Regarding his orientation

[Mr. Dark]

According to the biographical information on the site:
"Although he was homosexual, he married once and had numerous affairs with women, many of his female characters mirroring real life lovers."

Wouldn't that by definition make him bisexual?

[Emil Miller]

According to the biographical information on the site:
"Although he was homosexual, he married once and had numerous affairs with women, many of his female characters mirroring real life lovers."

Wouldn't that by definition make him bisexual?

Yes, but who are you talking about?

[Mr. Dark]

Somerset Maugham. Am I wrong in the forum?

[Emil Miller]

Somerset Maugham. Am I wrong in the forum?

No, you are in the right forum. I have made a study of Maugham over a number of years and there is absolutely no truth in his having had extra-marital relationships with any women during his marriage to Syrie Barnardo, although he certainly had them with men. The marriage was simply a smoke screen to hide his homosexuality from the public, which at that time would have been disastrous for the sales of his books.
Like many homosexuals, he was promiscuous but he had two long-term partners; the first being Gerald Haxton, an American whom he met in France during WW1, and later Alan Searle who remained with him until he died.

[Mr. Dark]

No, you are in the right forum. I have made a study of Maugham over a number of years and there is absolutely no truth in his having had extra-marital relationships with any women during his marriage to Syrie Barnardo, although he certainly had them with men. The marriage was simply a smoke screen to hide his homosexuality from the public, which at that time would have been disastrous for the sales of his books.
Like many homosexuals, he was promiscuous but he had two long-term partners; the first being Gerald Haxton, an American whom he met in France during WW1, and later Alan Searle who remained with him until he died.

But what of his female characters mirroring the women he had relationships with? Was it all fabricated? Or did they actual mirror the men he had relationships with?

[Emil Miller]

But what of his female characters mirroring the women he had relationships with? Was it all fabricated? Or did they actual mirror the men he had relationships with?

The female characters in his books were probably based on those from his wide circle of acqaintances whom he met on his many travels throughout the world as were the male characters in his stories. It is, however, generally believed that Mildred, the main femail character in his novel Of Human Bondage, was actually based on a schoolboy friend of his at Kings School Canterbury.

Incidentally, I would be interested to know which site gave you your original misinformation about Maugham

[Mr. Dark]

This one. My original post was in reference to this - http://www.online-literature.com/maugham/