Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7

Commentary on the work
Author's Chronology

Somerset Maugham's novel, The Razor's Edge, is set in 1930s Europe, an era of affluence and ambition, and depicts the journey of a young man who steadfastly forges his own path.
Along with "The Moon and Sixpence" and "Of Human Bondage," "The Razor's Edge" is considered one of Somerset Maugham's representative long novels and is loved by many. It poses a fundamental question about what life is through a young man who chooses the arduous and arduous path of salvation, as if crossing a sharp razor's edge.
Although the author deals with the rather heavy and serious subject of 'salvation', he does not lose his characteristically clear and concise writing style and humor, successfully demonstrating his literary view that 'novels are for fun' in this work as well.
With its meticulous composition, "Razor's Edge" evenly displays the youthful colors radiating not only from the protagonist Larry but also from those around him, posing a serious question to the withdrawn youth of this era: what is most valuable in life?

Somerset Maugham, a 20th-century writer beloved by the public

Somerset Maugham wrote in his autobiographical memoir, The Summing Up, “I was cruelly criticized in my twenties, arrogant in my thirties, cynical in my forties, competent in my fifties, and shallow in my sixties.”
This may seem harsh for an assessment of an author whose works were widely loved and who even received the Order of Merit and the Order of Literature in his later years, but this confession is not just a joke on the part of the author.
In fact, he was a writer who was ignored by critics during his lifetime, and despite his fame, there is still surprisingly little serious research on his works.
But as we all know, Maugham is a representative writer of the 20th century who has provided entertainment, emotion, insight and discovery to many readers.
He lived until the age of 91, completing 20 novels, 25 plays, 11 travelogues and essays, and 100 short stories. He was so diligent in his work that he earned the nickname “writer of energy.” His great passion for literature was fully conveyed to the public of his time.
So, to reintroduce him using the expression of the body, he was a master who was enthusiastically loved by the public while alive, and after death, he was remembered as an immortal classic.
In particular, several of his full-length novels have become classics, creating profound worlds based on sharp observation and vivid character portrayals.
One of them is 『Razor Blade』, which was belatedly introduced to our country.

The most noble value that an ordinary human being can pursue

The most important axis of this work is the compositional journey of the protagonist Larry.
Although he lost his parents at a young age, Larry grew up in a wealthy family and was an ordinary young man who went to church and enjoyed golf like any other young man.
His future seemed smooth enough that he could even marry his pretty girlfriend, whom he had known since childhood, without any obstacles.
But after enlisting in World War I with the humble hope of flying, Larry's life takes a different turn from that of most young men.
It was triggered by the scene where a cheerful friend he had become close with in the military saved him during a battle, only to die right before his eyes.
After the war, he returns home, but having experienced the harsh realities of life, he is gripped by existential questions he cannot quite explain.

“I had a feeling, almost an intuition, that some kind of confusing conflict was stirring within this young man.
I couldn't tell whether the conflict stemmed from some deep thought or some vague emotion, but I felt like I was moving in an unknown direction, gripped by confusion and anxiety.”

Ultimately, Larry abandons his stable job, his soon-to-be fiancée, and the chance to become a normal member of high society, and embarks on a long journey in search of philosophical answers to the question of human existence.
The journey of the composition takes him through the coal mines and monasteries of France, the farms of Germany, various parts of Spain and Italy, and finally to the Ashrama of India.
The period in this work begins with World War I, continues through the Great Depression, and continues through World War II.
It is a time of social turmoil, with traditional values ​​collapsing due to several major events and new values ​​not yet fully mature.
But "Razor's Edge" doesn't connect this chaos to exhausting nihilism or escapism.
Rather than focusing on worldly vanity and anxiety, the film delves into the fundamental questions of life, such as why we live and how we should live, through the character of Larry.
Larry's salvation in the novel is connected to the Eastern worldview.
Larry devours the books of mystics like Roysburg, seeks salvation in individual spiritual transformation, and has a wandering side.
This also coincides with Somerset Maugham's own interests.
In fact, the body gained much philosophical inspiration through a trip to India in his youth, and he vividly portrays those experiences in this novel.

The sacred seed hidden in secular life

Meanwhile, Larry's fiancée, Isabel, makes a completely different decision than Larry at a crossroads in her life.
Isabel, who grew up in the same neighborhood as Larry since childhood and is proud of knowing everything about him, is anxious because Larry, who has returned from the war, feels like a different person than before.
Isabel, who could not stand to see Larry “idling around” without any intention of getting a job, let alone getting married, suggests that he go to Paris for two years to study as much as he wants and then come back.
But after two years of promise, when Larry keeps saying "stupid things," she gives up on him without hesitation.

“But Larry, you know what? You’re asking me to live a life that doesn’t fit me.
A life I have no interest in, and no desire to be interested in.
I'm just an ordinary woman.
How many times do I have to tell you? I'm only twenty.
I'll be old in 10 years, and I want to enjoy life while I have time.
Oh, Larry, I love you so much.
But the life you speak of is trivial.”

Isabel, who chose a stable and glamorous life over love, marries Gray, a friend of Larry and a second-generation chaebol.
However, the author does not simply portray Isabel as a villainess.
Rather, she is portrayed as a pure and lovely woman who is honest about her desires.
Not only her, but also Gray, who became penniless during the Great Depression after pursuing a business through unreasonable stubbornness, Sophie, who went mad after losing her husband and child, the worn-out Susan who lived as the mistress of Montmartre painters, and even Eliot, a snobbish person in Parisian society, all say that the writer was “lovable.”
The body beautifully displays the diverse values ​​that exist in this era through people living with various hopes.
Ultimately, even if it's for personal happiness or selfish desires, the characters in "Razor's Edge" are at least confident in what they want and work hard for it.
In this work, we can see the seeds of holiness hidden within secular life.
Even Larry, who is most detached from worldly life, finds a connection to reality based on the enlightenment he has gained from his long journey.
With this, the author suggests that the noisy and chaotic concrete reality is not merely vulgar and shabby, but can become a place that embodies holiness.

Lively banter that unfolds both inside and outside the story

One of the unique things about this book is that the author himself appears as a character in the novel.
Somerset Maugham, the narrator of the story and a supporting character in the work, tells the story of the characters' lives, sometimes as a close neighbor, and sometimes as an old friend who has not been in touch for years.
Although Somerset Maugham in the novel is clearly a fictional character, he not only shares the same profession and name as the writer, but also creates a realistic story based on his hobbies, habits, and personality.
Furthermore, by utilizing this novel setting, the author candidly reveals his concerns outside the story.

“I have never started a novel with such anxious feelings.
If I call this a novel, it is only because I cannot think of any other name to give it.
“There isn’t much of a plot, and the ending doesn’t end with death or marriage.”

In his later years, he remains a sarcastic and cynical individualist, but at the same time he displays the attitude of an adult who is tolerant of the selfishness of others and embraces their stubbornness.
Through "Razor's Edge," the author may not be an enthusiastic supporter of all wandering young people, but he extends a helping hand and provides warmth when needed.
"Razor's Edge" offers a deep reflection on human existence through Larry, who goes beyond the rails set by the world.
It is a paradox that the seeds of nobility that lie dormant in everyone can only shine clearly when proven through life.
At the same time, rather than absolutizing the sublimity he created, the author leaves the value judgment up to the readers, drawing emotion and empathy from the lives of all those struggling in their own places.