligence is bored with a semi-literate seamstress. In general, the strange ending of the work and the lack of a full-fledged happy ending are the only drawbacks of Maugham’s book. It is unclear what will happen next to the hero, whether he will find happiness in family life or he will be disappointed again and begin to suffer.

The only thing that pleases me is that the guy stopped suffering because of his lameness; on the contrary, he realized that his illness and complexes formed in him a sense of beauty, made him a person of graceful manners and high culture.

Be that as it may, "The Burden of Human Passions" wonderful work. I recommend everyone to read it.

Beginning of the 20th century Nine-year-old Philip Carey is left an orphan and sent to be raised by his priest uncle in Blackstable. The priest does not have tender feelings for his nephew, but in his house Philip finds many books that help him forget about loneliness.

At the school where the boy was sent, his classmates bully him (Philip is lame from birth), causing him to become painfully timid and shy - it seems to him that suffering is the lot of his whole life. Philip prays to God to make him healthy, and for the fact that a miracle does not happen, he blames only himself - he thinks that he lacks faith.

He hates school and doesn't want to go to Oxford. Contrary to his uncle’s wishes, he strives to study in Germany, and he manages to insist on his own.

In Berlin, Philip falls under the influence of one of his fellow students, the Englishman Hayward, who seems extraordinary and talented to him, not noticing that his deliberate unusualness is just a pose, behind which there is nothing. But the debates between Hayward and his interlocutors about literature and religion leave a huge mark on Philip’s soul: he suddenly realizes that he no longer believes in God, is not afraid of hell, and that a person is responsible for his actions only to himself.

After completing a course in Berlin, Philip returns to Blackstable and meets Miss Wilkinson, the daughter of Mr. Carey's former assistant. She is about thirty, she is cutesy and flirtatious, at first Philip does not like her, but nevertheless soon becomes his mistress. Philip is very proud; in his letter to Hayward he writes a beautiful romantic story. But when the real Miss Wilkinson leaves, she feels great relief and sadness that reality is so different from her dreams.

His uncle, having come to terms with Philip's reluctance to enter Oxford, sends him to London to study as a chartered accountant. Philip feels bad in London: he has no friends, and his work brings unbearable melancholy. And when a letter arrives from Hayward with an offer to go to Paris and take up painting, it seems to Philip that this desire has long been brewing in his soul. After studying for only a year, he, despite his uncle’s objections, left for Paris.

In Paris, Philip entered the Amitrino art studio; Fanny Price helps him get used to his new place - she is very ugly and unkempt, they can’t stand her for her rudeness and huge conceit with a complete lack of drawing ability, but Philip is still grateful to her.

The life of a Parisian bohemian changes Philip's worldview: he no longer considers ethical tasks to be fundamental to art, although he still sees the meaning of life in Christian virtue. The poet Cronshaw, who does not agree with this position, offers Philip to understand the true goal human existence look at the pattern of the Persian carpet.

When Fanny, having learned that Philip and his friends were leaving Paris in the summer, made an ugly scene, Philip realized that she was in love with him. And upon his return, he did not see Fanny in the studio and, absorbed in his studies, forgot about her. A few months later, a letter arrives from Fanny asking him to come see her: she has not eaten anything for three days. When Philip arrives, he discovers that Fanny has committed suicide. This shocked Philip. He is tormented by a feeling of guilt, but most of all by the meaninglessness of Fanny’s asceticism. He begins to doubt his painting abilities and turns to one of his teachers with these doubts. And indeed, he advises him to start life again, because he can only become a mediocre artist.

The news of his aunt's death forces Philip to go to Blackstable, and he will never return to Paris. Having parted with painting, he wants to study medicine and enters the institute at St. Luke in London. In their philosophical reflections Philip comes to the conclusion that conscience is the main enemy of the individual in the struggle for freedom, and creates a new life rule for himself: you must follow your natural inclinations, but with due regard for the policeman around the corner.

One day in a cafe he started talking to a waitress named Mildred; she refused to continue the conversation, hurting his pride. Soon Philip realizes that he is in love, although he perfectly sees all her shortcomings: she is ugly, vulgar, her manners are full of disgusting affectation, her rude speech speaks of poverty of thought. Nevertheless, Philip wants to get her at any cost, including marriage, although he realizes that this will be his death. But Mildred declares that she is marrying someone else, and Philip, realizing that main reason His torment is wounded vanity, he despises himself no less than Mildred. But we need to move on with our lives: pass exams, meet friends...

