The title "The Painted Veil" for W. Somerset Maugham's novel is deeply symbolic, representing the pervasive deception and moral compromise within society. The "veil" itself signifies a cover or a facade, and the act of it being "painted" implies it's not innocent or pure; rather, it's artificially colored or embellished to conceal underlying imperfections and moral decay.
Maugham employed this concept to illustrate how society and the individuals within it are inherently tainted. This metaphorical veil suggests that people often live behind a screen of pretense, illusion, or self-deception, masking their true nature, their imperfections, or the moral failings of the world around them.
The novel contrasts this prevalent impurity with genuine innocence. Significantly, the only characters in the novel described as literally wearing white are the nuns. Their pure attire serves as a powerful visual contrast to the "painted veil" worn by others, highlighting their spiritual and moral purity in a world otherwise characterized by deceit and moral ambiguity.
In essence, the title encapsulates the novel's central theme: the unveiling of illusions and the search for authentic meaning and redemption in a world shrouded by artificiality.
