THE LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE STORY

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 536.

CHAPTER 2

“LOUISE” BY S. MAUGHAM

I could never understand why Louise bothered with me. She disliked me and I knew that behind my back, in that gentle way of hers, she seldom lost the opportunity of saying a disagreeable thing about me. She had too much delicacy ever to make a direct statement, but with a hint and a sigh and a little flutter of her beautiful hands she was able to make her meaning plain. She was a mistress of cold praise. It was true that we had known one another almost intimately, for five-and twenty years, but it was impossible for me to believe that she could be affected by the claims of old association. She thought me a course, brutal, cynical, and vulgar fellow. I was puzzled at her not taking the obvious course of dropping me. She did nothing of the kind; indeed, she would not leave me alone; she was constantly asking me to lunch and dine with her and once or twice a year invited me to spend a week-end at her house in the country. At last I thought that I had discovered her motive. She had an uneasy suspicion that I did not believe in her; and if that was why she did not like me, it was also why she sought my acquaintance: it galled her that I alone should look upon her as a comic figure and she could not rest till I acknowledge myself mistaken and defeated. Perhaps she had an inkling that I saw the face behind the mask and because I alone held out was determined that sooner or later I too should take the mask for the face. I was never quite certain that she was a complete humbug. I wondered whether she fooled herself as thoroughly as she fooled the world or whether there was some spark of humour at the bottom of her heart. If there was it might be that she was attracted to me, as a pair of crooks might be attracted to one another, by the knowledge that we shared a secret that was hidden from everybody else.

I knew Louise before she married. She was then a frail, delicate girl with large and melancholy eyes. Her father and mother worshipped her with an anxious adoration, for some illness, scarlet fever I think, had left her with a weak heart and she had to take the greatest care of herself. When Tom Maitland proposed to her they were dismayed, for they were convinced that she was much too delicate for the strenuous state of marriage. But they were not too well off and Tom Maitland was rich. He promised to do everything in the world for Louise and finally they entrusted her to him as a sacred charge. Tom Maitland was a big, husky fellow, very good-looking and a fine athlete. He doted on Louise. With her weak heart he could not hope to keep her with him long and he made up his mind to do everything he could to make her few years on earth happy. He gave up the games he excelled in, not because she wished him to, she was glad that he should play golf and hunt, but because by a coincidence she had a heart attack whenever he proposed her to leave her for a day. If they had a difference of opinion she gave in to him at once, for she was the most submissive wife a man could have, but her heart failed her and she would be laid up, sweet and uncomplaining, for a week. He could not be such a brute as to cross her. Then they would have quite a little tussle about which should yield and it was only with difficulty that at last he persuaded her to have her own way. On one occasion seeing her walk eight miles on an expedition that she particularly wanted to make, I suggested to Tom Maitland that she was stronger than one would have thought. He shook his head and sighed.

“No, no, she's dreadfully delicate. She's been to all the best heart specialists in the world and they all say that her life hangs on a thread. But she has an unconquerable spirit.”

He told her that I had remarked on her endurance.

“I shall pay for it tomorrow,” she said to me in her plaintive way. “I shall be at death's door.”

“I sometimes think that you're quite strong enough to do the things you want to,” I murmured.

I had noticed that if a party was amusing she could dance till five in the morning, but if it was dull she felt very poorly and Tom had to take her home early. I am afraid she did not like my reply, for though she gave me a pathetic little smile I saw no amusement in her large blue eyes.

“You can't very well expect me to fall down dead just to please you,” she answered.

