Maugham Somerset is what connects people. William Somerset Maugham. Personal life of Somerset Maugham

Somerset Maugham is a famous English novelist of the 30s, as well as an agent of English intelligence. Born and died in France. He lived a bright life long life and died at 91. Years of life: 1874-1965. Somerset Maugham's father was a lawyer at the British Embassy of France, thanks to which the writer automatically received French citizenship at birth in Paris.

At the age of 8, Somerset lost his mother, and at 10 he lost his father, after which he was sent to be raised by relatives in the city of Whitstable. Since Somerset Maugham’s grandfather, like his father, was involved in law and was the most famous lawyer at that time, the parents predicted a career for the writer in the same field. But their expectations were not met.

Somerset, after graduating from school in Canterbury, entered the University of Heidelberg, where he studied such sciences as philosophy and literature. Afterwards the writer studied at medical school at St. Thomas's Hospital in London. Somerset wrote his first manuscript while still studying at the University of Heidelberg. It was a biography of the composer Meyerbeer, but since it was not published, it was burned by the author.

Although gay, Maugham married decorator Siri Wellcome in May 1917, with whom they had a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Maugham. The marriage was not successful, and the couple divorced in 1929. In his old age, Somerset admitted: “My biggest mistake was that I imagined myself three-quarters normal and only a quarter homosexual, when in reality it was the other way around.”

In 1987, Somerset Maugham wrote his first novel, Lisa of Lambeth. but success came to him only in 1907 after the publication of the play “Lady Frederick”. As an intelligence officer, Somerset Maugham was an agent of British intelligence and conducted espionage in Russia. But he did not complete his mission. About this life experience the writer narrates in his work "Ashenden" ("British Agent", written in 1928. Somerset Maugham visited Malaysia, China, the USA. New countries inspired him to create different creative works. As a playwright, Somerset Maugham wrote many plays.

Some of his best works are the play "The Circle", written in 1921; "Shepi" - 1933; novel "Pies and Beer" - 1930; "Theater" - 1937 and many other works. IN this text was outlined by Somerset Maugham biography. Of course, not everyone was fully covered. life situations this brightest figure, but the main stages are reflected, which makes it possible to compose a certain picture about this person.

In 1947, the writer approved the Somerset Maugham Prize, which was awarded to the best English writers under the age of thirty-five.

Maugham gave up traveling when he felt that it had nothing more to offer him. “I had nowhere to change further. The arrogance of culture left me. I accepted the world as it is. I have learned tolerance. I wanted freedom for myself and was willing to give it to others.” After 1948, Maugham left dramaturgy and fiction, wrote essays mainly on literary themes.

The last lifetime publication of Maugham’s work, autobiographical notes “A Look into the Past,” was published in the fall of 1962 in the pages of the London Sunday Express.

Somerset Maugham died on December 15, 1965 at the age of 92 in the French town of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, near Nice, from pneumonia. According to French law, patients who died in hospital were supposed to undergo an autopsy, but the writer was taken home, and on December 16 it was officially announced that he had died at home, in his villa, which became his last refuge. The writer does not have a grave as such, since his ashes were scattered under the wall of the Maugham Library, at the Royal School in Canterbury.

Interesting facts:
- Maugham always placed his desk opposite a blank wall so that nothing would distract him from his work. He worked for three to four hours in the morning, fulfilling his self-imposed quota of 1000-1500 words.
- Dying, he said: “Dying is a boring and joyless thing. My advice to you is never do this.”
- “Before you write new novel“I always re-read Candide so that later I can unconsciously measure myself up to this standard of clarity, grace and wit.”
- Maugham about the book “The Burden of Human Passions”: “My book is not an autobiography, but autobiographical novel, where facts are tightly mixed with fiction; I experienced the feelings described in it myself, but not all the episodes happened as described, and they were taken partly not from my life, but from the lives of people who were well known to me.”
“I would not go to see my plays at all, neither on the opening night, nor on any other evening, if I did not consider it necessary to test their effect on the public, in order to learn from this how to write them.”

MAUGH, WILLIAM SOMERSET(Maugham, William Somerset) (1874–1965), English writer. Born January 25, 1874 in Paris. His father was co-owner of a law firm there and legal attaché at the British Embassy. Mother, famous beauty, ran a salon that attracted many celebrities from the world of art and politics. At the age of ten, the boy was orphaned and he was sent to England, to his uncle, a priest.

