The Moon and Sixpence · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham.
Chapter 1
I
The narrator introduces the posthumous fame of Charles Strickland, a painter whose genius was only recognized after his death. He discusses the myth-making that surrounds Strickland's life, the conflicting biographies by his son Rev. Robert Strickland and Dr. Weitbrecht-Rotholz, and his own intention to focus on Strickland's character rather than his art.
Chapter 2
II
The narrator reflects on his unique position to write about Charles Strickland, having known him before his artistic career and having gathered accounts of his final years in Tahiti. He muses on the futility of literary fame, the generational shift in artistic values, and the fate of artists who outlive their era, using George Crabbe as an example of a once-celebrated poet rendered obsolete by changing tastes.
Chapter 3
III
The narrator reflects on his early days as a young writer in London's literary circles, describing the social customs, conversations, and eccentricities of the writers and artists he encountered. He contrasts the genteel Bohemia of his youth with the more crude and promiscuous literary world of the present day, and recalls his own timidity and fascination with the brilliant but often cutting conversations of his peers.
Chapter 4
IV
The narrator attends a tea party at Rose Waterford's home, where he meets Mrs. Strickland for the first time. Mrs. Strickland invites him to a luncheon, which he attends. The chapter describes the gathering of writers, the decor of Mrs. Strickland's home, and her character as a harmless lion-hunter who enjoys the company of literary figures. The narrator learns from Miss Waterford that Mr. Strickland is a dull stockbroker, uninterested in the arts, yet the couple appears devoted to each other.
Chapter 5
V
The narrator describes his growing friendship with Mrs. Strickland during the summer, noting her gift of sympathy and her skill as a housekeeper and mother. He learns about her husband Charles Strickland, a stockbroker and self-proclaimed philistine, and expresses a desire to meet him.
Chapter 6
VI
The narrator finally meets Charles Strickland at a dull dinner party hosted by Mrs. Strickland. He observes Strickland's commonplace appearance and lack of social graces, finding him a heavy, unremarkable man. The party itself is a tedious social obligation, filled with respectable but uninteresting guests.
Chapter 7
VII
The narrator describes the end of the social season in London and a chance meeting with Mrs. Strickland and her children. They share ices in the park, and the narrator reflects on the seemingly idyllic family life of the Stricklands, feeling a mix of envy and unease about its placid, conventional pattern. He confesses a personal desire for a more dangerous and unpredictable existence.
Chapter 8
Chapter VIII
The narrator reflects on the Stricklands as an ordinary middle-class family, then learns from Rose Waterford that Charles Strickland has abandoned his wife. He visits Mrs. Strickland, who is distraught, and her brother-in-law Colonel MacAndrew reveals that Strickland has gone to Paris with a woman, leaving his family penniless.
Chapter 9
IX
The narrator discusses Strickland's abandonment with Colonel MacAndrew, who reveals that Strickland left his wife without explanation, went to Paris, and left his business affairs in disarray, leaving Mrs. Strickland with little money.
Chapter 10
Chapter X
The narrator agrees to travel to Paris to confront Charles Strickland on behalf of Mrs. Strickland, who is devastated by her husband's abrupt departure. She reveals the details of their marriage, Strickland's cold letter, and her refusal to divorce him, hoping he will return.
Chapter 11
XI
The narrator travels to Paris to confront Charles Strickland on behalf of his wife. He reflects on Mrs. Strickland's contradictory behavior, suspecting her grief is mixed with wounded vanity. Upon arriving, he finds Strickland living in a shabby hotel on the Rue des Moines, not the luxurious hideaway he expected. Strickland appears untidy but at ease, and invites the narrator for a drink and dinner, revealing he has been alone for days.
Chapter 12
XII
The narrator confronts Charles Strickland in a Paris café, where Strickland reveals that he abandoned his family not for another woman, but to pursue painting. Despite the narrator's moral arguments, Strickland remains resolute, claiming an irresistible compulsion to paint.
Chapter 13
XIII
The narrator dines with Strickland in Paris, attempting to discuss his abandonment of his family but finding Strickland indifferent. They visit a tavern where a prostitute propositions Strickland, who rudely rejects her, revealing his singular focus on an inner artistic vision.