Louise outlived her husband. He caught his death of cold one day when they were sailing and Louise needed all the rugs there were to keep her warm. He left her a comfortable fortune and a daughter. Louise was inconsolable. It was wonderful that she managed to survive the shock. Her friends expected her speedily to follow poor Tom Maitland to the grave. Indeed they already felt dreadfully sorry for Iris, her daughter, who would be left an orphan. They redoubled their attention towards Louise. They would not let her stir a finger; they insisted on doing everything in the world to save her trouble. They had to, because if she was called upon to do anything tiresome or inconvenient her heart went back on her and there she was at death's door. She was entirely lost without a man to take care of her, she said, and she did not know how, with her delicate health, she was going to bring up her dear Iris. Her friends asked why she did not marry again. Oh, with her heart it was out of the question, though of course she knew that dear Tom would have wished her to, and perhaps it would be the best thing for Iris if she did; but who would want to be bothered with a wretched invalid like herself? Oddly enough more than one young man showed himself quite ready to undertake the charge and a year after Tom's death she allowed George Hobhouse to lead her to the altar. He was a fine, upstanding fellow and he was not at all badly off. I never saw anyone so grateful as he for the privilege of being allowed to take care of this frail little thing.

“I shan't live to trouble you long,” she said.

He was a soldier and an ambitious one, but he resigned his commission. Louise's health forced her to spend the winter at Monte Carlo and the summer at Deauville. He hesitated a little at throwing up his career, and Louise at first would not hear of it; but at last she yielded as she always yielded, and he prepared to make his wife's last few years as happy as might be.

“It can't be very long now,” she said. “I'll try not to be troublesome.”

For the next two or three years Louise managed, notwithstanding her weak heart, to go beautifully dressed to all the most lively parties, to gamble very heavily, to dance and even to flirt with tall slim young men. But George Hobhouse had not the stamina of Louise's first husband and he had to brace himself now and then with a stiff drink for his day's work as Louise's second husband. It is possible that the habit would have grown on him, which Louise would not have liked at all, but very fortunately (for her) the war broke out. He rejoined his regiment and three months later was killed. It was a great shock for Louise. She felt, however, that in such a crisis she must not give way to a private grief; and if she had a heart attack nobody heard of it. In order to distract her mind she turned her villa at Monte Carlo into a hospital for convalescent officers. Her friends told her that she would never survive the strain.

“Of course it will kill me,” she said, “I know that. But what does it matter? I must do my bit.”

It didn't kill her. She had the time of her life. There was no convalescent home in France that was more popular. I met her by chance in Paris. She was lunching at the Ritz with a tall and very handsome young Frenchman. She explained that she was there on business connected with the hospital. She told me that the officers were too charming to her. They knew how delicate she was and they wouldn't let her do a single thing. They took care of her, well – as though they were all her husbands. She sighed.

“Poor George, who would ever have thought that I with my heart should survive him?”

“And poor Tom!” I said.

I don't know why she didn't like my saying that. She gave me her plaintive smile and her beautiful eyes filled with tears.

“You always speak as though you grudged me the few years that I can expect to live.”

“By the way, tour heart's much better, isn't it?”

“It'll never be better. I saw a specialist this morning and he said I must be prepared for the worst.”

“Oh, well, you've been prepared for that for nearly twenty years now, haven't you?”

When the war came to an end Louise settled in London. She was now a woman of over forty, thin and frail still, with large eyes and pale cheeks, but she did not look a day more than twenty-five. Iris, who had been at school and was now grown up, came to live with her.

“She'll take care of me,” said Louise. “Of course, it'll be hard on her to live with such a great invalid as I am, but it can only be for such a little while, I'm sure she won't mind.”

Iris was a nice girl. She had been brought up with the knowledge that her mother's health was precarious. As a child she had never been allowed to make a noise. She had always realized that her mother must on no account be upset. And though Louise told her now that she would not hear of her sacrificing herself for a tiresome old woman the girl simply would not listen. It wasn't a question of sacrificing herself, it was a happiness to do what she could for her poor dear mother. With a sigh her mother let her do a great deal.

“It pleases the child to think she's making herself useful,” she said.

“Don't you think she ought to go out and about more?” I asked.

