Western Superiority and Eastern Otherness in The Painted Veil: A Postcolonial Reading

Abstract

This study examines the themes of colonialism within W. Somerset Maugham's novel, The Painted Veil. The research aims to explore the mechanisms of British colonial rule in China during a cholera epidemic, understand the varied responses of Chinese society to this foreign presence, and analyze the Western perspectives of the East that are embedded in the narrative.

Employing a library research methodology, this paper uses a postcolonial framework to analyze the novel. Supporting data is drawn from relevant scholarly sources. The findings indicate that British colonialism in China was driven by three core objectives, often summarized as "Gold" (economic domination), "Gospel" (religious conversion and ideological control), and "Glory" (political and national supremacy). The Chinese response to this colonial presence is shown to be complex, encompassing both cooperation and resistance. Furthermore, the novel reveals a persistent Western viewpoint that stereotypes the East as inferior in terms of culture, religion, manners, and appearance, thereby reinforcing a perceived boundary between the two civilizations.