THE IMPORTANCE OF FEMINISM APPROACHES IN SOMERSET MAUGHAM’S THE PROMISE

THE IMPORTANCE OF FEMINISM APPROACHES IN SOMERSET

MAUGHAM&S THE PROMISE

Khidirova Mukhlisa Alisher qizi Uzbekistan State World Languages University muhlisahidirova@gmail.com

Abstract: The article illustrates the feministic approaches within the examples of the story written by Somerset Maugham. The author indicates the womanhood and its unequal tortures, sacrifices in the well-explained way.

It is irresistibly apparent that the importance of feminism in literature has been hailed its top reach for almost hundred years. For most male-dominated societies the views of females were utterly rejected or even discriminated with its sharp tongue. The differing notions on behalf of feminist criticism is rather discursive and much attention-paid phenomena in regard to male surpassing periods.

The intriguing feelings or role of women are emphasized and subconsciously arouse many considerations. As to exemplify, one of the outstanding writers of English literature Somerset Mougham tried to dive into the feministic approaches and understand the women&s role in a psychological way. For instance, in his short stories, namely Louise, The Kite, The Promise and other stories vividly depict the deep circumstances and emotional outcomes of women.

Brief information about Somerset Maugham is provided in order to conceive the period which he used in his writings. William Somerset Maugham was born in 1874 and educated at the King&s School, Canterbury and Heidelberg University. Generally, he spent some time at St Thomas&s Hospital as a medical student but was attracted from medicine to letters by the success of his pioneering novel, Liza of Lambeth (1897), in which he drew on what he had seen in the district served by his hospital. He also drew on his medical experience in his first masterpiece, Of Human Bondage (1915). Remarkably, upon the appearance of The Moon and Sixpence (1919) his reputation as a novelist was established. He was at the same time a successful playwright, his last play, Sheppey, appearing in 1933. Apart from short stones, his work included essays, criticism, autobiography and travel books. A widely travelled man, he spent much of the 1914-18 war abroad in the intelligence service-the time in which he laid the basis of the &Ashenden& stories. In the &twenties he took up residence in the south of France and, but for the last war, lived there until his death in December 1965. Following the principle, Maugham developed a style which was as ordered as his general plan. His

sentences are short. They balance one another and are balanced in themselves. They are a highly appropriate form for his narratives, stamped as they are by their fluency and discursiveness. Moreover, it is a style equally suited to Maugham&s view of his characters: a view that is largely detached, cool, at times slightly cynical but tempered constantly by a wry sense of humour-as illustrated by &Jane&.

Each of his stories can stand on its own. Maugham himself wrote that such a compactness of technique, setting, character and incident may seem disconcerting in a world where at least one loose end is normally left behind; but the compactness is part of the method used by such short story writers as Maugham. As he put it in his own distinctive way, such a writer &seeks to prove nothing. He paints a picture and sets it before readers. You can take it or leave it.& Usually most take it. The Promise whose main character is a woman, really conceives the feministic views in a rather different way. The portrayal of the woman is really influential in the story, as the period which the story was written, full of inequality between male and female genders. There were many attained things for females in society, since they were regarded as the obedience and property of man. From my point of view, Elizabeth Vermont is a very strong-willed and sensitive woman simultaneously, it can be noticed easily that, she has empowered determination to respect herself and her personality. Her portrayal is described from the double-edged sword position, first is people&s opinions about Elizabeth and the latest is author&s description. Although she is assumed as "She was a gambler, a spendthrift, and a wanton" by the society, according to the author&s opinions the following description is provided: But though unfaithful to her lovers she was constant to her friends and there always remained a few who would never allow, whatever she did, that she was anything but a very nice woman. She had candour, high spirits, and courage. She was never a hypocrite. She was generous and sincere.

Generally, the form and content is the magnificently created in the story even though the writer is a man. Maugham realized, perhaps heartbreakingly understood the inclinations or difficulties of women in the male-oriented circles. He tried to open intangible sufferings of women, tortures which they cannot get rid of due to their gender, Maugham did the most touching endeavours of a woman. Furthermore, the male and female characters are interconnected with each other, as the conflict between their importance is continuously going on. Elizabeth and her ex-husbands create the conflict, because Elizabeth does not want to be the victim of males& desires. She loves herself and does not let others hurt her feelings.

The story contradicts the traditional views of women, as most women are regarded as inferior compared to men. Elizabeth indicates on her sincere feelings and she is eager to have pure love, however her love cannot be faithful. She rejects to obey the remained rituals; she always tries to find herself in culprits. The images in patriarchal social system are apparently shown in the story, the personage of Peter, the third husband of

Elizabeth, loves his wife for ten years, unfortunately, their marriage faces with divorce. The reason is Peter&s love for another young girl Barbara Canton, who is very rich, beautiful girl.

The social and psychological oppression of women, the undermining features of the oppressed women are depicted through marital and behavioral status of main characters. First of all, the narrator&s wife is very unpunctual woman, it also determines the notion, that women usually come late to certain places. As the narrator indicates that My wife is a very unpunctual woman, so when, having arranged to lunch with her at Claridge&s, I arrived there ten minutes late and did not find her I was not surprised. The author even was not surprised as it was common for women behavior to arrive late. On the contrary, most man hates this trait and ponder it as the owning peculiarity of woman; &Well, I suppose I ought to go. Peter hates one to keep him waiting.& From my personal perspective, if the female character were male, it would affect the story&s content. As the feelings of women and men are varied from each other, and so their concept towards life is different as well.

Strikingly, the marital status of woman affects her happiness, Elizabeth probably does not get happiness from her ex-husbands. Elizabeth could find the real love from her husband, who is younger than her almost twenty years. Surprisingly, as it told in the story, his happiness seemed her only concern. No one could doubt that she loved him devotedly. That is why, she decides to let her husband go, and live with another young girl. Although it is really challenging and painful to divorce with her husband, she sacrifices her love, but she is still proud of herself and she imitates as she is happy.

There are some remarkable symbols in the story, for example the wedding ring of Elizabeth, before her marriage with Peter no one had good idea about her. Hopefully, after marriage, having wedding ring in her fingers shows the married woman&s role. Usually, the married women stay under the shadow of their husband and it is well-accepted. Approaching differently, Maugham did not openly claim the emotions of woman, on the contrary, he used male characters and these characters helped him to realize the inner senses of woman. Nothing indulges him from writing some intangibility between the characters and their position is intuitive, as well.

Taking into consideration, it may be concluded that Elizabeth is honest and that is why she no longer wants to continue her life with lie. Due to her preference, the divorce is the best choice rather than living with the man who doesn&t love her anymore.

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