The major theme is reflected in the title, which is taken from the work of philosopher Spinoza who believed that uncontrolled passion constituted human bondage. Philip finds himself living on the streets. Philip was brought up as a gentleman, and he was expected to become involved in religion and at some point to go into the Church, as his uncle was a vicar, and he grew up under the rules of church in his uncles house. His colleagues there resent him, believing he is a "gentleman". Read the novel's summary, learn about its author, and identify its themes and autobiographical elements. Of Human Bondage Photos View all photos Movie Info. Walter Matthau before he died gave an Interview where he stated he learned more from Kim Novak than any other person in Hollywood on screen acting. A girl whose fortunes have plummeted from wealthy aristocrat to servant-girl. Philip had even some doubts about these studies, but he never got out of this path. Eleven were alive at the time in which the plot of the novel is unfolding and five Carolus-Duran, Degas, Monet, Raffalli, and Renoir were alive when Of Human Bondage was published in 1915. The Of Human Bondage summary begins with the death of Philip's mother when he is nine years old. From the first time we see Philip opt for art instead of human connection (books in lieu of parental love), he seems to follow a pattern of choosing idyllic passion over sensible security. The latter was the last career high point for Hathaway although he did contribute some additional scenes to Airport (1970) for director George Seaton and directed a final Western - Shootout (1971) - before retiring from the film industry in 1975. For those in need of a refresher course on the plot, it goes like this: A medical student named Philip Carey arrives in London after failing to support himself as an artist in Paris. Kim Novak after leaving her long term contract at Columbia made "Boys Night Out" at MGM and then this fine version of the great classic novel. The book title is derived from Baruch Spinoza's Ethics, particularly the section Of Human Bondage or The Strength of Emotions. Of Human Bondage is the story of a young man's struggle to find the meaning of life in a world that is cruel. While most film scholars cite the Bette Davis version as the best adaptation of Maugham's novel, the Kim Novak version of Of Human Bondage (1964) is definitely worth a look for the evocative cinematography of Oswald Morris (Oliver!, 1968) and the production design of John Box (Lawrence of Arabia, 1962) which perfectly captures Edwardian London (filmed at Ardmore Studios near Dublin) with its gas lit streets and dank slum bordellos. Philip falls passionately in love with tearoom waitress Mildred Rogers, even though she is disdainful of his club foot and his obvious interest in her. He struggles with his finances after investing so much into the care of Mildred before he is taken in by his friend,Thorpe Athelny. He became a little less detached when he was informed that the kid was walking away with the picture. Of Human Bondage: Novel Summary Summary of Chapters I-IV It is a grey day in London, 1885, and Philip Carey, a small boy, is taken by his nurse to his mother's bed. Philip is heartbroken, but within a few months he has a new girlfriend. He also defines good and bad categories based on the people's general beliefs, connecting it to their emotions of pleasure or pain. Please click on the study guide analysis category you wish to be displayed. Philip finds school a harsh environment where his club foot is suddenly fodder for cruelty. To Philip's dismay, after Mildred has her baby, she falls in love with Philip's good friend Harry Griffiths and runs away with him. Stemming from their shared time in a vicarage under the stern gaze of an uncle, both Philip and Maugham come to question, and ultimately discard, the value of religion in society. With Mildred's death, Philip is finally freed of his obsession, and he makes plans to marry Sally. Although flattered, Philip refuses because he plans to visit Spain. "I made it very clear that Mildred was not going to die of a dread disease looking as if a deb had missed her noon nap. Later Mildred returns, pregnant, and confesses that the man for whom she had abandoned Philip never married her, as he was already married with three children. Oranges are Not the Only Fruit: Summary & Title Meaning, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Religion in Oranges are Not the Only Fruit, Oranges are Not the Only Fruit: Quotes & Analysis, Oranges are Not the Only Fruit Discussion Questions, College English Composition: Help and Review, College English Literature: Help and Review, NYSTCE English Language Arts (003): Practice and Study Guide, SAT Subject Test Literature: Practice and Study Guide, Comprehensive English: Overview & Practice, English 103: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature, Elizabeth Bishop: Biography & Famous Poems, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. I was still an