Eighteen-year-old Maugham spent a year in Germany, and a few months after his return he entered the medical school at St. Thomas. In 1897 he received a diploma as a therapist and surgeon, but never practiced medicine: while still a student he published his first novel Lisa from Lambeth (Lisa of Lambeth, 1897), which absorbed impressions from student practice in this area of the London slums. The book was well received, and Maugham decided to become a writer. For ten years his success as a prose writer was very modest, but after 1908 he began to gain fame: four of his plays - Jack Straw (Jack Straw, 1908), Smith (Smith, 1909), Nobility (Landed Gentry, 1910), Bread and fish (Loaves and Fishes, 1911) - were staged in London and then in New York.

Since the beginning of the First World War, Maugham served in the sanitary unit. Later he was transferred to the intelligence service, he visited France, Italy, Russia, as well as America and the islands of the South Pacific. The secret agent's work is vividly reflected in his collection of short stories Ashenden, or British Agent (Ashenden, or the British Agent, 1928). After the war, Maugham continued to travel widely. Maugham died in Nice (France) on December 16, 1965.

A prolific writer, Somerset Maugham wrote 25 plays, 21 novels and over 100 short stories, but none literary genre he was not an innovator. His famous comedies such as Circle (The Circle , 1921), Faithful wife (The Constant Wife, 1927), do not deviate from the canons of the English “well-made play”. In literary prose, be it large or small, he sought to present the plot and strongly disapproved of the sociological or any other orientation of the novel. Maugham's best novels are largely autobiographical The burden of human passions (Of Human Bondage) And Gingerbread and ale (Cakes and Ale, 1930); exotic Moon and penny (The Moon and Sixpence, 1919), inspired by fate French artist P. Gauguin; a tale of the south seas Tight corner (The Narrow Corner, 1932); razor edge (The Razor"sEdge, 1944). After 1948, Maugham left drama and fiction, writing essays, mainly on literary topics. The rapid intrigue, brilliant style and masterful composition of the story brought him the fame of the “English Maupassant”.

Somerset Maugham is the author of 21 novels, short story writer and playwright, critic and socialite, moved in the highest circles of London, New York and Paris. The writer worked in the genre of realism, focusing on the traditions of naturalism, modernism and neo-romanticism.

Childhood and youth

William Somerset Maugham was born on January 25, 1874. The son of a lawyer at the British Embassy in Paris, he spoke French before he learned English language. In the Somerset family there was youngest child. The three brothers were much older, and at the time of their departure to study in England, the boy was left alone in his parents’ house.

Somerset Maugham with his dog

He spent a lot of time with his mother and was attached to her. The mother died of tuberculosis when the child was 8 years old. This loss was the greatest shock in Maugham's life. The experiences provoked a speech impediment: Somerset began to stutter. This feature remained with him throughout his life.

The father died when the boy was 10 years old. The family broke up. The older brothers studied to become lawyers at Cambridge, and Somerset was sent under the tutelage of a priest uncle, in whose house he spent his youth.

The child grew up lonely and withdrawn. Children raised in England did not accept him. The French-speaking Maugham's stutter and accent were ridiculed. On this basis, shyness became more and more intense. The boy had no friends. Books became the only outlet for the future writer, who studied at a boarding school.

At the age of 15, Somerset persuaded his uncle to let him go to Germany to study German language. Heidelberg was the place where he first felt free. The young man listened to lectures on philosophy, studied drama and became interested in theater. Somerset's interests concerned creativity, Spinoza, and.

Maugham returned to Britain at the age of 18. He had a sufficient level of education to choose future profession. His uncle directed him towards the path of a clergyman, but Somerset chose to go to London, where in 1892 he became a student at the medical school at St. Thomas's Hospital.

Literature

The study of medicine and the practice of medicine made Somerset not only a certified physician, but also a man who saw through people. Medicine left its mark on the writer’s style. He rarely used metaphors or hyperbole.

The first steps in literature were weak, since among Maugham’s acquaintances there were no people who could guide him on the right path. He translated Ibsen's works in order to study the technique of creating drama, and wrote stories. In 1897, the first novel, “Lisa of Lambeth,” was published.