Chapter 14
XIV
The narrator returns to England, reflecting on Strickland's inexplicable decision to become a painter. He struggles to understand Strickland's motives, ultimately theorizing that a deep-rooted creative instinct, like a cancer or a religious conversion, has seized him. The narrator observes Strickland's complete indifference to convention and the opinions of others, which he finds both fascinating and monstrous. He concludes that Strickland is beyond the reach of conscience and social norms.
Chapter 15
XV
The narrator returns to London and meets with Mrs. Strickland, Colonel MacAndrew, and Mrs. MacAndrew to report on his encounter with Charles Strickland in Paris. He reveals that Strickland has left his family not for another woman but to pursue painting, a truth that shocks and enrages Mrs. Strickland, who declares she will never forgive him. The family struggles to accept Strickland's abandonment for an artistic ideal rather than a romantic affair.
Chapter 16
XVI
Mrs. Strickland demonstrates her strength of character by concealing her anguish and maintaining a brave, cheerful demeanor in society. She allows a false story to circulate that her husband eloped with a French dancer, which garners sympathy and prestige. She decides to earn her own living by learning shorthand and typewriting, leveraging her connections with writers. With the MacAndrews taking care of her children, she sells her furniture, moves to small rooms in Westminster, and begins her new life.
Chapter 17
XVII
The narrator decides to move to Paris, feeling stagnant in London. Before leaving, he visits Mrs. Strickland, who has become successful with her typing business but remains concerned with social appearances. She expresses no interest in her husband's fate but offers conditional financial help if he is in need.
Chapter 18
XVIII
The narrator settles in Paris and reconnects with Dirk Stroeve, a kind but mediocre painter whose genuine love for art and generous nature make him both a figure of ridicule and a valued friend.
Chapter 19
XIX
The narrator visits Dirk Stroeve in Paris and meets his wife Blanche. Stroeve enthusiastically praises Charles Strickland as a genius despite Strickland's rude treatment of him, including borrowing money without comment on Stroeve's art. The narrator learns Strickland has grown a red beard and is painting in Paris.
Chapter 20
Chapter XX
The narrator and Dirk Stroeve visit a café where Strickland is playing chess. Strickland is emaciated and ragged, but still defiant. The narrator offers to buy him dinner, and Strickland accepts.
Chapter 21
XXI
The narrator dines with Strickland in Paris, observing his utter indifference to comfort, fame, and the opinions of others. Strickland reveals his single-minded devotion to art, his rejection of the past, and his belief in the 'everlasting present.' The narrator probes Strickland's views on love, fame, and happiness, and Strickland describes his struggles and odd jobs in Paris while continuing to paint in isolation.
Chapter 22
XXII
The narrator settles into a routine in Paris, writing a play and spending time with the Stroeves. He grows more intimate with Blanche Stroeve, who remains reserved, while Dirk Stroeve's frankness often embarrasses her. They visit a picture-dealer who had taken some of Strickland's pictures, but Strickland has removed them. The dealer dismisses Strickland's talent, leading to a heated argument with Dirk about how to recognize artistic merit.
Chapter 23
XXIII
The narrator reflects on his winter in Paris, recalling the absurd yet charming household of Dirk Stroeve and his wife. He describes his peculiar relationship with Strickland, who is brutally honest and often offends Stroeve. Strickland asks to borrow money but is refused; later, he reveals he has a commission to paint a retired plumber. Strickland then mercilessly taunts Stroeve, reducing him to tears, yet the narrator finds the scene both horrible and laughable.
Chapter 24
XXIV
Dirk Stroeve, feeling sentimental about Christmas, convinces the narrator to join him in reconciling with Strickland. They search for Strickland after learning he is ill, eventually finding him in a squalid attic, suffering from a high fever and having had no food for two days. Stroeve tends to him despite Strickland's hostility.
Chapter 25
XXV
Dirk Stroeve insists the narrator accompany him to his studio, where he pleads with his wife Blanche to allow the gravely ill Charles Strickland to be nursed in their home. Blanche vehemently opposes, expressing hatred and fear of Strickland, but after emotional argument and a mysterious reference to her own past distress, she reluctantly consents.