Meeting a young, pretty woman named Nora Nesbit - she is very sweet, witty, and knows how to take life's troubles lightly - restores his faith in himself and heals his emotional wounds. Philip finds another friend after falling ill with the flu: his neighbor, doctor Griffiths, carefully looks after him.

But Mildred returns - having learned that she is pregnant, her betrothed confessed that he was married. Philip leaves Nora and begins to help Mildred - his love is so strong. Mildred gives up the newborn girl to be raised, not having any feelings for her daughter, but she falls in love with Griffiths and enters into a relationship with him. The offended Philip nevertheless secretly hopes that Mildred will return to him again. Now he often remembers Hope: she loved him, and he acted vilely to her. He wants to return to her, but finds out that she is engaged. Soon word reaches him that Griffiths has broken up with Mildred: he quickly grew tired of her.

Philip continues to study and work as an assistant in an outpatient clinic. Communicating with many of the most different people, seeing their laughter and tears, grief and joy, happiness and despair, he understands that life is more complex than abstract concepts of good and evil. Cronshaw arrives in London, finally getting ready to publish his poems. He is very sick: he suffered from pneumonia, but, not wanting to listen to the doctors, he continues to drink, because only after drinking does he become himself. Seeing the plight of his old friend, Philip takes him to his place; he soon dies. And again Philip is depressed by the thought of the meaninglessness of his life, and the life rule invented under similar circumstances now seems stupid to him.

Philip becomes close to one of his patients, Thorpe Athelney, and becomes very attached to him and his family: his hospitable wife, healthy, cheerful children. Philip likes to visit their house, warm himself by their cozy hearth. Athelny introduces him to the paintings of El Greco. Philip is shocked: it was revealed to him that self-denial is no less passionate and decisive than submission to passions.

Having met Mildred again, who now makes a living as a prostitute, Philip, out of pity, no longer having the same feelings for her, invites her to live with him as a servant. But she doesn’t know how to run a house and doesn’t want to look for work. In search of money, Philip begins to play on the stock exchange, and his first experience is so successful that he can afford to operate on his sore leg and go with Mildred to the sea.

In Brighton they live in separate rooms. Mildred is angry about this: she wants to convince everyone that Philip is her husband, and upon returning to London she tries to seduce him. But she doesn’t succeed - now Philip feels physical disgust for her, and she leaves in a rage, causing a pogrom in his house and taking away the child to whom Philip had become attached.

All of Philip's savings were spent on moving out of the apartment, which brings back painful memories for him and is also too big for him alone. In order to somehow improve the situation, he again tries to play on the stock exchange and goes bankrupt. His uncle refuses to help him, and Philip is forced to leave his studies, move out of his apartment, spend the night on the street and starve. Upon learning of Philip's plight, Athelney gets him a job in the store.

The news of Hayward's death makes Philip think again about the meaning of human life. He recalls the words of the now deceased Cronshaw about the Persian carpet. Now he interprets them this way: although a person weaves the pattern of his life aimlessly, but, weaving various threads and creating a pattern at his own discretion, he must be satisfied with this. The uniqueness of the drawing is its meaning. Then it happens last meeting with Mildred. She writes that she is sick, that her child has died; In addition, when Philip comes to her, he finds out that she has returned to her previous activities. After a painful scene, he leaves forever - this darkness of his life finally dissipates.

Having received an inheritance after the death of his uncle, Philip returns to the institute and, having completed his studies, works as an assistant to Dr. South, and so successfully that he invites Philip to become his partner. But Philip wants to go traveling “to find the promised land and to know himself.”

Meanwhile eldest daughter Philip really likes Athelney, Sally, and one day while picking hops, he gives in to his feelings... Sally reveals that she is pregnant, and Philip decides to sacrifice himself and marry her. Then it turns out that Sally was mistaken, but for some reason Philip does not feel relieved. Suddenly he realizes that marriage is not self-sacrifice, that giving up fictitious ideals for the sake of family happiness, even if it is a defeat, is better than all victories... Philip asks Sally to become his wife. She agrees, and Philip Carey finally finds the one promised land, to which his soul had longed for so long.

• Philip Carey, a young man gradually growing up and learning about life
• Mildred, waitress, friend of Philip
• Philip's uncle, priest

Other heroes

• Hayward, Philip's classmate
• Fanny, art student
• Griffiths, doctor, friend of Philip
• Atelny, Philip's patient
• Sally, daughter of Athelny

Summary of the novel “The Burden of Human Passions”

Part one

At the very beginning of the 20th century, a boy named Philip Carey, who was barely nine years old, loses his parents and finds himself under the tutelage of his priest uncle. The vicar behaves sternly and distantly with his nephew, but he has many books in his house that brighten up the loneliness and melancholy of the orphaned child.

