Of Human Bondage 人性的枷锁 毛姆 Maugham
liwendong's view of the novel:
i didn't want to add my view about this novel here as i felt that was too pretentious, until i read some online comments of it.
i read it twice almost five years ago. i like the young and crippled Philips. His mind is not only active but also constantly thinking, thinking about every incident around him, like every conscious educated one, who has not given up hope for a better tomorrow or abandoned himself in this raw and rusty world.I do not like some people think that the novel reflects a pessimistic view of life as meanless,suffering as that torn shirt.No! definitely not so. Philips is quiet, honest,ordinary like everyone. he is living his life not in much earnest, but in real sincerity. actually, most of us treat our lives much like him.
to that first girl he loves, that's first love, haunting you long and deeply, but that one really may not necessarily be your Miss Right. i believe most will nod to this as our personal experience can evince. that's why he cannot completely tear himself apart from her. another reason to explain this is that he is too honest and kind a guy.he wants to do something for her.if there is a third reason, it should be his inherent weakness, which is possessed by any one of us. the flaw, the weakness of humans! esp the good humans. whatever you may do for her, to save her soul, she is destined to follow her own course. she is just not his type. she must be gone, luckily for him. and he gets his chance for a real, quiet girl of his type.that's the ending i love. so you CANNNOT say "小说通过孤儿菲力普一生曲折的谋生道路和爱情纠葛抒发对人生的感慨，认为人生是一种枷锁，一种负担，人生是不幸的，毫无意义的。作者在作品中生动丰富的描写了英国的社会生活。"quoted from http://www.cmzx.sh.cn/ebook/09/a1950/1947.htm, that's reallly misleading! this wrong interpretation will cause some innocent readers to find more sad and stupid pride of posing themsevles as cynical and indifferent to their life and this world!
i really hope you will read this novel and discover what is about by yourself.
english online version
http://eserver.org/fiction/of-human.bondage.txt
Chinese ebook
http://www.cmzx.sh.cn/ebook/09/a1950/1947.htm