Analyzing the works of Fielding and Flaubert, the writer also focused on trends actual modern times. He worked hard and fruitfully, gradually becoming one of the most readable authors. His books sold quickly, bringing income to the writer.

Maugham studied people, using their destinies and characters in his work. He believed that the most interesting things are hidden in the everyday. This was confirmed by the novel “Lisa of Lambeth,” in which the influence of creativity was felt.

In the novel "Mrs. Craddock" the author's passion for prose was visible. For the first time he asked questions about life and love. Maugham's plays made him a wealthy man. The premiere of Lady Frederick, which took place in 1907, established him as a playwright.

Maugham adhered to the traditions glorified by the Restoration theater. Comedies were authoritative for him. Maugham's plays are divided into comic, where ideas similar to reflections are voiced, and dramatic, reflecting social problems.

Maugham's work reflected his experience of participating in the First and Second World Wars. The author reflected his vision in the works “For Military Merit” and “On the Edge of the Razor.” During the war years, Maugham was in an autosanitary unit in France, in intelligence, working in Switzerland and in Russia. In the final, he ended up in Scotland, where he was treated for tuberculosis.

The writer traveled a lot, visited different countries Europe and Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands. It enriched him inner world and gave impressions that he used in his work. Somerset Maugham's life was eventful and interesting facts.

"The Burden of Human Passions" and autobiographical work“On Human Bondage” are novels that combine these categories. In the novel “The Moon and a Penny,” Maugham talks about the tragedy of an artist, in “The Veil of Color” - about the fate of a scientist, and in “Theater” - about the everyday life of an actress.

Somerset Maugham's novellas and stories are distinguished by their sharp plots and psychologism. The author keeps the reader in suspense and uses surprise. The presence of the author’s “I” in works is their traditional feature.

Personal life

Critics and biographers have discussed the ambiguity of Maugham's persona. His first biographers spoke of the writer as a man with bad character, a cynic and a misogynist, unable to take criticism. An intelligent, ironic and hardworking writer purposefully paved his way to literary heights.

He focused not on intellectuals and aesthetes, but on those for whom his works were relevant. Maugham forbade the publication of personal correspondence after his death. The ban was lifted in 2009. This made some of the nuances of his life clearer.

There were two women in the writer's life. He was very fond of Ethelvina Jones, known as Sue Jones. Her image is used in the novel “Pies and Beer”. The daughter of a popular playwright, Etelvina was a successful 23-year-old actress when she met Maugham. She had just divorced her husband and quickly succumbed to the writer's advances.

Miss Jones was famous for her easy-going nature and approachability. Maugham did not consider this vicious. At first he did not plan a wedding, but soon changed his mind. The writer’s marriage proposal was refused. The girl was pregnant from someone else.

Somerset Maugham married Siri Maugham, daughter of a philanthropist, famous charitable activities. Siri has already been married. At 22, she married Henry Wellcome, who was 48 years old. The man was the owner of a pharmaceutical corporation.

The family quickly fell apart due to his wife's infidelity with the owner of a chain of London department stores. Maugham met the girl in 1911. Their union produced a daughter, Elizabeth. At that time, Siri was not divorced from Wellcome. The connection with Maugham turned out to be scandalous. The girl attempted suicide because of the demands ex-husband for divorce.

Maugham acted like a gentleman and married Siri, although his feelings for her quickly disappeared. Soon the couple began to live separately. In 1929, their official divorce took place. Today, Maugham’s bisexuality is no secret to anyone, which is neither confirmed nor denied by his biographers.

The alliance with Gerald Haxton confirmed the writer’s passions. Somerset Maugham was 40, and his companion was 22 years old. For 30 years, Haxton accompanied Maugham as his travel secretary. He drank and got carried away gambling and spent Maugham's money.

The writer used Haxton's acquaintances as prototypes for his works. It is known that Gerald even looked for new partners for Maugham. One of these men was David Posner.

The seventeen-year-old boy met Maugham in 1943, when he was 69 years old. Haxton died of pulmonary edema and was succeeded by Alan Searle, an admirer and new lover of the writer. In 1962, Maugham officially adopted his secretary, depriving his daughter Elizabeth of inheritance rights. But the daughter managed to defend her legal rights, and the court declared the adoption invalid.

