Illness As Metaphor In Maugham’s The Painted Veil

William Somerset Maugham(1874–1965)traveled extensively throughout his life and composed numerous exotic works set in the East.His novel The Painted Veil(1925)offers readers a glimpse into the Chinese landscape.Studies on the novel can mainly be divided into four categories: studies on the subjects of Orientalism,gender,disease in the novel,and its film adaptation.However,the theme of disease,a crucial element in the novel,has not received adequate attention from domestic scholars.Therefore,based on Susan Sontag’s theory of disease as a metaphor,this study explores the metaphorical meanings of disease in Maugham’s The Painted Veil.Combined with the concepts of “listening to the call of conscience” and“being-towards-death” in Martin Heidegger’s existential theory,the study also elucidates how the novel finally liberates itself from the constraints of the metaphorical implications imposed on disease.Chapter One analyzes the relationships in Garstin’s and Kitty’s families to probe into the metaphorical meanings of the mysterious illness leading to Mrs.Garstin’s death from an individual standpoint.The analysis uncovers a prevailing matriarchal dominance in Garstin’s family,juxtaposed with the subdued voice of patriarchy.Under the influence of Mrs.Garstin,this dynamic is mirrored in Kitty’s family,perpetuating the same power structure.Consequently,Kitty’s Dasein,her individual existence,dissolves into the conformity of her mother’s way of life,assimilating into“the They.” As Mrs.Garstin’s ailment worsens,their family relations symbolized by the symptoms of disease become increasingly antagonistic.Nevertheless,as the haze of disease dissipates upon her death,their family relations are eased.As a result,the enigmatic illness leading to Mrs.Garstin’s death metaphorically represents the peculiar relationship patterns in Garstin’s and Kitty’s families.Chapter Two investigates the relation between the colonial people in the East and the Western colonizers in the novel to delve into the metaphorical meanings of cholera from political,social,and cultural perspectives.The study reveals that in the novel,the colonial people in the East are under the discipline of the regulatory power wielded by the governing authorities during the outbreak of cholera.Simultaneously,the Western colonizers in the novel grapple with moral dilemmas entailing desires,deceit,and betrayals.Disease intertwines the fate of the Eastern and Western characters in the novel,prompting them to engage in a mutual “gaze.” Although the Western colonizers in the novel harbor a Utopian longing for the East,there are still ideological prejudices and cultural divides between the Eastern and Western characters,leading to confrontations between them.People’s Daseins are thus constrained by official power and morality,culminating in a state of alienation and inauthenticity.Nevertheless,when Walter dies and the haze of the cholera dissipates,the relation between the Eastern and Western characters is eased.Hence,cholera emerges as a metaphor for the weird pattern of the political,social,and cultural relations among the characters in the novel.Chapter Three seeks to find potential solutions to the issues metaphorically indicated by the disease.The research demonstrates that the characters in the novel ultimately find their authentic beings by “listening to the call of conscience” and“being-towards-death.” Through this process,the problems suggested by the metaphorical meanings of disease are effectively addressed,and the novel dismantles the metaphorical implications imposed upon disease.This study affirms the positive significance of disease writing,highlighting its role in reflecting the prevailing symptoms of the times.Disease writing serves as a powerful tool for writers to confront the challenges of their era.Additionally,in the context of the post-pandemic era,the prominent theme of disease resonates with the concerns of contemporary society,further emphasizing its relevance and importance.