“That's what I'm always telling her. I can't get her to enjoy herself. Heaven knows, I never want anyone to put themselves out on my account.”

And Iris, when I remonstrated with her, said: “Poor dear mother, she wants me to go and stay with friends and go to parties, but the moment I start off anywhere she has one of her heart attacks, so I much prefer to stay at home.”

But presently she fell in love. A young friend of mine, a very good lad, asked her to marry him and she consented. I liked the child and I was glad that she was to be given at last the chance to lead a life of her own. She had never seemed to suspect that such a thing was possible. But one day the young man came to me in great distress and told me that his marriage was indefinitely postponed. Iris felt that she could not desert her mother. Of course it was really no business of mine, but I made the opportunity to go and see Louise. She was always glad to receive her friends at tea-time and now that she was older she cultivated the society of painters and writers.

“Well, I hear that Iris isn't going to be married,” I said after a little.

“I don't know about that. She's not going to be married quite as soon as I could have wished. I begged her on my bended knees not to consider me, but she absolutely refuses to leave me.”

“Don't you think it's rather hard on her?”

“Dreadfully. Of course it can only be for a few months, but I hate the thought of anyone sacrificing themselves for me.”

“My dear Louise, you've buried two husbands, I can't see the least reason why you shouldn't bury at least two more.”

“Do you think that's funny?” she asked me in a tone that she made as offensive as she could.

“I suppose it's never struck you as strange that you're always strong enough to do anything you want to and that your weak heart only prevents you from doing things that bore you?”

I looked at her full and square.

“Never. I think you've carried out for twenty-five years a stupendous bluff. I think you're the most selfish and monstrous woman I have ever known. You ruined the lives of those two wretched men you married and now you're going to ruin the life of your daughter.”

I should not have been surprised if Louse had had a heart attack then. I fully expected her to fly into a passion. But she merely gave me a gentle smile.

“My poor friend, one of these days you'll be so dreadfully sorry you said this to me.”

“Have you quite determined that Iris shall not marry this boy?”

“I've begged her to marry him. I know it'll kill me, but I don't mind. Nobody cares for me. I'm just a burden to everybody.”

“Did you tell her it would kill you?”

“She made me.”

“As if anyone ever made you do anything that you were not yourself quite determined to do.”

“She can marry her young man tomorrow if she likes. If it kills me, it kills me.”

“Well, let's risk it, shall we?”

“Haven't you got any compassion for me?”

“One can't pity anyone who amuses one as much as you amuse me,” I answered.

A faint spot of colour appeared on Louise's pale cheeks and though she smiled still her eyes were hard and angry.

“Iris shall marry in a month's time,” she said, “and if anything happens to me I hope you and she will be able to forgive yourselves.”

Louise was as good as her word. A date was fixed, a trousseau of great magnificence was ordered, and invitations were issued. Iris and the very good lad were radiant. On the wedding-day, at ten o'clock in the morning, Louise, that devilish woman, had one of her heart attacks – and died. She died gently forgiving Iris for having killed her.

The text under analysis is a story by W.S. Maugham “Louise”. W.S. Maugham is a famous English writer, the author of such novels as “Liza of Lambeth”, “The Moon and Sixpence”, “Of Human Bondage” and others. He got medical education but his only desire was to become a writer. He tried many professions, traveled a lot, spent much time living abroad which gave him a splendid opportunity to come in touch with many people, to be the witness of numerous events and to learn the evil and the good of the society.

The story under consideration is a vivid example of the author's deep psychological penetration into the soul of his main character, a woman Louise by name.

The title of the story is direct and straightforward. It is the name of the main character. All the events described in the story are connected with the woman; she is the centre of the narration. The narration itself is done in the first person that means that the author is a participant of the matters presented.

