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THE CONSTANT WIFE |
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"The Constant Wife" is literally a drawing room comedy for that is where the action takes place. As well as being extremely entertaining, its interest lies in the light it sheds on the morals of the period at least among the upper middle classes. Constance, her mother and her sister each has her own opinion as to what should be done about John's affair with Marie-Louise. Was Constance's pragmatic approach an early example of the 'modern woman'? Compare and contrast with attitudes today.. |
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Presented
at the Little Theatre
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The Author
Somerset Maugham was born in Paris in 1874. Best known as a literary author whose novels typically display a disillusioned and ironic point of view he originally trained in medicine at St Thomas' Hospital in London.
'Human Bondage', his 1915 novel is generally acknowledged as his masterpiece. Other novels include 'The Moon and Sixpence'(the life of Paul Gauguin) ,'The Painted Veil','Cakes and Ale', 'Christmas Holiday', 'The Hour Before the Dawn', 'The Razor's Edge', and 'Cataline: A Romance'.
He also wrote satiric comedies— including 'The Circle' and 'Our Betters' as well as two autobiographies before dying in 1965.
"The Constant Wife" can be described as a comedy but is also a deeper work exploring the relationship between a wife and her errant husband.
Like our October 2001 presentation of 'Biting The Bullet' we discover what transpires when a husband's infidelity forces a woman to become self-empowered.
Maugham presents an alternative look at the way in which the fragility of matrimonial trust can be handled.