Chapter 26
XXVI
Strickland is moved to Stroeve's studio and nursed back to health over six weeks. Dirk Stroeve devotes himself entirely to Strickland's care, while Blanche Stroeve, despite her earlier objections, proves a capable and devoted nurse. The narrator observes the strange, silent tension between Strickland and Blanche, noting Strickland's primitive, almost inhuman quality and his indifference to comfort. Strickland's recovery is marked by his rude, ungrateful demeanor, yet Stroeve remains patient and even amused.
Chapter 27
Chapter XXVII
The narrator encounters Dirk Stroeve at the Louvre, who reveals that Strickland has taken over his studio and forced him out, leaving Stroeve disconsolate and confused about the situation with his wife.
Chapter 28
XXVIII
Dirk Stroeve arrives at the narrator's apartment in a state of extreme distress, revealing that his wife Blanche has left him for Charles Strickland. He recounts the painful scene in the studio where Blanche declared her love for Strickland and chose to leave with him, despite Dirk's desperate pleas and offers of self-sacrifice.
Chapter 29
XXIX
The narrator listens to Dirk Stroeve's anguished account of discovering his wife Blanche's affair with Strickland. Stroeve reveals he knew for a fortnight but tried to ignore it, hoping it would pass. He attempted to ask Strickland to leave, but Strickland agreed immediately and Blanche decided to go with him. Stroeve is tormented by regret and still loves Blanche, vowing to take her back if she ever needs him. The narrator, though disapproving of Stroeve's weakness, offers him shelter for the night.
Chapter 30
Chapter of Reflection on Blanche Stroeve's Betrayal
The narrator reflects on Blanche Stroeve's decision to leave her husband for Strickland, analyzing the nature of her love and the inexplicable attraction to Strickland. He considers the possibility of a physical or sexual magnetism, the role of passion versus domestic comfort, and the impossibility of understanding Strickland's motives, concluding that Strickland is incapable of love as commonly understood.
Chapter 31
XXXI
Dirk Stroeve, despite the narrator's advice, remains in Paris after Blanche leaves him for Strickland. He attempts to win her back, but she slaps him in the street and ignores him thereafter. The narrator observes Stroeve's undignified behavior and suggests he return to his childhood home in Holland, but Stroeve refuses, fearing something terrible may happen to Blanche. The chapter reflects on the cruel mismatch between Stroeve's noble soul and his ridiculous exterior.
Chapter 32
XXXII
The narrator encounters Strickland and Blanche Stroeve at a café in Paris. Despite his disgust with Strickland, he joins them for a game of chess. The narrator observes Blanche's composed demeanor and reflects on the complexity of her character, noting the contrast between her demure appearance and her passionate, reckless actions. The meeting is uneventful, leaving the narrator intrigued and curious about their private life.
Chapter 33
XXXIII
Dirk Stroeve visits the narrator, distraught after learning he saw Blanche. He asks the narrator to write a letter to Blanche, offering his unconditional forgiveness and support, despite his fear of an impending catastrophe.
Chapter 34
Chapter XXXIV
The narrator learns from a distraught Dirk Stroeve that Blanche has attempted suicide by drinking oxalic acid after a quarrel with Strickland. Dirk recounts finding her in agony, her refusal to see him, and her removal to the hospital. The narrator accompanies Dirk to the hospital, where a dismissive doctor treats the case as a routine suicide attempt and refuses them entry, saying Blanche is too ill to see anyone.
Chapter 35
XXXV
The narrator spends the day trying to distract Dirk Stroeve after Blanche's suicide attempt. They visit the hospital, where Blanche refuses to see either Dirk or the narrator. The nurse reveals that Blanche's vocal cords were burned by the acid and that she lies silently crying. The narrator reflects on Strickland's cruelty and wonders what drove Blanche to such despair.
Chapter 36
XXXVI
Stroeve visits the hospital twice daily to check on Blanche, who refuses to see him. Initially hopeful, he learns that complications have made recovery impossible. Blanche dies peacefully from acid burns, and Stroeve, exhausted, falls asleep on the narrator's sofa.
