Of Human Bondage (Autobiographical Novel) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A coming-of-age odyssey of a club-footed orphan seeking identity, art, and freedom from vicarage to Germany and beyondBy William Somerset Maugham
Length29h 59m
About this audiobook
Of Human Bondage is Somerset Maugham's great autobiographical novel of formation, tracing Philip Carey's painful movement from childhood deprivation and physical self-consciousness to artistic ambition, erotic humiliation, and moral self-knowledge. Written in lucid, unsentimental prose, the novel belongs to the tradition of the Bildungsroman while resisting easy consolation: its realism is sharpened by irony, psychological candor, and a modern skepticism toward religion, romance, and social respectability. Maugham drew deeply on his own life in shaping Philip's story. Orphaned young, raised by a clergyman uncle, medically trained at St Thomas's Hospital, and marked by a lifelong sense of outsiderhood, Maugham transformed personal wounds into disciplined fiction. Philip's clubfoot echoes Maugham's own stammer as a symbol of shame and isolation, while the novel's medical, artistic, and bohemian settings reflect the author's cosmopolitan education and emotional history. This is an essential book for readers interested in the tensions between desire and freedom, illusion and experience. Its power lies not in melodrama but in its steady accumulation of insight, making it especially rewarding for admirers of psychological realism, modernist-era fiction, and novels that confront the cost of becoming oneself.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.2 (79.6K)
Includes Goodreads, LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Amazon
GenreLiterary Classics, General Fiction
Length29 hrs 59 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateApr 10, 2015
LanguageEnglish
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