W somerset maugham

English prose writer, playwright, short story writer. W somerset maugham biography summary graphic organizer for kids William Somerset Maugham, British playwright and novelist, was one of the most reputed and well-known writers of his era, and one of the highest-paid authors of his time. His work was popular for his simple style of writing, as well as his sharp and accurate understanding and judgment of human nature. A connoisseur of the human soul and character, who knew how to express them with rare stylistic precision. Date of Birth: Country: Great Britain

Content:

1. William Somerset Maugham: A Biography
2. Early Life and Education
3. Emerging Success
4. Writing Career

William Somerset Maugham: A Biography

William Somerset Maugham was an English prose writer, playwright, and novelist known for his insightful portrayal of the human soul and character, expressed with rare stylistic precision.

Although he created 25 plays, 21 novels, and over short stories, Maugham was not an innovator in any literary genre. His renowned comedies, such as "The Circle" () and "The Constant Wife" (), adhered to the conventions of English "well-made plays."

Early Life and Education

Maugham was born on January 25, , in Paris, France. His father was a co-owner of a law firm and a legal attaché at the British Embassy.

His mother, a renowned beauty, held a salon that attracted many celebrities from the worlds of art and politics. At the age of ten, Maugham became an orphan, and he was sent to live with his uncle, who was a clergyman, in England.

As an eighteen-year-old, Maugham spent a year in Germany and, upon his return, enrolled in the medical institute at St.

Thomas Hospital. In , he received a diploma as a physician and surgeon, but he never practiced medicine.

W somerset maugham biography summary graphic organizer William Somerset Maugham [n 2] CH (/ m ɔː m / MAWM; 25 January – 16 December ) [n 1] was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German university.

Even as a student, he published his first novel, "Liza of Lambeth" (), which incorporated his impressions from his medical practice in the impoverished neighborhoods of London. The book was well-received, and Maugham decided to pursue a career as a writer.

Emerging Success

For the next ten years, Maugham's success as a writer was modest, but after , he began to gain recognition.

Four of his plays – "Jack Straw" (), "Smith" (), "Landed Gentry" (), and "Loaves and Fishes" () – were staged in London and later in New York.

During World War I, Maugham served in the medical corps and was later transferred to the intelligence service. He traveled to France, Italy, Russia, as well as America and the islands of the South Pacific.

His experiences as a secret agent found vivid reflection in his collection of short stories, "Ashenden, or the British Agent" ().

After the war, Maugham continued to travel extensively. He passed away on December 16, , in Nice, France.

Writing Career

Maugham was a prolific writer, creating 25 plays, 21 novels, and over short stories.

However, he was not an innovator in any literary genre.

W somerset maugham novels W. Somerset Maugham (born Jan. 25, , Paris, France—died Dec. 16, , Nice) was an English novelist, playwright, and short-story writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature.

In his artistic prose, whether in long or short form, he aimed to convey a compelling plot and strongly disapproved of sociological or any other form of directed novel. His best novels, largely autobiographical, include "Of Human Bondage" and "Cakes and Ale" (). Other notable works include the exotic "The Moon and Sixpence" (), inspired by the life of French artist Paul Gauguin, the South Seas adventure novel "The Narrow Corner" (), and "The Razor's Edge" ().

After , Maugham turned away from writing plays and novels, focusing instead on essays, primarily on literary topics.

His swift plots, brilliant style, and masterful storytelling earned him the reputation as the "English Maupassant."