Death

Somerset Maugham died of pneumonia at the age of 92. This happened on December 15, 1965 in the provincial French town of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, near Nice. Contrary to French laws, the patient who died within the hospital walls was not subjected to an autopsy, but was transported home and an official declaration of death was made the next day.

The writer's relatives and friends said that he had found his final refuge in his beloved villa. The writer does not have a burial place, as he was cremated. Maugham's ashes were scattered near the walls of the library at the Royal School in Canterbury. This establishment bears his name.

Bibliography

1897 - "Lisa of Lambeth"
1901 - "Hero"
1902 - "Mrs. Craddock"
1904 - “Carousel”
1908 - “The Magician”
1915 - “The Burden of Human Passions”
1919 - “The Moon and a Penny”
1922 - “On a Chinese screen”
1925 - “Patterned cover”
1930 - “Pies and Beer, or Skeleton in the Closet”
1931 - “Six stories written in the first person”
1937 - “Theater”
1939 - “Christmas Vacation”
1944 - “The Razor’s Edge”
1948 - “Catalina”

Quotes

Quotes, aphorisms and sayings of the witty Maugham are relevant today. They comment on life situations, people’s perceptions, author's position and his attitude towards his own creativity.

“Before writing a new novel, I always re-read Candide, so that later I can unconsciously measure myself by this standard of clarity, grace and wit.”

“I would not go to see my plays at all, neither on the opening night, nor on any other evening, if I did not consider it necessary to test their effect on the public, in order to learn from this how to write them.”

“Dying is a terribly boring and painful task. My advice to you is to avoid anything like that.”

“The funny thing about life is that if you refuse to accept anything but the best, that’s often what you get.”

In the 30s of the twentieth century, the name of Somerset Maugham was known in all circles of European society. A talented prose writer, a brilliant playwright, a politician and a British intelligence officer... How did all this combine in one person? Who is Maugham Somerset?

Englishman, born in Paris

On January 25, 1874, the future was born on the territory of the British Embassy in Paris. famous writer Somerset Maugham. His father, who came from a dynasty of lawyers, had planned such an unusual birth in advance. All boys born in France in those years, upon reaching adulthood, had to go to serve in the army and participate in military operations against England. Robert Maugham could not allow his son to fight against the homeland of his ancestors. Born in the British embassy, little Somerset automatically became a British citizen.

Childhood trauma

Somerset Maugham's father and grandfather were confident that the boy would follow in their footsteps and become a lawyer. But fate went against the wishes of the relatives. William lost his parents at an early age. His mother died in 1882 from consumption, and two years later cancer took his father’s life. The boy was taken in by English relatives from Whitstable, a small town located near Canterbury.

Until the age of 10, the boy spoke only French, and it was difficult for him to master his native language. His uncle's family did not become family to William. Henry Maugham, who served as a vicar, and his wife treated their new relative coldly and dryly. did not add mutual understanding. The stress suffered from the early loss of his parents and moving to another country resulted in a stutter, which remained with the writer for the rest of his life.

Studies

In Great Britain, William Maugham studied at the Royal School. Due to his fragile physique, short and a strong accent, the boy was ridiculed by his classmates and avoided people. Therefore, he accepted admission to the University of Heidelberg in Germany with relief. In addition, the young man took up what he loved - studying literature and philosophy. Medicine became another passion of Maugham. In those years, every self-respecting European man had to have a serious profession. Therefore, in 1892, Maugham entered the London Medical School and became a certified surgeon and general practitioner.

During the First World War

The novelist met the beginning of the First World War by serving in the British Red Cross. He was then recruited by British intelligence MI5. For a year, Maugham carried out reconnaissance missions in Switzerland. In 1917, disguised as an American correspondent, he arrived on a secret mission in Russian Petrograd. Somerset's task was to prevent Russia from leaving the war. Despite the fact that the mission failed, Maugham was pleased with the trip to Petrograd. He fell in love with the streets of this city, discovered the works of Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov. For the sake of reading their works, I began to learn Russian.