The composition of the text is not linear and simple. The story begins with an introduction in which the author gives information on the relations between Louise and himself. Though they have known each other for a long period of time they can hardly be called friends. On the contrary the author expresses his negative attitude towards the woman. Moreover, the introduction sounds as a series of reasons for his disliking Louise and his not understanding why she does not drop him. Mutual dislike turns out to be a struggle between the obvious and the wished, the bluff and the reality. At the same time the introduction may be looked upon as the conclusions to which the author comes after Louise's death showing that he was not mistaken on her part. This is the setting of the story that reveals the conflict being different estimation of one's place in the world, different and very often opposite treatment of one's self in respect to surrounding people.

The story itself is a life-story of Louse who was worshipped with an anxious adoration by her father and mother, for scarlet fever had left her with a weak heart and she had to take the greatest care of herself. She got married to Tom Maitland, a big, husky fellow, very good looking and a fine athlete. Being dreadfully delicate Louise outlived her husband who left her a comfortable fortune and a daughter Iris by name. Having managed to survive the shock Louise allowed George Hobhouse to lead her to the altar. Her second husband was killed in the war and her daughter Iris, who had been at school and was now grown up, came to live with her so as to take care of her poor dear mother. When Iris fell in love and was proposed by a very good lad Louise said she was not against her marriage though she was convinced that it would kill her.

The climax, the tensest moment in the story, comes with the proposal of the author to risk Iris's marriage. A date was fixed, a trousseau of great magnificence was ordered, and invitations were issued. Iris and the very good lad were radiant. The denouement of the story follows practically immediately after the climax: on the wedding day, at ten o'clock in the morning, Louise had one of her heart attacks – and died gently forgiving Iris for having killed her.

The structure of the story is closed as all the necessary components are present. At the same time the part of the story which was acknowledged as its setting may be well considered as the conclusion. Louise's death comes to prove that he was practically the only person who was not fooled by her and his conviction is presented in a generalized form at the beginning of the story. Such a manner of description may be viewed as circular: the last lines explain the reason for the author's dislike of Louise that is given straightforwardly at the very beginning when the reader does not know anything about Louise and may suspect the author to be preconvinced in his opinion.

The literary image of the story is the women who try to use to the full the universal truth that the strength of a woman is her weakness. The problem of the story is whether all the methods are good in trying to achieve strength through weakness. The author gives a brilliant example how an idol turns into a monster. Since her childhood Louise was treated as a goddess. Such words as worship (strong usually religious feeling of love, respect, and admiration, especially when shown to God or a god), adoration (deep love and respect), and sacred (religious in nature or use, holy because connected with God or a god) charge reveal the attitude to Louise in the family which she continued to demand from all the people around her. She becomes so much convinced of her right to live at a sacrifice of others that even her daughter is not an exception. Louise had unconquerable (successful in gaining the praise and attention) spirit (a quality of lively determination or brave effort). She played her role to the end.

The story is very interesting and easy to read though the atmosphere of the narration is tense. Tension is achieved through different means. First of all these are words with different types of connotation: negative evaluation and intensification mainly. Words with negative connotation are used for the characterization of Louise by the author and the author by Louise. For example, “She thought me a coarse, brutal, cynical, and vulgar (extremely rude or bad-manned) fellow.” “I think you're the most selfish and monstrous (extremely bad, immoral, improper, or shocking; disgraceful) woman I have ever known.” The presence of the word extremely in both the definitions shows intensification as well, but negative evaluation prevails.

There are several ideas that are associated with the image of Louise: her constant need in care and someone's responsibility, her poor health and permanent threat of death. The idea of need in care and someone's responsibility is expressed both directly and indirectly. For example, the direct expression is seen in such sentences as “… she had to take the greatest care of herself”, “She was entirely lost without a man to take care of her …”, I never saw anyone so grateful as he for the privilege of being allowed to take care of this frail little thing”, “They took care of her, well – as though they were all her husbands”, “She'll take care of me, - said Louise”, “Nobody cares for me.” Indirectly the idea is expressed by lexical units which contain the notion of care in their semantic structure, for example, delicate (needing careful handling, especially because easily broken or damaged) girl; to entrust (to give someone / something to be responsible for), sacred charge (a person (especially a child) or thing for which one is responsible), upstanding (1 honest and responsible; 2 (of a person) tall and strong).