Chapter 37
XXXVII
After Blanche Stroeve's funeral, the narrator and Dirk Stroeve return from the cemetery. The narrator, feeling detached and bored with the tragedy, suggests Dirk leave Paris and start working again in Italy. Dirk declines an invitation to lunch and insists on going to the studio alone. The narrator, relieved to be free of the sorrow, finds renewed pleasure in the streets of Paris.
Chapter 38
Chapter XXXVIII
Dirk Stroeve, dressed in deep mourning, visits the narrator to say goodbye before returning to Holland. He reflects on his childhood, his parents' sacrifices for his art, and his current state as an outcast. He shares his regret over leaving the simple, secure life of a carpenter and expresses a longing for the safety and love of his family home.
Chapter 39
XXXIX
After Blanche's funeral, Stroeve returns to his studio, haunted by memories of her. He discovers a nude painting of Blanche by Strickland and, in a fit of rage, prepares to destroy it but is overcome by its artistic power. He later recounts the experience to the narrator, describing the painting as a transcendent work of art that reveals Strickland's new soul and unsuspected powers.
Chapter 40
XL
The narrator encounters Charles Strickland on the street and tries to avoid him, but Strickland insists on walking with him. Despite the narrator's open hostility and disgust, Strickland's indifference and sardonic humor provoke an uneasy, grudging amusement in the narrator, revealing his own moral weakness.
Chapter 41
XLI
The narrator engages in a heated philosophical debate with Strickland about love, women, and the nature of artistic obsession. Strickland reveals his contempt for love as a weakness and explains his relationship with Blanche Stroeve, disclosing her past and his purely physical motives. The chapter ends with the narrator agreeing to see Strickland's paintings.
Chapter 42
XLII
The narrator visits Strickland's studio to view his paintings, which he finds crude and bewildering yet powerfully expressive. He reflects on the difficulty of understanding another person's soul and concludes that Strickland is driven by a tormented search for spiritual liberation. The narrator then confronts Strickland about his treatment of Blanche Stroeve, suggesting that his surrender to love was a failure of courage. Strickland dismisses him as a sentimentalist, and a week later the narrator learns Strickland has left for Marseilles.
Chapter 43
XLIII
The narrator reflects on the inadequacy of his account of Charles Strickland, lamenting the lack of known motives behind Strickland's drastic decision to become a painter. He contrasts the dull facts of Strickland's ordinary early life with the more dramatic narratives a novelist might invent. The narrator also discusses Strickland's relationship with Blanche Stroeve, admitting his ignorance of the details of their three months together, and reflects on the nature of love and art, concluding that Strickland, though odious, was a great idealist.
Chapter 44
XLIV
The narrator reflects on Strickland's views of great artists, noting his lack of eloquence, sardonic humor, and conventional opinions on painters like Velasquez, Chardin, and Rembrandt, with a surprising interest in Brueghel the Elder, whom Strickland admired for his unique vision and struggle.
Chapter 45
XLV
The narrator reflects on how his journey to Tahiti was essential to writing this book, as it was there that Charles Strickland found the circumstances to realize his artistic vision. He describes the beauty and mystery of the island, contrasting its serene, timeless quality with the bustling, colorful arrival at Papeete.
Chapter 46
XLVI
The narrator meets Captain Nichols in Tahiti, who claims to have known Charles Strickland and brought him to the islands. Nichols, a beachcomber with a dubious past, shares his acquaintance with Strickland and reveals his own unhappy marriage to a domineering woman. The chapter explores Nichols's character and his strained domestic life.
Chapter 47
XLVII
Captain Nichols recounts his time with Strickland in Marseilles, where they lived in extreme poverty, staying at the Asile de Nuit and later with Tough Bill. They struggled to find work and food, and eventually got into a violent brawl with Tough Bill, forcing them to flee the city.
Chapter 48
XLVIII
The narrator reflects on his original plan to begin the book with Strickland's final years in Tahiti and his death, but abandons it for a chronological account. He then recounts the story of Monsieur Cohen, a Jewish trader who knew Strickland in Tahiti, hired him as an overseer, lent him money, and later received a painting as repayment. Years later, Cohen's brother in Paris sold the painting for thirty thousand francs, revealing Strickland's posthumous genius.