Between the wars

Since 1919, in search of thrills, Maugham began traveling to the countries of Asia and the Middle East. Visited China, Malaysia, Tahiti. The prose writer drew inspiration from his travels, which led to fruitful work. Over the course of two decades, many novels, plays, short stories, sketches, and essays have been written. As a new direction - a series of socio-psychological dramas. Famous writers often gathered at his villa, purchased in 1928 on the French Riviera. It was visited by H.G. Wells and Winston Churchill. In those years, Maugham was the most successful English writer.

During World War II

The writer met the beginning of this war in France. There he was supposed to monitor the mood of the French and write feature articles about how the country would not give up its military positions. After the defeat of France, Somerset Maugham was forced to leave for the USA. There he lived throughout the Second World War, working on writing scripts for Hollywood. Returning home after the war, the playwright watched with regret the picture of devastation and devastation, but continued to write further.

After the war

In 1947, the Somerset Maugham Prize was approved. It was awarded to the best English writers under 35 years of age. In 1952, Maugham was awarded a doctorate in literature. He no longer traveled and devoted a lot of time to writing essays, preferring them to drama and fiction.

About personal life

Maugham did not hide his bisexuality. He tried to create a traditional family, marrying Siri Welkom in 1917. She was an interior decorator. They had a daughter, Mary Elizabeth. Due to frequent travel in the company of his secretary and lover Gerold Hexton, Somerset was unable to save the marriage. The couple divorced in 1927. Throughout his life, the writer had affairs with both women and men. But after Hexton's death in 1944, the playwright did not experience such warm feelings for anyone.

Departure

William Somerset Maugham passed away at the age of 91 (12/15/1965). The cause of death was pneumonia. The prose writer's ashes were scattered at the walls of the Maugham Library, located at the Royal School in Canterbury.

The beginning of a creative journey

Somerset Maugham's first job was writing a biography opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer. It was written during my university years. The work was not properly evaluated by the publisher, and young writer burned him in his hearts. But to the delight of future readers, the first failure did not stop the young man.

Somerset Maugham's first serious work was the novel "Lisa of Lambeth". It was written after the author's work at St. Thomas's Hospital and was well received by critics and readers. This made the writer believe in his talent and try himself as a playwright, writing the play “Man of Honor.” The premiere did not create a sensation. Despite this, Maugham continued to write and a few years later became successful as a playwright. The comedy "Lady Frederick", staged at the Court Theater in 1908, earned special love from the public.

Creative Dawn

After the resounding success, "Lady Frederick" began to be born one after another best works Somerset Maugham:

fantasy novel"The Magician", published 1908;
"Catalina" (1948) - a mystical novel about a girl who miraculously got rid of terrible disease, but never became happy;
"Theater" (1937) - an ironically described story of a middle-aged actress who tries to forget about her age in the arms of a young suitor;
novel "The Patterned Veil" (1925) - beautiful and tragic story love, filmed three times;
"Mrs. Craddock" (1900) - another one life stories about the relationship between a man and a woman;
"The Conqueror of Africa" (1907) - an action-packed novel about love during a journey;
“Summing Up” (1938) - biography of the author in the form of notes about his work;
“On the Chinese Screen” (1922) is a story full of Maugham’s impressions from visiting the Chinese Yangtze River;
"Letter" (1937) - dramatic play;
"The Sacred Flame" (1928) - a detective drama with a philosophical and psychological meaning;
"The Faithful Wife" (1926) - a witty comedy about gender inequality;
"Shappy" (1933) - social drama O little man in the world big politics;
“For Services Rendered” (1932) - a play about the state of society before the threat of fascism and World War II;
"Villa on the Hill" (1941) - romantic story about the life of a young widow waiting for happiness;
"Then and Now" (1946) - historical novel about Italy at the beginning of the sixteenth century;
"A Tight Corner" (1932) - a crime novel containing reflections on Buddhism;
collections of stories “On the Outskirts of the Empire”, “An Open Opportunity”, “The Trembling of a Leaf”, “Six Stories Written in the First Person”, “Ashenden, or the British Agent”, “A King”, “The Same Mixture”, “Casuarina” ", "Toys of Fate";
collections of essays “Scattered Thoughts”, “Changable Moods”, “Great Writers and Their Novels”.

Along with major works, the stories of Somerset Maugham were also popular:

"Unconquered";
"Something human";
"The Fall of Edward Burward";
"The Man with the Scar";
"Bag with books."

