Redefining Subjectivity and Ethics: Maugham and Zhuangzi

W. Somerset Maugham, an English author active from the late 19(th) to the mid-20(th )century, has long been the subject of comparative and cross-cultural literary studies, especially in relation to his literary connections with the East. Moving beyond Edward Said's "Orientalist" model, this paper adopts J. J. Clarke's concept of "strategy of self-questioning" to explore Maugham's "creative" engagement with Zhuangzi's philosophies. Through analyzing The Painted Veil and The Narrow Corner , the paper argues that Maugham employs Zhuangzi's concept of Yi Dao Guan Wu as a lens to redefine the concepts of subjectivity and ethics within the context of cross-cultural dialogue.