Abstract: The Painted Veil is the most controversial work of Maugham’s, the name of which has profound meaning. Maugham, with an exquisite and cool look at a seemingly-normal love story, penetrates the development and changes in inner mind of  protagonists, revealing not only the phantom of marriage and love, but also the painted veil in the depth of human beings’ hearts：the dispute between good and evil; self confusion and struggle. Being suffered from love, betray and death, the hero and heroine find the way of spiritual redemption and growing up, and get the spiritual freedom in their own ways. This thesis tends to ponder over the way of spiritual redemption by the mainline of changes in protagonists’ hearts, and then points a right or proper way to those who need to get spiritual redemption. And also people should realize that not only the one who does something wrong needs redemption, but also the one who is hurt.

Key words: Spiritual redemption; Growing up; Love; Marriage; Freedom

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

 1.1. William Somerset Maugham-1

 1.2. The Painted Veil-2

2. The Reasons for the Spiritual Degradation of Kitty Garstin and Walter Fane-5

 2.1. Social Circumstances-5

 2.2. Family Environment-5

 2.3. Their Own Character Flaws-7

3. The Spiritual Redemption of Kitty Garstin and Walter Fane-7

 3.1. The Different Ways of the Spiritual Redemption-8

  3.1.1. Kitty Garstin’s Way to Get Spiritual Redemption-8

  3.1.2. Walter Fane’s Way to Get Spiritual Redemption-11

 3.2. The Different Results of the Spiritual Redemption-13

  3.2.1. Kitty’s Ending and Her Spiritual Changes-13

  3.2.2. Walter’s Ending and His Spiritual Changes-16

 3.3. Analysis of the Differences between Two Protagonists’ Spiritual Redemption-16

4. Conclusion-17

References-19