Somerset Maugham. Best essays

Somerset Maugham's novel The Burden of Human Passion deserves special attention. It was written in 1915 and is considered autobiographical. The main character of the work goes through many life trials, but, despite everything, he finds his place in life. He was left an orphan early, and his lameness did not add to his happiness. But this did not stop the hero from desperately searching for the meaning of life. As a result, he finds happiness in simple human life without unnecessary passions. In the 60s, the author removed a significant number of scenes from the novel, presenting literary world Somerset Maugham's new creation "The Burden of Passion". The work was filmed three times.

The next work that won the love of readers was the novel “Pies and Beer, or the Skeleton in the Closet,” written in 1930. It is noteworthy that Somerset Maugham borrowed the title of the novel from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The novel is full of sarcasm towards the British literary environment and describes the life of a young talented writer. At the same time, the plot is marked by all manifestations of life - relationships between people, the delusions of youth, the influence of gossip and prejudices on human destiny. One of the heroines of the novel is the prototype of a real woman with whom Maugham had an affair. romantic relationship. "Pies and Beer" became the author's favorite work. In the 70s, a TV series was released based on the book.

"The Moon and the Penny" by Somerset Maugham - a novel that deserves world fame. He is a biography French painter Eugene Henri Paul Gauguin. For the sake of painting main character Romana dramatically changes his life at the age of 40. He leaves his family, home, permanent job, despite illness, depression and poverty, he devotes himself entirely to creativity. “The Moon and a Penny” makes you think about whether everyone dares to change their usual way of life in order to achieve a high goal.

Another bestseller from the British novelist is On the Razor's Edge. The novel was published in 1944. It describes the life of different sectors of society between the First and Second World Wars. The author covers a large period of time, forces his heroes to make choices, search for the meaning of life, rise and fall. And of course, love. "On the Razor's Edge" is Maugham's only work in which the writer touches deeply philosophical themes.

This is how one of the most controversial English writers appears before readers and critics. A little extravagant, skeptical about some things, a satirist in others, a philosopher in others. But in general, the brilliant, inimitable and one of the most widely read authors of world literature is Somerset Maugham, who gave his fans more than 70 works and 30 plays, many of which were adapted into excellent film adaptations.

William Somerset Maugham (born January 25, 1874, Paris - December 16, 1965, Nice) - British writer, one of the most successful prose writers of the 1930s, author of 78 books, British intelligence agent.

Somerset Maugham was born on January 25, 1874 in Paris, in the family of a lawyer at the British Embassy in France. The parents specially prepared for the birth on the territory of the embassy so that the child would have legal grounds to say that he was born in Great Britain: it was expected that a law would be passed according to which all children born on French territory would automatically become French citizens and thus, upon reaching adulthood, would be sent to front in case of war.

His grandfather, Robert Maugham, was at one time a famous lawyer, one of the co-organizers of the English Law Society. Both William Maugham's grandfather and father predicted his fate as a lawyer.

Although William Maugham himself did not become a lawyer, his elder brother Frederick, later Viscount Maugham, enjoyed a legal career and served as Lord Chancellor (1938-1939).

As a child, Maugham spoke only French, mastered English only after he was orphaned at the age of 10 (his mother died of consumption in February 1882, his father (Robert Ormond Maugham) died of stomach cancer in June 1884) and was sent to relatives in The English town of Whitstable in Kent, six miles from Canterbury.

Upon arrival in England, Maugham began to stutter - this remained for the rest of his life. “I was short; hardy, but not physically strong; I stuttered, was shy and in poor health. I had no inclination for sport, which occupies such an important place in English life; and - either for one of these reasons, or from birth - I instinctively avoided people, which prevented me from getting along with them,” he said.

Since William was brought up in the family of Henry Maugham, a vicar in Whitstable, he began his studies at the Royal School in Canterbury. Then he studied literature and philosophy at the University of Heidelberg - in Heidelberg, Maugham wrote his first work - a biography of the composer Meyerbeer (when it was rejected by the publisher, Maugham burned the manuscript). Then he entered medical school (1892) at St. Thomas in London - this experience is reflected in Maugham's first novel, Lisa of Lambeth (1897).