At school, his friends make fun of Philip, who has been early years limping quite noticeably, the boy begs the Lord to restore his health, but this does not happen. However, the boy blames only himself for his injury, believing that he simply lacks faith in God to heal.

Philip does not want to continue his education at Oxford, which his guardian insists on, and as a result, his uncle nevertheless agrees to the young man’s education in Germany. In Berlin, a young man listens carefully to the conversations of his classmate named Hayward with his friends and draws extremely important conclusions for himself. Philip feels that he no longer believes in the Almighty, in hell and heaven, that the fate of a person depends only on himself, and it is he who must bear responsibility for each of his actions.

Part two

His uncle, realizing that Philip will always refuse to study at Oxford, sends the guy to London to master the profession of an accountant. However, the young man does not like this profession at all, and besides, he does not have a single friend in the English capital. An old acquaintance, Hayward, sends him an invitation to come to Paris to study painting, and young Carey willingly agrees to try his hand at art.

Despite his uncle's objections, Philip actually goes to one of the most brilliant and unusual cities in Europe, where he begins to study in an art studio. A certain Fanny, an unattractive and sloppy girl who is clearly disliked by his comrades for her inhospitability and lack of any talent, helps him get used to the new environment, but Philip still feels some gratitude towards her.

Fanny shows Cary annoying attentions, but the guy certain point does not realize that this undoubted loser is not indifferent to him. Upon returning to Paris after a summer holiday, Philip does not remember this girl at all for several months, but then a note comes from her, begging him to visit her, as Fanny claims, she has not had a crumb of food in her mouth for three days.

Philip actually looks in on her and learns about her suicide, and what upsets the young man most of all is the meaninglessness and futility of all her sacrifices “in the name of art.” After consulting with one of the experienced teachers, Carey understands that it is better for him to take a different path in life, since he can only become an extremely mediocre painter and will never achieve success in this field.

Part three

Philip decides to devote himself to the noble cause of healing, and begins intensive study of medicine in London. One day in a cafe, a young man pays attention to the waitress Mildred, although this girl is unattractive in appearance, rude, vulgar and definitely not particularly intelligent. Nevertheless, Cary is ready to achieve her favor by any means; he is even thinking about marrying this person, although he understands that she is by no means a suitable match for him.

However, Mildred tells him that she is already engaged to another man, and her wedding will take place very soon. Philip, although her words deeply hurt him, continues to live on, communicating with friends and passing the necessary exams.

But soon Mildred returns to him, it turns out that her fiancé admitted to her that he was already married, having learned about the waitress’s pregnancy. The young woman immediately gives the girl up to be raised by strangers, immediately entering into a relationship with Philip’s acquaintance, Dr. Griffiths.

After some time, Mildred again appears on Cary’s path, now forced to earn a living by selling her own body. Philip, feeling sorry for the unfortunate woman, invites her to work as a servant for him, but she is not satisfied with this option. Having started playing on the stock exchange, the man quickly achieves success and goes to the sea with his former waitress.

Mildred tries to assure others that Philip is her legal husband. She tries in every possible way to get close to him again, but Cary now feels obvious disgust for her. Having failed, the enraged woman leaves Philip’s house, taking with her the baby, whom he has already truly fallen in love with.

Part four

Carey again takes up the game on the stock exchange, but this time he is completely ruined. He has to sleep under open air and often go hungry, but Mr. Athelney, one of his former patients, comes to the rescue and helps Philip get a job in a store.

At the same time, Carey learns about the death of his longtime friend Hayward, and he again indulges in painful thoughts about whether human life at least some sense. He receives a letter from Mildred, the woman writes that she is seriously ill and her child has died. Having visited her, Philip is convinced that she has again taken up her former shameful occupation. After a very unpleasant scene, the man breaks up with her completely and feels a clear liberation, deliverance from a certain nightmare of his existence.

After Uncle Philip passes away, he receives a certain inheritance, graduates from college and begins working as an assistant to a famous doctor who is ready to accept him as a partner. But Carey himself strives to first spend some time traveling in order to better know the world and, first of all, himself.

The man is very attracted to young Sally, the daughter of his former patient, who helped him in the most Hard time. One day intimacy happens between these two, soon the girl reports her “ interesting position" Philip is ready to marry her without hesitation; his decision does not change at all even after Sally announces that her assumption about pregnancy turned out to be wrong.

But now Carey is confident that marriage is exactly the happiness that he has been looking for throughout his life, that he has finally found the real “promised land” and the true meaning of his existence.