The Painted Veil (novel)

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The Painted Veil is a 1925 novel by British author W. Somerset Maugham. The title comes from a Shelley sonnet about life and appearances. The story is told mainly from Kitty Garstin’s point of view and follows one young woman’s journey from a life of socialying to self-discovery.

Plot in simple terms:
- Kitty Garstin is a pretty, pampered debutante whose mother wants her to make a brilliant marriage. She ends up marrying Walter Fane, a devoted but unromantic bacteriologist, and moves with him to Hong Kong.
- In Hong Kong, Kitty has an affair with Charlie Townsend, the assistant colonial secretary. Walter later discovers the affair and gives Kitty an ultimatum: go with him to a cholera outbreak on the Chinese mainland, or face a public divorce.
- Kitty reluctantly travels with Walter to the cholera area. There she meets people who show her a different, more selfless side of life. Walter’s calm leadership and care for the sick earn him respect.
- Kitty’s feelings for Charlie fade as she witnesses Walter’s dedication. She becomes pregnant and suspects Charlie might be the father, but she tells Walter she doesn’t know.
- Walter grows gravely ill, possibly from the strain of helping others. He dies on his deathbed, and Kitty returns to Hong Kong.
- Dorothy Townsend, Charlie’s wife, pushes Kitty to stay with them, and Kitty is briefly drawn back to Charlie. She leaves him, feeling disgusted with herself.
- Kitty then goes to Britain with her father, who has become chief justice of the Bahamas. Kitty decides to devote herself to her child and to living a better, more honest life.

Themes and tone:
- The novel explores personal growth, guilt, love, and the difference between social appearances and real moral choices. The cholera outbreak provides a stark backdrop for moral testing and self-discovery.

Adaptations:
- The Painted Veil has been adapted for the stage and for films several times.