Maugham's first success in the field of literature came with the play Lady Frederick (1907). During the First World War, he collaborated with MI5 and was sent to Russia as an agent of British intelligence to prevent it from withdrawing from the war. Arrived there by ship from the USA, to Vladivostok. He was in Petrograd from August to November 1917, meeting several times with Alexander Kerensky, Boris Savinkov and other political figures.

Left Russia due to the failure of his mission (October Revolution) through Sweden. The intelligence officer’s work was reflected in the collection of 14 short stories “Ashenden, or the British Agent” (1928, Russian translations - 1929 and 1992). After the war Maugham continued successful career playwright, writing the plays “The Circle” (1921), “Sheppey” (1933). Maugham's novels were also successful - “The Burden of Human Passions” (19159), an almost autobiographical novel, “The Moon and the Penny,” “Pies and Beer” (1930), “Theater” (1937), “The Razor’s Edge” (1944).

In July 1919, Maugham, in pursuit of new impressions, went to China, and later to Malaysia, which gave him material for two collections of stories. The villa at Cap Ferrat on the French Riviera was purchased by Maugham in 1928 and became one of the great literary and social salons and the writer's home for the rest of his life. The writer was sometimes visited by Winston Churchill, Herbert Wells, and occasionally Soviet writers were also here.

His work continued to expand with plays, short stories, novels, essays and travel books.

By 1940, Somerset Maugham had already become one of the most famous and wealthy writers in English. fiction. Maugham did not hide the fact that he writes “not for the sake of money, but in order to get rid of the ideas, characters, types that haunt his imagination, but, at the same time, he does not mind at all if creativity provides him, among other things, with the opportunity to write what he wants and to be his own boss.” In 1944, Maugham's novel The Razor's Edge was published.

For most of the Second World War, Maugham, who was already over sixty, was in the United States - first in Hollywood, where he worked a lot on scripts, making amendments to them, and later in the South.

In 1947, the writer approved the Somerset Maugham Prize, which was awarded to the best English writers under the age of thirty-five.

After 1948, Maugham left drama and fiction, writing essays mainly on literary topics. The last lifetime publication of Maugham’s work, autobiographical notes “A Look into the Past,” was published in the fall of 1962 in the pages of the London Sunday Express.

Somerset Maugham died on December 15, 1965 at the age of 92 in the French town of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, near Nice, from pneumonia. According to French law, patients who died in the hospital were supposed to undergo an autopsy, but the writer was taken home, and on December 16 it was officially announced that he had died at home, in his villa, which became his final refuge. The writer does not have a grave as such, since his ashes were scattered under the wall of the Maugham Library, at the Royal School in Canterbury.

Personal life of Somerset Maugham: Without repressing his bisexuality, in May 1917 Maugham married the decorator Siri Wellcome, with whom they had a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Maugham. The marriage was not successful, and the couple divorced in 1929.

In his old age, Somerset admitted: “My biggest mistake was that I imagined myself three-quarters normal and only a quarter homosexual, when in reality it was the other way around.”

Interesting facts about Somerset Maugham: Maugham always placed his desk opposite a blank wall so that nothing would distract him from his work. He worked for three to four hours in the morning, fulfilling his self-imposed quota of 1000-1500 words.

Dying, he said: “Dying is a boring and joyless thing. My advice to you is never do this.” “Before writing a new novel, I always reread Candide, so that later I can unconsciously measure myself by this standard of clarity, grace and wit.”

Maugham about the book “The Burden of Human Passions”: “My book is not an autobiography, but an autobiographical novel, where facts are strongly mixed with fiction; I experienced the feelings described in it myself, but not all the episodes happened as described, and they were taken partly not from my life, but from the lives of people who were well known to me.” “I would not go to see my plays at all, neither on the opening night, nor on any other evening, if I did not consider it necessary to test their effect on the public, in order to learn from this how to write them.”

Somerset Maugham's novels: Liza of Lambeth

"The Making of a Saint"

"The Hero" "Mrs. Craddock"

"Carousel" (The Merry-go-round)

"The Bishop's Apron"

"The Conqueror of Africa" (The Explorer)

"The Magician" "Of Human Bondage"

"The Moon and Sixpence"

“The Painted Veil” “Pies and Beer, or Skeleton in the Closet”/

"Cakes and Ale: or, the Skeleton in the Cupboard"

"The Narrow Corner"

"Theatre" "Christmas Holiday"