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85
Ex. 13
Retell your favourite episode from the book; the episode
which amused you most of all; the episode which impressed or
even shocked you.
Ex. 14
Summarize your observations of the author’s mastership.
Share your opinions/impressions of the book with all the rest.
Dwell upon what impressed you most of all: the style, the lan-
guage, the characters, the plot, or something else. Comment
on the stylistic devices the author used (epithets, metaphors,
similes) in his descriptions. Say if the author used some ex-
pressive means of the language (synonymy, antonymy, phra-
seology), say if it is done with a good sense of measure and
proportion in your opinion. Give the most vivid examples and
illustrations from the text of the novel.
Ex. 15
Give your reasons for liking (or disliking) the novel. What is
your opinion about the artistic merit of the novel ‘Cakes and
Ale’?
Ex. 16
Read, translate and summarize the following text.
By the nineteen-thirties, after having for many years been ei-
ther despised or ignored by intellectuals, Somerset Maugham
(1874-1965) had moved unobtrusively to a high place both as
a dramatist and a writer of fiction. In his case popular favour
preceded critical acclaim, and his satirical mind must have
found a wry satisfaction in the spectacle of the experts belat-
edly hastening to catch up with independent public approval.
Somerset Maugham told of his transition from medicine to
literature in The Summing-Up (1938), which is less an autobi-
ography than a statement of his purposes as a writer, and a
recital of his mental and moral attitude. His early novel Liza
of Lambeth (1897) belongs to the period when tales of Cock-
ney life were in fashion, and Maugham’s obstetrical experi-
ences among the poor of south London brought him into close
touch with the human material he treated understandingly in
that book. For some years after, narrative fiction was of only
minor interest to him, while he was becoming a celebrity in
86
the theatre. In 1916, however, he published an excellent long
novel, Of Human Bondage, some part of which is recollective
of phases of his own life. This is a fine achievement, but work
of a more distinctively personal kind was to come. Cakes and
Ale (1930) had incisiveness, brilliance, genuine pathos, and
beauty. It is his best novel, for, here, sardonic wit and satire do
not drive out human sympathy and understanding. Novels
about novelists are usually meat chiefly for the literary, but
this story of Driffield – whose attraction to common things
and common people in bar parlours and the like makes him
faintly derisive of his own fame as an author – has a much
wider appeal. The character of Rosie, the barmaid who be-
comes Driffield’s first wife, is S. Maugham’s masterpiece and
one of the great creations in English fiction. In Cakes and Ale
the main characteristic of mature Maugham – absence of ro-
mantic illusion – is less productive of what often seems in his
short stories to be a cynically sterile view of life.
Ex. 17
Make a report (or write a composition) on one of the topics:
1. Parallels in the biographies of W.S. Maugham and his
characters.
2. Some peculiar features of Maugham’s prose on the ex-
ample of the novel ‘Cakes and Ale’.
3. The author’s irony in the novels ‘Cakes and Ale’ and
‘Theatre’.
4. The methods of portrayal of the main and secondary
characters in Maugham’s novels and short stories.
5. The role of the portrait in characterization in the novel
‘Cakes and Ale’ by W.S. Maugham.
Ex. 13 Retell your favourite episode from the book; the episode the theatre. In 1916, however, he published an excellent long
which amused you most of all; the episode which impressed or novel, Of Human Bondage, some part of which is recollective
even shocked you. of phases of his own life. This is a fine achievement, but work
of a more distinctively personal kind was to come. Cakes and
Ex. 14 Summarize your observations of the author’s mastership. Ale (1930) had incisiveness, brilliance, genuine pathos, and
Share your opinions/impressions of the book with all the rest. beauty. It is his best novel, for, here, sardonic wit and satire do
Dwell upon what impressed you most of all: the style, the lan- not drive out human sympathy and understanding. Novels
guage, the characters, the plot, or something else. Comment about novelists are usually meat chiefly for the literary, but
on the stylistic devices the author used (epithets, metaphors, this story of Driffield – whose attraction to common things
similes) in his descriptions. Say if the author used some ex- and common people in bar parlours and the like makes him
pressive means of the language (synonymy, antonymy, phra- faintly derisive of his own fame as an author – has a much
seology), say if it is done with a good sense of measure and wider appeal. The character of Rosie, the barmaid who be-
proportion in your opinion. Give the most vivid examples and comes Driffield’s first wife, is S. Maugham’s masterpiece and
illustrations from the text of the novel. one of the great creations in English fiction. In Cakes and Ale
the main characteristic of mature Maugham – absence of ro-
Ex. 15 Give your reasons for liking (or disliking) the novel. What is mantic illusion – is less productive of what often seems in his
your opinion about the artistic merit of the novel ‘Cakes and short stories to be a cynically sterile view of life.
Ale’?
Ex. 17 Make a report (or write a composition) on one of the topics:
Ex. 16 Read, translate and summarize the following text. 1. Parallels in the biographies of W.S. Maugham and his
By the nineteen-thirties, after having for many years been ei- characters.
ther despised or ignored by intellectuals, Somerset Maugham 2. Some peculiar features of Maugham’s prose on the ex-
(1874-1965) had moved unobtrusively to a high place both as ample of the novel ‘Cakes and Ale’.
a dramatist and a writer of fiction. In his case popular favour 3. The author’s irony in the novels ‘Cakes and Ale’ and
preceded critical acclaim, and his satirical mind must have ‘Theatre’.
found a wry satisfaction in the spectacle of the experts belat- 4. The methods of portrayal of the main and secondary
edly hastening to catch up with independent public approval. characters in Maugham’s novels and short stories.
Somerset Maugham told of his transition from medicine to 5. The role of the portrait in characterization in the novel
literature in The Summing-Up (1938), which is less an autobi- ‘Cakes and Ale’ by W.S. Maugham.
ography than a statement of his purposes as a writer, and a
recital of his mental and moral attitude. His early novel Liza
of Lambeth (1897) belongs to the period when tales of Cock-
ney life were in fashion, and Maugham’s obstetrical experi-
ences among the poor of south London brought him into close
touch with the human material he treated understandingly in
that book. For some years after, narrative fiction was of only
minor interest to him, while he was becoming a celebrity in
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