The idea of Louise's poor health is expressed through medical terms (scarlet fever, heart attack) which make the narration sound true to life, not thought out or invented as well as through the attitude of the surrounding people and Louise herself to it. Louise's aim is to make everybody feel guilty for being healthy. It is expressed through the words whose semantics include the notions of sympathetic feelings. For example, “… it galled (cause to feel annoyed disappointment or anger) her that I alone should look upon her as a comic figure”, “She was then a … girl with large melancholy (sad) eyes”, “She said to me in her plaintive (expressing suffering and sorrow) way”, “She gave me a pathetic (causing a feeling of pity or sorrow) little smile”, “Louise was inconsolable (too sad to be comforted)”, “Who would want to be bothered with a wretched (1 unhappy, in very low spirits; 2 causing unhappiness, discomfort) invalid like herself?', “You always speak as though you grudged (to give or allow unwillingly) me the few years that I can expect to live”, “She had been brought up with the knowledge that her mother's health was precarious (unsafe, not firm or steady), “Haven't you got any compassion (sympathy for the sufferings of others, causing a desire to help them) for me?”

The duty of all the others is to be ready to sacrifice their liver for Louise's sake. Tom Maitland gave up the games he excelled in; he caught his death of cold when they were sailing and Louise needed all the rugs there to keep her warm; George Hobhouse was a soldier and an ambitious one, but he resigned his commission; for Iris it was a happiness to do what she could for her poor dear mother; with a sigh her mother let her do a great deal.

The idea of the permanent threat of death is expressed mainly through set expressions, for example, her life hangs on a thread, I shall be at death's door, I must be prepared for the worst, I know it'll kill me, etc. The expressions belong to different styles: to hang on / by a thread, to be prepared for the worst are euphemisms, at death's door is considered to be humorous. Thus, through difference in style the author underlines ironic and not serious attitude towards the treat of death which Louise has made her main weapon in keeping everybody feel guilty if something happens to her.

Lexical units of different styles are not infrequent in the story. Stylistical reference of words and expressions usually describe the situation of communication. Thus, the rather formal word consent (to give one's permission or agreement) in the description of the proposal of the young man to Iris seems quite adequate. Other cases of formal words usage produce ironical and even sarcastic effect on the reader. For example, “she sought (to make a search for, try to find or get, to ask for, go to request) my acquaintance” though the author and Louise “had known one another almost intimately, for five-and-twenty years”; “He told her that I had remarked on her endurance (the power of remaining alive or in existence, especially in spite of difficulty); “They (the friends) would not let her stir a finger (not to make or cause a slight movement)”; “For the next two or three years Louise managed, notwithstanding (in spite of) her weak heart, to go to all the most lively parties”; “precarious health”. Still other formal words describe the recognized achievements and qualities of Tom and George. For example, “He (Tom) gave up the games he excelled (to be the best or better than) in”; “He (George) was a fine upstanding (1 honest and responsible, 2 tall and strong) fellow. Sometimes the words of formal and informal style are brought together to express irony and even slight irritation by the trifles that are treated as some great matters. For example, “Then they (Louise and Tom) would have quite a little tussle (informal a rough struggle or fight) about which should yield (formal or literary to give up control of, surrender)”. The old-fashioned word humbug (a deceitful person who pretends to be something he / she is not) and old-fashioned slang expression to be full and square (having the mind and attention fixed only on, thinking of nothing else except, not following the latest ideas, styles, etc.) underline the constant struggle between Louise and the author. Informal expressions (husky (big and strong) fellow, stiff (strong, especially in alcohol) drink) describe Tom's and George's qualities in a friendly way. At the same time the word crook (informal a very dishonest person, especially a criminal) reveals the author's irritation in respect to the quality of relations between Louise and himself. On the whole, words and expressions of different styles make it possible to avoid monotony, to present the events and characters in a lively way and to make the reader understand not only the obvious but also the fathom, not immediately seen qualities and motives of the characters.

