W. Somerset Maugham(William Somerset Maugham)novelist, playwright, and short story writerBorn: 1/25/1874Birthplace: Paris, France Although he was most well known as an author, W. Somerset Maugham had a varied professional life that included obstetrics … In order to break all ties he claimed Liza was not his biological daughter and he adopted Searle as his son and heir, but the adoption was annulled. To Authors Index. [citation needed] He did not want to become a lawyer like other men in his family, so he trained and qualified as a physician. [9] Miserable both at his uncle's vicarage and at school, the young Maugham developed a talent for making wounding remarks to those who displeased him. During World War I he worked as a secret agent. Short Biography of William Somerset Maugham The British novelist William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), one of the most popular writers in English in the 20th century, is noted for his clarity of style and skill in storytelling. Maugham refers to this gran… Small and weak as a boy, Maugham had been proud even then of his stamina, and as an adult he kept churning out the books, proud that he could. His biography is available in 68 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 64 in 2019). In … In … Maugham's last major novel, The Razor's Edge (1944), was a departure for him in many ways. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... From the Italian Renaissance and Victorian era to India and Canterbury, delve into the lives of Dante, Isaac Asimov, and other writers. Maugham returned to Britain from his ambulance unit duties in order to promote Of Human Bondage. William Somerset Maugham. William Somerset Maugham CH (/ ˈmɔːm / MAWM; 25 Januar 1874 – 16 December 1965), better kent as W. Somerset Maugham, wis a Breetish playwricht, novelist an short story writer. It was Maugham's eighth birthday. List of works by W. Somerset Maugham. William Somerset Maugham was born of English … [27] Frequently quoted in this connection is Maugham's statement to his nephew Robin: I tried to persuade myself that I was three-quarters normal and that only a quarter of me was queer—whereas really it was the other way around. W. Somerset Maugham, or Somerset Maugham, as he is usually referred to, was perhaps the most respected English author of the 20th century to achieve a major presence in films; not only were many of his novels, short stories, and plays adapted into movies, but Maugham had the distinction of being portrayed on screen twice by Herbert Marshall. Born in Paris, he was the sixth and youngest son … William Somerset Maugham was born at the British Embassy in Paris, France, where his father was an English lawyer handling the legal affairs of the British embassy. I wish I had, for I might have learnt from it something of the kind of man he was."[5]. He wis amang the maist popular writers ofhis era an reputitly the heichest-paid author during the 1930s. W. Somerset Maugham Biography W. Somerset Maugham is beloved by Hollywood. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Ian Fleming noted that he wrote the short story "Quantum of Solace" as an homage to Maugham's writing style. Maugham's homosexual leanings shaped his fiction, in two ways. However, W. Somerset Maugham's life wasn't always glorious. In 1951, Katherine Cornell was a great success playing the lead in Maugham's comedy The Constant Wife. Word Count: 2303. This ancient arabic tale was retold by William Somerset Maugham near the end of his play Sheppey (1933). For a public man of Maugham's generation, being openly gay was impossible. Somerset Maugham was the master of the short, concise novel and he could convey relationships, greed and ambition with a startling reality. At age 16, Maugham refused to continue at The King's School. Maugham: A BiographyPaperback – April 1, 1984. byTed Morgan(Author), W. Somerset Maugham(Author), Vincent Virga(Illustrator), Eve Metz(Designer)&1more. Ted Morgan. Maugham was the fourth of six sons born in his family. His The Magician (1908) is based on British occultist Aleister Crowley. "The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham" – A Biography of Somerset Maugham by Selina Hastings. He was a jocular character, always engaging but could be mischievous. Maugham gave Philip Carey a club foot (rather than his stammer); the vicar of Blackstable appears derived from the vicar of Whitstable; and Carey is a medic. In his 1962 volume of memoirs, Looking Back, he attacked the late Syrie Maugham and wrote that Liza had been born before they married. This ability is sometimes reflected in Maugham's