Just before William Somerset Maugham was born, a new law was seriously considered in France declaring that all boys born in France of foreign parents were French and must therefore do military service (this was at the time of the Franco-Prussian war). The law never actually came into force, but there was great concern that it would. As a result, the second floor of the British Embassy in Paris was turned into a maternity ward, and it was on that little patch of ‘British soil’ that he entered the world. [1]
Edith Maugham, the socialite daughter of a British diplomat and wife of Robert Ormond Maugham, a prosperous English solicitor, based in Paris, gave birth to her fourth son on 25 January 1874 in Paris. The baby was named William Somerset Maugham (the Somerset came from a remote military ancestor), and he was known as Willie.
Tragically, Edith died of tuberculosis when Willie was just six years old, which had a lasting impact on the young boy. A few years later his father died too, and Willie was sent to England to be cared for by an uncle and aunt. His new vicarage home was cold and unfriendly. His aunt was German and did seem to be fond of him, but the childless couple had little understanding of boys, especially ones as sensitive and imaginative as Willie, so his only escape into happiness was through books. From the age of 10, Willie attended the King’s School in Canterbury as a boarder but was terrified of his teachers and teased by other boys because of a speech impediment.
Finishing school, and instead of trying to gain entry to Oxford or Cambridge, Maugham persuaded his uncle to let him go to Germany where he spent a year in Heidelberg, continuing his education at university there. Here he saw Ibsen’s plays performed and formed an ambition to become a writer himself. But in 1892 he returned to England to commence medical training. He later said Medicine was wonderful training for a writer, because it demanded close observation, and it took him into parts of London he’d never normally have visited. He qualified as a doctor, but never practised, having already decided that literature was what he wanted to do. His aunt died in 1892 and his uncle soon remarried.
Maugham’s breakthrough came with the success of his semi-autobiographical novel, Of Human Bondage, published in 1915 which explored themes of love, art, and the human condition, drawing from his own experiences. This marked a turning point in his career, establishing him as a prominent figure in English literature.
During World War I, Maugham served as a secret agent for the British government, an experience that would later influence some of his spy novels. After the war, he continued to write prolifically, producing plays, novels, and short stories.
Maugham’s writing style was characterized by its clarity, simplicity, and keen observation of human behaviour. His ability to capture the nuances of emotions made him a popular and enduring author. Some of his notable works include The Razor’s Edge, Cakes and Ale, and The Moon and Sixpence. He also had a significant impact on the world of theatre, with several of his plays, such as The Constant Wife and The Circle, receiving acclaim and enjoying successful runs on the stage.
Despite achieving literary success, Maugham faced personal challenges, including a struggle with his sexual identity in a society that was unaccepting. In May 1917 he married Syrie Wellcome whom he had known since 1910 but the two quickly grew apart and lived separate lives. They divorced in 1929.
As one of the most popular and widely read authors of his time, William Somerset Maugham’s literary legacy endures, and his works continue to be studied and appreciated for their insight into the human condition. He died aged 91 on 16 December 1965.
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