Chapter 49
XLIX
The narrator describes his stay at the Hotel de la Fleur and his conversations with the proprietress, Tiaré Johnson, who shares her memories of Strickland in Tahiti. She recalls his poverty, his inability to keep a job, and his immediate sense of belonging upon arriving on the island. The chapter also delves into Tiaré's own background and generous nature.
Chapter 50
L
The narrator reflects on the idea that some people are born out of their due place and recounts the story of Abraham, a brilliant medical student who abandoned a promising career in London to settle in Alexandria after a sudden revelation. The chapter contrasts Abraham's peaceful, modest life with the successful, wealthy career of Alec Carmichael, who benefited from Abraham's departure, and raises questions about the meaning of success and the value of following one's inner calling.
Chapter 51
LI
Tiaré Johnson recounts how she arranged Strickland's marriage to Ata, a young native girl, after he had been living a rootless existence in Tahiti. She describes their unconventional courtship, the wedding feast she prepared, and the beginning of their life together in the bush.
Chapter 52
LII
The narrator describes the three happiest years of Strickland's life, living with Ata in a remote bungalow on Tahiti, surrounded by tropical vegetation and living off the land. They live a simple, isolated life, with Ata giving birth to a child and various relatives and wanderers joining their household.
Chapter 53
LIII
The narrator meets Capitaine Brunot, who shares his memories of visiting Strickland in his remote Tahitian home. Brunot describes the idyllic, Eden-like setting where Strickland lived with Ata and their children, completely detached from civilization. He recounts how Strickland, now fully gone native, expressed contentment with his life and his art, stating he would stay until he died. Brunot also reveals that he was the first to appreciate Strickland's paintings in the islands, having bought them out of compassion before growing to love them. The chapter ends with Brunot agreeing to take the narrator to see Dr. Coutras, who can tell him about Strickland's illness and death.
Chapter 54
LIV
The narrator reflects on how Strickland was treated with sympathy and tolerance on the remote island, unlike in England and France. Captain Brunot explains that both he and Strickland were driven by a passion to create beauty, though Brunot's medium was life itself. Brunot shares his own story of building a life and a garden on a barren island with his wife, finding happiness and fulfillment through hard work, family, and faith.
Chapter 55
LV
Dr. Coutras recounts his visit to Strickland's isolated plantation in Tahiti after he contracts leprosy. He describes the desolation, Ata's unwavering devotion, and his diagnosis of Strickland's fatal disease. Strickland, though disfigured, remains focused on his art, painting the walls of his house and giving Dr. Coutras a picture as a token.
Chapter 56
LVI
Dr. Coutras is summoned to Strickland's remote Tahitian home, where he finds Strickland dead and discovers the magnificent, terrifying murals that Strickland painted on the walls before his death. Ata reveals that Strickland had been blind for nearly a year.
Chapter 57
LVII
Dr. Coutras reveals the fate of Strickland's final masterpiece, which was burned by Ata at his request after his death. He describes the overwhelming and troubling genius of the murals Strickland painted in his hut, which he compares to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. The chapter ends with the narrator viewing a fruit piece by Strickland that evokes a sense of dark, enchanted mystery.
Chapter 58
LVIII
The narrator departs Tahiti, receiving gifts from Tiaré and others, and returns to London. He visits Mrs. Strickland, now a widow living in comfort, who is being interviewed by American critic Mr. Van Busche Taylor about her late husband. Mrs. Strickland displays reproductions of Strickland's paintings, claiming them as decorative and a consolation. The narrator meets her grown children, Robert (a clergyman and soldier) and her daughter (now Mrs. Ronaldson), and recounts Strickland's death in Tahiti, omitting Ata and their son. Robert quotes scripture about divine justice, while the narrator reflects on Strickland's other son by Ata, imagining his free life on a schooner in the Pacific.
Chapter 59
Endnotes
The endnotes provide references to critical works on Charles Strickland, including a monograph by Edward Leggatt, a German study by Hugo Weitbrecht-Rotholz, and a biography by Strickland's son Robert. They also describe two of Strickland's paintings: a nude Tahitian woman in a tropical landscape, and a work formerly in Lille now held by the National Gallery in Stockholm.
