Walter vane, an intense bacteriologist, falls helplessly in love with kitty, an impulsive beauty who agrees to marry him only to avoid the humiliation of. Naomi watts and john curran interviewed the painted veil. 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. As usual for a somerset maugham, i was compelled to read it in almost one session. Several times in the novel, the death of a character is a liberation for those close to them. Maugham uses a thirdpersonlimited point of view in this story, where kitty garstin is the focal character. Edward norton and naomi watts in the painted veil 2006. 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. I wouldnt normally see a movie like that, but it was based on the book by maugham, so i.
Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is. I wanted to read the painted veil because it was one of the few somerset maugham books i never read as a teenager, when i devoured most of them, and i had seen the film. 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 painted veil completely changed my mind on this point. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane. How frighteningly yellow were the faces that surrounded them. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life the novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. The painted veil book vs movie janet cheng in literature on 12 march, 2020. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 246 pages and is available in paperback format. The painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane.
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. Somerset maugham andits about a young english couple, played by edward norton and naomi watts, whomove to. By the time the season drew to its end they had seen a good deal of one another, but he had remained as aloof and impenetrable as ever. See more ideas about blue ceilings, blue ceiling bedroom and colored ceiling. This is going to be an extremely casual set of thoughts. I admired the potraiture of people as people complex. So, we can imagine that shes evolved and she chose to be a better human being. With greta garbo, herbert marshall, george brent, warner oland. In the end, as a tormented love story, the painted veil works, and, although predictable ending included, it has all the right elements of its genre. The question and answer section for the painted veil is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Even in the end when i thought there may be a turning point in the story kitty again let me down. The painted veil 2006 fullhd movie online free no download. The painted veil essays are academic essays for citation. 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.
Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly in love with her. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. The imperialism of the westerns is impressive and a doctor is capable to order to burn down the houses of the villagers to the ground without explaining them the reason why. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. The painted veil was definitely great, changed in a skilfull way but no so much and beautiful in its own, rather different than the novel, way. 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. It is not a love story, which the 2006 film adaptation starring edward norton and naomi watts might lead you to believe.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. The end of love the painted veil soundtrack by tudorgeekdisneyfreak. The painted veil, at least the novel version, is the story of kittys introspection and selfimprovement. The painted veil discussion questions classics reading group. In this essay i will investigate what the intertextual references bring to the novel, and what their functions are. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the painted veil by w. I watched the film several years ago with a huge box of tissues to hand and loved it. The painted veil tells about a woman named kitty garstin, who ends up marrying someone she barely knows for the wrong reasons, such as her desire to escape her family. I only recently borrowed the book, and decided to put my theory to the test. Surely, i thought, my perception of the characters and plot will be coloured by the adaptation. 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. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran.
I remember watching once the razors edge from the mid 1940s, filmed immediately after the publishing of the novel. Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles this is the third film adaptation of the maugham book, following a 1934 film starring greta garbo and herbert. I hadnt read the painted veil before i saw the movie with ed norton and naomi watts. I watched the painted veil, the movie starring edward norton and naomi watts, one night when huzzybuns was out of either town or country or both, and then tore through my house looking for the book. The main characters of this classics, fiction story are. He made no further claim for himself than that he was a good storyteller. Walter and kitty barely spoke as they travelled by chair through the inscrutable chinese hinterland. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful, but lovestarved kitty fane. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of. It took me two days to locate the book, which i immediately read then followed up with a second viewing of the movie and then the bbc radio 4. Watts, who has been raised for a life of abject uselessness. The painted veil is a novel written by w somerset maugham in 1925. 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.
Painted veil video clips edward norton, naomi watts. The novel also inspired a 2006 drama movie of the same name starring edward norton and naomi watts. Gender, sexuality, and history in the painted veil. An elegy on the death of a mad dog by oliver goldsmith 17281774. Somerset maughams the painted veil is easily the best book ive. 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 film didnt impress audiences when it came out, but being the third film based on the same book perhaps the theme had already been exploited to death.
The first edition of the novel was published in april 1925, and was written by w. Craddock, another work by maugham, the character of bertha vaguely reminds me of kitty. It is a story of love, betrayal, hatred, revenge and redemption. Though i think kitty on the whole is a more interesting character and the painted veil a more compelling novel. In my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group. Published by vintage international on february 10, 2004 originally published april 1925.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the painted veil by w. I liked the book much much better than the movie as the novel reveals the complexity of kittys emotions. Ending spoiler for the painted veil 2006, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. Beginning in may 1925, it was serialised in the united kingdom in eight parts in. Maybe she seeks walters forgiveness when she wants to be loved by her father. From lift not the painted veil which those who live by persy bysshe shelley 17921822. The end of your life book club audiobook by will schwalbe. Lifting the veils in william somerset maughams the. The painted veil is a romance with a corny conclusion about a marriage without love of a dedicated researcher and a bored housewife. First published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. The nuns have changed her but the change began only at the end of the book.
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