Literary Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham

[AnotherCat]

I finished this a few days ago now and in general I agree with the comments already made. I found it an enjoyable read too, one of the few novels I have hit in recent times that I actually looked forward to getting back to whenever I could; the short chapters made that easier as it could be slipped in between other activities.

A few things I noticed-

The book starts out with short sentences and paragraphs and what struck me as almost the type of prose found in books for younger readers of that period. Direct, simple and easy to read, but there was enough meat in the story to not make me think the book was going to be a trite.

But as the book moved on the structure changed with the sentences and paragraphs growing longer and less direct, etc.. Whether this was by accident, or was a tool to make a longish book easy to get into during the early stages, or some other motive such as mirroring and hence giving more drama to the complexities of Phillip's life I don't know. Or perhaps as Maugham proceeded with his writing of it more and more detail and story development came to mind as the whole book built in it? Unfortunately the author is no longer with us to tell us, unless there is a quote from him somewhere on that.

I found the story line quite predictable, not in the exact detail but generally with respect to the direction and outcomes that each major character's story was heading. For example, right from the time Phillip first meets Sally, and despite the little interaction between them then, the clues were there that there was going to be some sort of relationship develop. As the book progressed the clues get stronger and one could see there was likely to be a romantic relationship and later still one could guess the outcomes resulting from the planned week hop picking with her family.

Despite that, the story line was so strong and straightforward, and the prose so free of fluff that this predictability did not distract from my enjoyment of the book at all.

Phillip struck me as just being foolish and unaware and I was not inclined to attribute his problems to his upbringing. I know this is just one example of a similar real life case but both my wife's parents were dead by the time she was 12 years of age and she had a very difficult time within her "adoptive" family (who were relations who made use of her rather than nurtured her); my feeling is that her experience precipitated sensibility and awareness rather than anything else. That said there is a widespread claim that the book is autobiographical with respect to his childhood (there are certainly close parallels), however in the few brief biographical notes I have seen there does not seem to be any evidence that he was as foolish and unaware as Phillip was. I have obtained a biography to read and wonder when I get to it if there is anything to say on this in it.

[Bookpossum]

It sounds as if what you picked up on in terms of different styles may be to do with the fact that he wrote the book as a young man, had it rejected, and put it away for a time, then reworked it and it was published. Good for you spotting that, as I must admit I did not.

I found an interesting quote online, which is apparently from his literary memoir The Summing Up:

Maugham's love life was almost never smooth. He once confessed: "I have most loved people who cared little or nothing for me and when people have loved me I have been embarrassed ... In order not to hurt their feelings, I have often acted a passion I did not feel."

That certainly sounds familiar in terms of Philip, doesn't it.

[bfisher]

Marvelous Maugham quote, Bookpossum. That certainly sounds like Philip.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

That certainly sounds familiar in terms of Philip, doesn't it.

Yes it is an interesting quote, there are many parallels with Maugham's own life and that is one of them. It is perhaps important to see the quote in the light of the full paragraph that it is in; his full paragraph in The Summing Up is:

My sympathies are limited. I can only be myself, and partly by nature, partly by the circumstances of my life, it is a partial self. I am not a social person. I cannot get drunk and feel a great love for my fellow men. Convivial amusement has always somewhat bored me. When people sitting in an ale house or drifting down the river in a boat start singing I am silent. I have never even sung a hymn. I do not much like being touched and I have always to make a slight effort over myself not to draw away when someone links his arm in mine. I can never forget myself. The hysteria of the world repels me and I never feel more aloof than when I am in the midst of a throng surrendered to a violent feeling of mirth or sorrow. Though I have been in love a good many times I have never experienced the bliss of requited love. I know that this is the best thing that life can offer and it is a thing that almost all men, though perhaps only for a short time, have enjoyed. I have most loved people who cared little or nothing for me and when people have loved me I have been embarrassed. It has been a predicament that I have not quite known how to deal with. In order not to hurt their feelings I have often acted a passion that I did not feel. I have tried, with gentleness when possible, and if not, with irritation, to escape from the trammels with which their love bound me. I have been jealous of my independence. I am incapable of complete surrender. And so, never having felt some of the fundamental emotions of normal men, it is impossible that my work should have the intimacy, the bro human touch and the animal serenity which the greater writers alone can give.