The text provides the reader with cultural information. Thus, the words rug (especially BrE a large warm woolen covering to wrap round oneself, especially when travelling or camping) and lad (especially BrE a boy, a young man) reveal typically British conceptual picture of the world. Another source of cultural information in the story is proper names such as Monte Carlo (a town in Monaco where many wealthy people live or visit. It has many casinos and is famous for car rally), Deauville (a resort in France), the Ritz (one of an international group of expensive hotels) that show the way of spending time by well off people. Two words more characterize Louise as belonging to the rich who have got used to idling time at expensive resorts pretending to improve their health. These are gamble (to risk (money, property, etc.) on the result of something uncertain, such as a card game, horse race, a business arrangement) and villa (a large ancient Roman Country house with the buildings and (farm) land belonging to it). The French colouring to the text give some words that have not been fully assimilated by the English language and are still felt as borrowings. Here belongs, for example, trousseau (the personal possessions, including clothes and articles for the home that a woman brings with her when she marries).

The syntactic arrangement of the story is of interest as well. All types and kinds of sentences and clauses can be come across, but those with negative structure prevail. The negation can be observed on the morphological level, for example, dislike, a disagreeable thing, it was impossible for me to believe, an uneasy suspicion, sweet and uncomplaining and others. There are also many sentences with grammatical negation, such as “I am afraid she did notlike my reply”, “You can't very well expect me”, “She did not know how she was going to bring up her dear Iris”, “I shan't live to trouble you long” and so on. Besides, negation is found in many set expressions, for example, on no account, no business of mine, to be out of the question not to mention the numerous cases with never, nobody, nothing. For example, “I could never understand why Louise bothered with me”, “I never saw anyone so grateful as he”, “It'll never be better”, “As a child she had never been allowed to make a noise”, “I never want anyone to put themselves out on my account”, “I suppose it's never struck you as strange”, etc. Negative structures make the atmosphere of the narration tense, they make the reader expect unpleasant things to happen and realize the uneasy relations of the characters. At the same time the majority of negative sentence in the story are based on exaggeration. It is seen not only in the sentences with the word never, but also in the structures with the superlatives. For example, “She had to take thegreatest care of herself”, “She was the most submissive wife a man could have”, “She has been to all the best heart specialists”, “to go beautifully dressed to all the most lively parties”, “I can't see the least reason why you shouldn't bury at least two more” and so on. Exaggeration is understood through lexical intensifiers, for example, “to do everything in the world”, “to do everything he could”, “she was entirely lost”, “the officer were too charming to her”, “she did not look a day more than twenty-five”, “you're always strong enough to do anything you want to” and the like. Some negative in structure sentences are affirmative in their meaning that makes the idea expressed still deeper and stronger. For example, “She's not going to be married quite as soon as I could have wished.”

Another type of sentences that immediately arrests the reader's attention is that of expressing volition. For example, “She allowed George Hobhouse to lead her to the altar”, “Louise's health forced her to spend the winter at Monte Carlo”, “With a sigh her mother let her do a great deal”, “She made me” and so on. The idea sounds stronger and more persuasive with the modal verb would / would not. For example, “She would not leave me alone”, “they would not let her stir a finger”, “Louise at first would not hear of it”, “they wouldn't let her do a single thing”, “The girl simply would notlisten”, etc.

The idea of repeated actions is also expressed through the grammatical pattern with the help of would. For example, “Her heart failed her and she would be laid up for a week”, “Then they would have quite a little tussle”.

