Of Human Bondage (1915) is W. Somerset Maugham's masterpiece, widely regarded as one of the greatest English novels of the twentieth century. It follows Philip Carey, an orphan born with a club foot, raised by his clergyman uncle. Searching for meaning in life, Philip abandons his studies in Heidelberg and Paris before pursuing medicine, only to become enslaved by a destructive, obsessive passion for Mildred Rogers, a cold-hearted waitress. Drawing heavily on Maugham's own experiences, the novel explores love, suffering, freedom, and self-discovery. Ultimately, Philip realizes that life, like a Persian carpet, weaves its own pattern and beauty without any preordained design.