literary characters. He was an English novelist, playwright, and short-story writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. Maugham had been writing steadily since he was 15, and wanted to be an author, but he did not tell his guardian. In 1874, he was born into a middle-class family in France and was the youngest of four boys. Maugham's play The Letter, starring Gladys Cooper, had its premiere in London in 1927. His passionate semi-autobiographical novel Of Human Bondage (1915) is probably his most famous work.. Somerset Maugham’s parents both died before he turned 11, and he was raised by his uncle, the Vicar of Kent. There is no grave for Maugham. During this time he met Frederick Gerald Haxton, a young San Franciscan, who became his companion and lover until Haxton's death in 1944. It was his home for most of the rest of his life. One of Maugham's friends, describing the difference between Haxton and Searle, said simply: "Gerald was vintage, Alan was vin ordinaire. “ Mr. Robert Calder has written a biography of W. Somerset Maugham in order to redress, nicely, some recent studies of the man who was probably our century’s most popular novelist as well as the most successful of Edwardian playwrights. "[45], Maugham's love life was almost never smooth. Britannica now has a site just for parents! Maugham, who had qualified as a medic, dropped medicine and embarked on his 65-year career as a man of letters. He drew upon his experiences as an obstetrician in his first novel, Liza of Lambeth (1897), and its success, though small, encouraged him to abandon medicine. [citation needed], In 1947 Maugham instituted the Somerset Maugham Award,[60] awarded to the best British writer or writers under the age of thirty-five for a work of fiction published in the past year. Somerset Maugham's Biography. He was an English novelist, playwright, and short-story writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. This changed in 1907 with the success of his play Lady Frederick. W. Somerset Maugham, an eminent British playwright, novelist and short story writer is better known as a master of short and concise novels. William Somerset Maugham, better known as W. Somerset Maugham, was born on January 25, 1874, Paris, France. Maugham wrote comedies, psychological novels and spy stories (although the latter part of his work is hardly ever seen as belonging to crime fiction proper). The British novelist William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), one of the most popular writers in English in the 20th century, is noted for his clarity of style and skill in storytelling. During his year in Heidelberg, Maugham met and had a sexual affair with John Ellingham Brooks, an Englishman ten years his senior. Maugham: A Biography. In 1994 they were placed on loan to the Theatre Museum in Covent Garden. William Somerset Maugham was born on 25 January 1874 at the British Embassy in Paris. They typically express the emotional toll the colonists bear by their isolation. To be a good citizen, it's important to be able to put yourself in other people's shoes and see the big picture. [42][43] The American writer John O'Hara credited Maugham's tale as the inspiration for the title of his novel Appointment in Samarra. She was a genius who wrote electrifying poetry, full of rage and unconventional images. They changed their daughter's surname, originally registered as Wellcome and reflecting Syrie's marriage. He proved a devoted (if not a stimulating) companion. In May 1917, following the decree absolute, Syrie Wellcome and Maugham were married. [citation needed]. Other writers acknowledged his work. William was the fourth son of six children, of which only four survived. He drew from those experiences in his later short stories and novels. [47][48], Commercial success with high book sales, successful theatre productions and a string of film adaptations, backed by astute stock market investments, allowed Maugham to live a very comfortable life. In June 1917, Maugham was asked by Sir William Wiseman, an officer of the British Secret Intelligence Service (later named MI6), to undertake a special mission in Russia. Two of his later novels were based on historical people: The Moon and Sixpence is about the life of Paul Gauguin; and Cakes and Ale contains what were taken as thinly veiled and unflattering characterisations of the authors Thomas Hardy (who had died two years previously) and Hugh Walpole. On his death, Maugham donated his royalties to the Royal Literary Fund.