It is interesting to notice that the text abandons in sentences with “would”. Besides the mentioned cases it is used in the clauses of unreal condition (“Poor Tom would have wished her to”), in the structures with reporting verbs (“Her friends told her that she would never survive the strain”). Making use of wide range of lexical and grammatical properties of the word the author remains firm and consecutive in his attitude to Louise. On the other hand, this means creates the atmosphere of permanent rivalry between the good and the bad, the honest and dishonest, the permitted and forbidden, the hoped and the got.

The syntactic arrangement of the story can be characterized through the types of speech made use of by the author. The greater part is taken by the exterior monologue (the speech of the author). Against the background of the observed written language norms in the author's narration some typically oral ways of speaking are found in the dialogical part of the text. Here belong contracted forms of the verbs (can't, she's delicate, you've been prepared, etc.), elliptical sentences (“And poor Tom!”, “Dreadfully.”, “Never.”) which show the usual way of expressing ideas in actual speech. Some sentences in the dialogue contain addresses, for example, “My poor friend”, “My dear Louise” that show the way of addressing to long-acquainted people. The natural way of speaking is revealed through parenthesis (well, by the way, heaven knows).

The dialogical speech in the story is characterized by a number of rhetorical questions. For example, “Don't you think she ought to go out and about more?”, “Don't you think it's rather hard on her?”, “Haven't you got any compassion for me?” These sentences are questions in form only; their meaning is that of statement, they just show a more reserved and polite form of expressing ideas. The same can be said about the passage with inner speech: “She was entirely lost without a man to take care of her, she said, and she did not know how, with her delicate health, she was going to bring up her dear Iris. Her friends asked why she did not marry again. Oh, with her heart it was out of the question, though of course she knew that dear Tom would have wished her to, and perhaps it would be the best thing for Iris if she did; but who would want to be bothered with a wretched invalid like herself?” The extract is given in the monological part of the story, but its syntactic arrangement (the parenthesis “Oh”, the rhetorical question at the end) is usual for direct speech. Another typically dialogical kind of questions is tag ones (“Your heart's much better, isn't it?”) which are very close to rhetorical in their meaning. They rather express one's assurance than ask for information.

The story “Louise” is a vivid example of different language means that make the reader get interested not only in the events happening, but in the psychological characteristics of the people described. The central figure in the story is Louise. She is given the author's characteristics: “She had too much delicacy to make a direct statement”, “She was a mistress of cold praise”, “I wondered whether she fooled herself as thoroughly as she fooled the world”, “I suggested to Tom Maitland that she was stronger than one would have thought”, “She was now a woman of over forty, thin and frail still, with large eyes and pale cheeks, but she did not look a day more than twenty-five”. As the story is the first person narration the characteristics can hardly be considered as objective. At the same time, they are likely to be true as there are some remarks on the reactions of people close to Louise. For example, “On one occasion seeing her walk eight miles on an expedition that she particularly wanted to make, I suggested to Tom Maitland that she was stronger than one should have thought. He shook his head and sighed”, “But George Hobhouse had not the stamina of Louise's first husband and he had to brace himself now and then with a stiff drink for his day's work as Louise's second husband.”

The image of Louise is contradictory. Two different people can be pictured judging from the words of the author and Louise herself. But the last lines of the story make it clear that the only person whom Louise has not managed to fool was the author. “On the wedding day, at ten o'clock in the morning, Louise, that devilish woman, had one of her heart attacks – and died. She died gently forgiving Iris for having killed her.” It was not her poor health, her weak heart; it was Iris who killed her. That is where the prediction of the author comes true: “You ruined the lives of those two wretched men you married and now you're going to ruin the life of your daughter.”

Other characters of the story are described as Louise's victims who are given the greatest honour to sacrifice their lives for Louise's sake.

The story “Louise” by W.S. Maugham can be referred to the genre of psychological drama. And it is due to the author's talent and profound knowledge of the language that a rather reserved way of narration produces the effect of burning passion in getting the result set.