(I think I have copied all that correctly)

Some of these things can be seen in Phillip but in my view what Maugham is describing of himself is part of his personality and that not an uncommon one. I think the whole paragraph perhaps frames the love, passion aspects of his personality as being just one part of a much wider personality so did not get the better of him, whereas with Phillip they played a major controlling role in his life (in my view I saw this as due to foolishness?).

Reading that paragraph I wonder how it is that he knows what other men feel; perhaps he understands himself better than he understands other men?

Moving on to my wondering if Maugham suffered from the same foolishness that Phillip seemed to me to suffer from I'll have a run through The Summing Up over the weekend (it is only around 195 pages) to see if there is anything else in there; it is a long time since I have looked at it, but if I remember correctly the above paragraph is likely the only part of it that gives a private view of himself. The book is in the main about writing, other writers, style, audiences, etc.

[Bookpossum]

Many thanks for this full quote AnotherCat: it sounds to be a book well worth reading and I shall try to get my hands on it.

Yes, I'm sure you are right that it is Maugham's nature, but I believe it is also the result of his upbringing. He built a protective shell over himself and was not able to respond to gestures of affection by others, because he had not experienced them himself as a child.

It's a common thing among older generations of people brought up on what I think of as the English "stiff upper lip" system. As the child of two English parents I know whereof I speak!

[Bookpossum]

Hey team, nominations are now open for the September book.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

...I'll have a run through The Summing Up over the weekend (it is only around 195 pages) to see if there is anything else in there; it is a long time since I have looked at it, but if I remember correctly the above paragraph is likely the only part of it that gives a private view of himself. The book is in the main about writing, other writers, style, audiences, etc.

I did not get as far in The Summing Up over the weekend as I hoped, in the main because when I started skimming through it I found it so interesting that it was worth a proper reread. So far I have got around half way through it.

There are a couple of paragraphs where he relates things that could indicate shyness and introversion but I have a feeling that he may be being hard on himself. For example, one of the strongest points in this direction was that he states he never opened conversations with strangers when travelling by train or ship. Personally I don't think he is too much removed from the norm in that and perhaps better than many.

For example, in my own country (which is often claimed as a friendly one) I find that many strangers will not respond to a simple "Hi" even when within an environment of shared interests. As an example, we have a boat in a marina and it still makes me wonder when walking along the dock that when one passes another marina user unknown to one and greet them that one is frequently ignored totally. Elsewhere it is not uncommon to get into an elevator and if one was to say "Hi" to anyone one would be looked at as if one was some sort of weirdo, and if the other was a woman they may even slink into the furthest corner.

That said I remember the first time I ever visited central USA (Kansas City), long ago, and after an environment such as the above, I was entranced while walking down to my first breakfast in the morning as everyone seemed to want to pass a few words (and most Americans are fair chatterboxes on planes). Experiences on return visits there and in some other countries have been the same. So it depends where one is; I suspect the UK (which I have not spent much time in to fairly judge) was likely like here, at least in Maugham's time when it was much less open and cosmopolitan.

So while Maugham may have tended to shyness and introversion I would not have thought it was a big deal and no worse than many; perhaps even sensible. Also, at the beginning of the book he states that it is not an autobiography; to me he only mentions such personal characteristics in respect to how they may have influenced his writing.

I think it is a worthwhile read after reading Of Human Bondage with all its parallels with his life. I see it is available in eBook format; mine is an old pdf which I have had since way back in early PDA reading days when not much in eBook format was around, so is probably one produced out of the wild (but has come out of copyright here since ).

[Bookpossum]

Thanks for this, AnotherCat: I'll certainly try to get hold of it.

[fantasyfan]

I love this novel; it is the best I have read in a long time.

The title is perfect. As the book progresses we become aware of all sorts of "bondage" human beings inflict upon themselves and others. Social, emotional, psychological, religious, and gender issues are all there--and more.

The pacing of the prose is beautifully modulated and lends itself to an immersive meditative reading and re-reading experience.

And the characters! They are wonderfully memorable in their frailties as well as their humanity. If Philip is a self-portrait of the author then I have seen a deeply sensitive and vulnerable side of Maugham--one that I never really noticed before.

I enjoyed his essays on the Ten Great Novels in world literature. Personally, I think this book is in the same class of excellence as those he selected.