[60]. W. Somerset Maugham : … W. Somerset Maugham is beloved by Hollywood. In 1947 Maugham instituted the Somerset Maugham Award, awarded to the best British writer or writers under the age of thirty-five of a work of fiction published in the past year. I wonder if that does not make the Christian uneasy to reflect that if he had been in. Biography. His first novel Liza of Lambeth (1897) sold out so rapidly that Maugham gave up medicine to write full-time. The protagonist is a disillusioned veteran of the First World War who abandons his wealthy friends and lifestyle, travelling to India seeking enlightenment. It is incredible to me that there should be an after-life. He wrote only one book that was not of this character. The local physician suggested the medical profession and Maugham's uncle agreed. The marriage was unhappy, and the couple separated. I see no need of such idea. William Somerset Maugham (January 25, 1874 - December 16, 1965) was an English playwright, novelist and short story writer. Maugham wrote near the opening of the novel: "... it is impossible always to give the exact unexpurgated words of Liza and the other personages of the story; the reader is therefore entreated with his thoughts to piece out the necessary imperfections of the dialogue. In Don Fernando, a non-fiction book about his years living in Spain, Maugham pondered a (perhaps fanciful) suggestion that the painter El Greco was homosexual: It cannot be denied that the homosexual has a narrower outlook on the world than the normal man. It was adapted into a major motion picture, released in 1946, starring Tyrone Power as Larry Darrell, with Herbert Marshall as W. Somerset Maugham. Maugham subsequently said that if he had been able to get there six months earlier, he might have succeeded. Maugham later lived in the French Riviera with his partner Gerald Haxton until Haxton's death in 1944. “ Mr. Robert Calder has written a biography of W. Somerset Maugham in order to redress, nicely, some recent studies of the man who was probably our century’s most popular novelist as well as the most successful of Edwardian playwrights. [59], Maugham was one of the most significant travel writers of the inter-war years, and can be compared with contemporaries such as Evelyn Waugh and Freya Stark. Edith died of tuberculosis six days later on 31 January at the age of 41. Simon and Schuster, 1984. sfn error: no target: CITEREFChancellor2005 (, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Painting the Century: 101 Portrait Masterpieces 1900–2000, List of ambulance drivers during World War I, "Camilla's nephew, the tortured musical genius", "Somerset Maugham'S Ten Best Novels Of The World", Caxton Club Biography (Archived October 26, 2014), Works by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham, National Theatre, Maugham's Theatrical Collection, National Theatre, Shakespearean Characters, William Somerset Maugham's stories on Malaya, Borneo and Singapore, W. S. Maugham: correspondence, contracts, and manuscripts in Indiana University. Philip's clubfoot causes him endless self-consciousness and embarrassment, echoing Maugham's struggles with his stutter and, as his biographer Ted Morgan notes, his homosexuality.[57]. Quotations by W. Somerset Maugham, British Playwright, Born January 25, 1874. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. References George Orwell also state… In 1962 Maugham sold a collection of paintings, some of which had already been assigned by deed to his daughter Liza. This was a collection of 58 ultra-short story sketches, which he had written during his 1920 travels through China and Hong Kong, intending to expand the sketches later as a book. Many of Maugham’s plays, novels, and short stories have been adapted into films. W. Somerset Maugham (1874 – 1965) was a British playwright, novelist and short story writer. Through these novels, he captured the imagination of the readers by portraying genuine characters and conveying their relationships, greed and ambition in a realistic manner. For the next five years, he studied medicine at St Thomas's Hospital Medical School in Lambeth. Maugham apja, Robert Ormond Maugham, a párizsi angol követségen dolgozott, mint ügyvéd. Thereafter the copyrights passed to the Royal Literary Fund. When I look at the misery of the world and its bitterness I think that no belief can be more ignoble.” –, “The evidence adduced to prove the truth of one religion is of very much the same sort as that adduced to prove the truth of another. In that period, Maugham began a relationship with Alan Searle, whom he had first met in 1928. She sued her father and won a judgment of £230,000. 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