The Hero
1901
The Hero, written by W. Somerset Maugham and first published in 1901, follows Colonel Parsons and his wife as they await the return of their son, Jamie, from the South African War. The narrative explores themes of honor, disgrace, and the pressures of familial expectations, particularly in the context of Jamie's transformation from a boy to a war hero. As he returns with a Victoria Cross, the story delves into the complexities of identity and the struggle between personal aspirations and societal demands, ultimately challenging the characters' perceptions of heroism and worth.
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“No pain in love is so hard to bear as that which comes from the impossibility of doing any service from the well-beloved, and no service is so repulsive that love cannot make it delightful and easy.””
— W. Somerset Maugham
“You must know what life is. One can do no good by shutting one's eyes to everything that doesn't square with a shoddy, false ideal.””
— W. Somerset Maugham
“And they had a fairly pleasant time in Pretoria. Eventually, I believe, wars will be quite bloodless; rival armies will perambulate, and whenever one side has got into a good position, the other will surrender wholesale.””
— W. Somerset Maugham
