The razors edge summary supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. The path to enlightenment is as sharp and narrow as a razors edge. The razors edge william somerset maugham the razors edge is a novel by w. Somerset maugham, about a mans journey from shallow youth, through war and depression, to selfdiscovery and spiritual redemption. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. Summary part 3 isabel, gray, larry and maugham spend quite a bit of time together in paris.
Maugham had used the exact plot three previous times, but was unable to make it work until he turned his efforts to writing the razor s edge. The film would be remade in 1984, with bill murray in the tyrone power role. John byrum directed the film, which was cowritten by murray and byrum this marked murrays first starring role in a dramatic film, though murray did. The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over. Zanuck and fox spared no expense in translating the sprawling book to the silver screen. The descriptions of characters and locations paris, england, chicago and india are wonderfully lucid, poetic, and at times majestic.
His third and final attempt before the success of the razor s edge was done in 1924 a full twenty years before the razor s edge was published and found in the road uphill. The razors edge was made into a movie by twentieth century fox in 1946, directed by edmund goulding, with tyrone power playing larry. It was on an evening where the four friends hung out in. Elisabeth lacombe maugham spends a lot of time with isabel, larry and gray. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off in search of some transcendent meaning in his life. Bill murray, denholm elliott, theresa russell, james keach, catherine hicks, brian doylemurray. Somerset maugham, who appears onscreen in the form of herbert marshall. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the painted veil by w. Jack nitzsche the razors edge larry leaves the monastery duration. Somerset maughams, the razors edge is a beautiful and impressive novel. If not then perhaps one of you metafilter members will be willing to share some information on the book. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Living on the razors edge is her ongoing exploration of the process of change.
About living on the razors edge cheryl eckl is an author, speaker, and life transitions leader. Somerset maugham, published in 1944 the novel is concerned in large part with the search for the meaning of life and with the dichotomy between materialism and spirituality. He actually gets all the way to a mountaintop, signs on with a monastery, and spends some time as a contemplative. The razors edge is simply doing a little bit more a little bit more than others a little bit more than is expected and a little bit more than is necessary. Gray is getting better and better with the help of larrys treatment. Yet some human yearnings and questions are eternal. We want to know that our existence has meaning and purpose, not just. With his fledgling republic teetering on the verge of collapse, he must find a way to seize an unlikely victory from what appears to be certain defeat. For in larry dornell he has drawn a character symbolic or many we shall meet in the.
The the razors edge community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the razors edge near you. The razors edge tells the story of an american who, having prepared himself by acquiring a deep tan and donning indian garb, visits the guru shri ganesha and at his hands has an ecstatic spiritual experience, an experience of the same order as the mystics have had all over the world through all the centuries. Larry and college pal gray maturin keach graduate and. In structure, however, it is much closer to a series of loosely collected short stories featuring the same cast of characters. The razors edge is a frustrating and fascinating film from 1946. The good news is you can have the razors edge working for you. Set in chicago, paris, and india in the 1920s and 30s, it involves characters from sharply different worlds. Summary part 1 at the beginning of somerset maughams novel, the main character encounters an old acquaintance named elliott templeton in chicago. Celia copplestone is a uniquely spiritual person surrounded by a group of people who have no notion. Instead of marrying a rich, pretty chicago girl, he goes to paris searching for answers to questions about man, god and the meaning of life.
The razors edge notes book resovled ask metafilter. The protagonist is a disillusioned veteran of the first world war who abandons his wealthy friends and lifestyle, traveling to india seeking enlightenment. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Sophie is a drunken slut, who went mad after her husband and baby died in a car accident. The razors edge is a drama film starring bill murray. You can also buy buy purchase the razors edge by w. Written by julia wolf and other people who wish to remain anonymous through the eyes of the narrator, who happens to be a minor character and a writer. One of the most challenging books somerset maughan has given us. The novel had been a massive best seller and the public anxiously awaited the film adaptation. Those who look to him for a colorful, romantic story will find this slowpaced at the start. His third and final attempt before the success of the razors edge was done in 1924 a full twenty years before the razors edge was published and found in the road uphill. Somerset maugham problems short training entire individuals storyline with analysis guidebook dummies adding all chapters gratis, sparknotes author, part introduction. Download the razors edge ebook pdf free therazorsedgesg. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the razors edge by w.
The razors edge then tells a standard story of selfdiscovery in which the young man drops out, becomes a bohemian in the paris of the 1920s, works as a coal miner, and takes a passage to india to discover the meaning of life. Larry serves as and ambulance crewman in world war i, and comes back in a state of semishock. Somerset maugham is about a character named larry darrel. Larry darrell is a young american in search of the absolute. He learned that he had nothing and wanted everything. Maughams last major novel, the razors edge 1944, was a departure for him in many ways.
Theresa russell, catherine hicks, denholm elliott, brian doylemurray and james keach also star in the film. Maugham meets larry by chance at a play performance. Razors edge definition is used in various phrases to refer to a dangerous position or a position in which two different things are carefully balanced. The razors edge follows the spiritual and physical journey of larry darrell, a sensitive, intelligent young man who refuses to conform to the prevailing social norms of postworld war i america. The new world series continues with book 6, the razors edgegordon van zandt is a man accustomed to adversity and hardship, but now he is left with dwindling options.
Celia copplestone is a uniquely spiritual person surrounded by a group of people who have no notion of. Just before getting back to the riviera, on his last night in paris, he meets sophie macdonald. While much of the novel takes place in europe, its main characters are american, not british. Maugham had used the exact plot three previous times, but was unable to make it work until he turned his efforts to writing the razors edge. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the razors edge 1984 near you. With bill murray, theresa russell, denholm elliott, catherine hicks. Larry darrell returns from the battlefields of world war i to america a different person. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off in. Another film version of the razors edge was made by columbiatristar studios in 1984, with bill murray as larry. The razors edge is a novel about larry darrell in them.
Does anyone know of a site that can provide me with sparknotes like information on the novel. And it doesnt really take any special skills or talents to do it. Some of the scenes are very good, especially the uncles deathbed farewell and murrays first attempts to sober up russell. Kathaupanishad the razors edge was published in 1944 in a very different world from that of 1994. However, for our purposes here, he will be called father ensheim. Larry darrell murray is a world war i ambulance driving doughboy returned from europe. The same way that the larry darrell characters name in the razors edge was not his actual name in real life, so too, the real name of the benedictine monk that maugham calls father ensheim was not father ensheim. It was adapted for the screen twice, once in a 1946 film starring tyrone power and again in a 1984 film starring bill murray the protagonist, larry darrell, starts as a materialistic and idealistic young man that volunteers. The razors edge is a movie set in the early twentieth century that effectively portrays a man in his search for meaning in life. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maughams most brillant characters his fiancee isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and elliot templeton, her uncle, a classic. These notes were contributed by members of the gradesaver community. His fiance isabel resigns herself to a delay in the wedding plans when larry heads off to paris. The razors edge is one of those special books that strikes a chord making it so memorable, so impressive, so fundamentally inspiring that reading it once is never enough.