Contents Introduction

The main themes and genres of William Somerset Maugham`s creative activity

Who was William Maugham?

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. His uniqueness inspired several other writers like Ian Fleming and George Orwell. Orwell stated that he not only immensely admired Maugham's straightforward storytelling skills, but it was Maugham who had inspired him the most, out of all writers. English writer Anthony Burgess also praised Maugham's influence by including a fictional portrait in one of his novels 'Earthly Powers.' He is also remembered for his short stories, most of them dealing with the lives of the Western colonists, mostly British, in the Far East. The emotional toll which the colonists had to bear by their isolation was expressed in the stories. Maugham can also be regarded as one of the important travel writers of the inter-war years. His work 'The Gentleman in the Parlour' deals with a journey through places like Burma, Siam, Cambodia and Vietnam. This work is regarded as Maugham's best work in this genre. Many of his works have also been adapted for both television and radio.