innocent. The story of a man who burnt up his soul for an idol cold as ice!Club-footed medical school student Philip Carey falls in love with cynical & cold waitress M. On his return to England, he meets Gertrude, his aunts German friend, and with her has his first sexual experience. Sensitive, club-footed artist Philip Carey is a Briton who has been studying painting in Paris for four years. Her baby has died, and she has become distraught. His talent for drawing is discovered and he receives a promotion and a raise in salary, but his time at the store is short-lived. Maughams agnosticism and some of his cynicism about humanity are important elements in this novel. What Philip came to through his experience in accounting and in attempts to become a painter, was that a person should get rid of prejudices, and thus there is nothing what a man can do wrong. Spinoza's theory that humanity struggles with its bondage to passion contextualizes this work as a cautionary tale as to what can happen when we give in to our emotions. 2009 eNotes.com The film is also something of a curiosity piece since it was rumored Kim Novak and Laurence Harvey loathed each other on the set and no less than three directors worked on it - Henry Hathaway, Bryan Forbes (he even appears in an uncredited cameo as a medical student and his wife, Nanette Newman, appears in a key role), and Ken Hughes. Dated 28 August 1957, author's inscription in a first edition for Californian book collector, Ingle Barr. Due to this, Philip suffers greatly in silence, aching only to find someone to love him without condition. Tag us and include #HowIHusky to be featured! While working at a hospital, Philip befriends a family man, Thorpe Athelny, who has lived in Toledo, Spain and is enthusiastically translating the works of St.John of the Cross. W. Somerset Maugham's novel is the basis for this melodrama about a young medical student who loves a heartless, unfeeling waitress. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by volunteers. It is a perceptive depiction of the emotional isolation of a young man and his eventual insight into life. Fanny Price falls in love with Philip, but he does not know and has no such feelings for her. "[6][7] Her efforts failed to impress Leslie Howard who, along with other British cast members, was upset an American had been cast in the role. The RKO film, directed by John Cromwell, tells the story of a club-footed, sensitive artist . Philip buries her in the style she wished and, despondent, decides to return to his artist's studio in Paris. When Mildred returns to stay with Philip, however, he has just met Norah Nesbitt, who is more interested in him than he is in her. Philip wants to be a doctor. His writing became more renowned with age and practice, making him one of the highest paid authors in the 1930's. Now orphaned, he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle, Louisa and William Carey. This is one of the main underlying messages of Spinoza's work as well. Philip was sitting on the floor in the drawing-room at Miss Watkin's house in Onslow gardens. 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. When Philip finishes medical school, he enters a loving relationship with another woman, whose possible pregnancy forces him to examine his life. Plot [ edit] Last Updated on May 5, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Finding she can no longer interest Philip, Mildred destroys everything valuable in the apartment and leaves again. Disillusioned of her artistic capabilities, Fanny commits suicide when faced with what appears to be an enduringly bleak future. Before long, his aunt and uncle send him to a boarding school, where he is ridiculed mercilessly by his peers on account of his club foot. A second time, Philip again finds some comfort in his studies, and with Sally Athelny, the tender-hearted daughter of one of his elderly patients in a charity hospital. Both also have several relationships throughout life, always searching for a place of comfort and satisfaction. Maugham had a stammer (instead of a club foot), lost his parents early in life, and was sent to live with his aunt and uncle. [3] He took the new title from Spinoza. It is a desire that is universal, making this novel one that readers of all ages will identify with. by Jeff Stafford. When Fanny kills herself after becoming destitute and seeing no other future for herself, Philip begins to question his own devotion to his art. Philip decides rather than travel around the world, he would rather have a wife, a family, and love. Shown at Berlin International Film Festival June 1964. eNotes critical analyses help you gain a deeper understanding of Of Human Bondage so you can excel on your essay or test. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. He again retreats from people and seeks comfort in the pursuit of literature and art. Philip cannot get out of school fast enough and eventually talks his guardians into allowing him to go abroad. Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham: 9781101907689 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books W. Somerset Maugham's masterwork is the coming-of-age story of Philip Carey, a sensitive young man consumed by an unrequited and self-destructive. She has over 30 years of teaching experience. When Philips old Parisian friend, Cronshaw, dies, Philip recalls Cronshaws comment that the meaning of life can be found in a Persian rug. A prince. A magic hazel twig. He meets Mildred once more, towards the end of the novel, when she summons him for his medical opinion. Philip works at this job until his uncle dies, leaving him enough money so he can afford to return to medical school. After the baby's arrival, Mildred meets a friend of Philip's and falls madly in love, leaving him once more. Commencement Regalia (UW Faculty/Staff Only) - Order Now. His aunt and uncle are a poor replacement for the love he received from his own parents, and thus, turns to their large library of books for comfort. Of the three Hollywood versions, the 1934 RKO production starring Bette Davis and Leslie Howard remains the best known. This is most prevalent with films featuring strong female characters such as Rain, in which a prostitute named Sadie Thompson clashes with a minister bent on reforming her, Stella Dallas, and Of Human Bondage. This semi-autobiographical coming-of-age novel follows the life of the protagonist, Philip Carey. By what name was Of Human Bondage (1934) officially released in Canada in English? In The Summing Up, he discloses that he read Ruskin and became acquainted with many pieces of European art. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Discussion of themes and motifs in W. Somerset Maugham's Of Human Bondage. *Curbside pickup is available during store hours. We witness his experiences from the age of nine, when he is orphaned, to adulthood, where he is consumed with passion for Mildred, a cruel waitress who does not return his affection. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Penny Serenade. She returns to prostitution; her baby dies; and she is admitted to the hospital where Philip works. Ed. They meet in the National Gallery where, though learning that it was a false alarm, Philip becomes engaged to Sally, concluding that "the simplest pattern that in which a man was born, worked, married, had children, and died was likewise the most perfect". When Philip finally makes a friend, this boy crushes his heart when he turns from him and then tells everyone that he was only kind to Philip because of his deformity. Early in childhood having become an orphan, he was deprived of parents care and kindness. In fact, the latter film, based on W. Somerset Maugham's literary classic, has enjoyed three incarnations; first with Bette Davis and Leslie Howard in 1934, one in 1946 with Eleanor Parker and Paul Henreid, and a 1964 version with Kim Novak and Laurence Harvey. The parallels between the author and Philip Carey in Of Human Bondage begin with both losing their mother and father before the age of ten, and being placed into the care of an uncle. The Athelny family is caring and affectionate, and they take Philip into their home. Colbert, starring in three major films that year, nevertheless easily won the award for It Happened One Night (she also starred in two additional Best Picture nominees, Imitation of Life and Cleopatra) with Shearer coming in second. Most who have seen it will agree that RKO's 1934 release of Somerset Maugham's OF HUMAN BONDAGE is the definitive film version of the novel. Philip is temporarily placed as locum with Dr.South, a general practitioner in Dorsetshire. Many of his other works are focused on this topic: The Moon and Sixpence (the main character has some resemblance to Paul Gauguin). Of Human Bondage. 66 on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. This is most prevalent with films featuring strong female characters such as Rain, in which a prostitute named Sadie Thompson clashes with a minister bent on reforming her, Stella Dallas, and Of Human Bondage. They thought they needed me desperately for such immortal classics as Fashions of 1934, The Big Shakedown, and Jimmy the Gent. Producer: James Woolf Philip's guardians persuade him to move to London for an apprenticeship. I only did it because ya begged me, ya hounded me and drove me crazy! The result was Of Human Bondage, probably Maughams best-known novel and certainly among his two or three most artistically successful ones. Philip struggles to free himself from the bounds of insecurities, stemming from his club foot, religious ideology, artistic ideals, and, most significantly, his unrequited passion for Mildred. MGM had to decide who was more important and soon Kim Novaki was back on the film but a new director assigned. Jane Eyre & Of Human Bondage (DVD, Double Feature, Sealed) Sponsored. He estimates that while he may be talented, it is unlikely that he will be able to make a living with his paintings. 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