Salvatore by W. Somerset Maugham: Summary & Analysis

Plot Summary / The Storyline

The story “Salvatore” by William Somerset Maugham begins abruptly with “I wonder if I can do it.” The writer is doubtful whether he can hold our attention for a few pages when he narrates the story of Salvatore.

Salvatore was fifteen years old, the eldest son of an Italian fisherman. He had a pleasant face and happily took care of his two younger brothers. He spent his morning lying on the sea-beach and used to swim effortlessly in the sea where his father used to catch fish.

As Salvatore grew, he fell in love and was betrothed to a girl who lived on the Grande Marina. The girl was pretty and had beautiful eyes.

Then Salvatore left home for military service to become a sailor in the navy of King Victor Emmanuel. He felt nostalgic and missed the islands of Ischia and Vesuvius which he now realized were parts of his life as important as his hands and legs. He felt all alone in the battleship living with strangers and also in the noisy friendless cities where he landed. Salvatore now grew homesick. And above all these, he missed his fiancee (the girl he is engaged to) the most.

In service, Salvatore was sent to many places like Spezia, Venice, Bari and China. He fell ill when in China, and as he was suffering from rheumatism he was considered unfit for further service. Salvatore did not mind his illness and rather felt happy to return to his own home. He was eager to meet his family and fiancee.

On his return he was very emotionally welcomed by his parents and brothers with ‘great deal of kissing’ and cry of joy. But Salvatore was looking for his girl in the crowd, but in vain. She was not there.

When he went to her house, she was sitting with her mother at the doorstep. They had already received the news of his illness and learned that he ‘would never be quite well again’, ‘would never be strong enough to work like a man’. So, his fiancee’s mother bluntly told him that her daughter could not marry him now. This was a heartbreak for Salvatore, but he did not blame the girl.

One day Salvatore’s mother told him about Assunta, a girl older than him who had seen him at a festival, fallen in love with him and wanted to marry him. Though at first he denied, on his mother’s advice he got married to Assunta and settled down in a tiny house in the middle of a vineyard. Later they had two children, both boys.

Salvatore had to work hard to earn a living. He used to catch cuttlefish at night. He also used to work in his vineyard the whole day.

His rheumatism often took its toll on him; he would then lie down on the beach with pain racking his limbs but never did he utter an unpleasant word for anyone. Never did he blame anyone for anything in his life.

Salvatore was a responsible husband as well as an affectionate father. At times he gave his children a bath and used to hold them tenderly as if they were flowers.

Finally the author comes back to where he started. He reminds us that he wanted to keep us attentive throughout his narration and he has successfully done so. Maugham depicts the character of Salvatore as a man who possessed nothing but an invaluable quality, “the rarest, the most precious and the loveliest that anyone can have”  – the quality of goodness.

Publication

The short story "Salvatore" was written by the famous British author William Somerset Maugham. It was originally published in July 1924 in Cosmopolitan magazine under the title "Salvatore the Fisherman." Later, it was included in Maugham’s collected works, such as the 1936 collection Cosmopolitans. This collection featured very short stories that were originally written for magazines.

Maugham was one of the most popular and highest-paid writers of the 1930s. He traveled widely, and many of his stories are based on real people he met during his travels. "Salvatore" is a biographical sketch rather than a dramatic plot-driven story. It reflects Maugham’s interest in human character and his belief that ordinary people often possess extraordinary qualities.

The story is unique because Maugham speaks directly to the reader. He starts by wondering if he can hold the reader's attention while describing a simple man with no exciting adventures. This breaks the "fourth wall" and makes the story feel like a personal conversation between the author and the reader.

Context

The story is set in the early 20th century, covering the period before and after World War I. At this time, Italy was facing economic difficulties. Many young men from poor fishing villages were conscripted into military service. The story mentions Salvatore doing his military service in China, which reflects the global reach of colonial powers at that time.

The location of the story is the island of Capri in southern Italy. Capri is known for its stunning beauty, blue waters, and vineyards. However, for the locals, life was hard work. They were fishermen and farmers who lived simple, traditional lives. They were deeply connected to their families and their land.

Maugham visited Capri often and observed the local people. In this context, the story contrasts the simple, hard life of a fisherman with the complex, noisy world outside (like the military service). It highlights the traditional values of loyalty and acceptance that were common in rural Italian communities.

Setting

The primary setting is the beautiful island of Capri in the Gulf of Naples, Italy. The story opens with a vivid description of the landscape. We see the jagged rocks, the blue sea, and the vineyards on the hills. It is a place of great natural beauty, but also of intense heat and physical labor. The setting is idyllic and peaceful.

There is a brief but important shift in setting when Salvatore joins the navy. He travels to Spezia, Venice, Bari, and finally to China. These places are described as noisy, crowded, and terrifying to the simple island boy. He hates them. This contrast emphasizes how much he belongs to his quiet island home.

The final scenes return to Capri. We see Salvatore’s small house in the middle of a vineyard and the beach where he bathes his children. The setting represents stability. While the rest of the world is chaotic and cruel, Salvatore’s island remains a constant source of comfort and healing for him.

Title

The title "Salvatore" is simply the name of the main character. In Italian, "Salvatore" means "Savior." This is very significant. Although Salvatore is not a religious figure or a hero in the traditional sense, he "saves" himself and those around him through his kindness. His name reflects his inner quality of grace.

By using just the name as the title, Maugham puts the entire focus on the character. The story is not about an event; it is a portrait of a person. The title suggests that the man himself is the story. It invites the reader to look closely at this one individual who might otherwise be ignored.

The title also serves as an answer to the narrator's question at the end. The narrator asks what quality makes this man special. The answer is the man himself—Salvatore. His identity is defined not by what he does (fishing), but by who he is. The simple title mirrors the simple, unpretentious nature of the protagonist.

Narrative and Language

The story is told from the first-person point of view. The narrator is clearly Maugham himself. He acts as a storyteller who is sketching a portrait for the reader. The tone is conversational and relaxed. He uses phrases like "I wonder if I can do it" and "I wanted to see." This makes the story feel intimate and honest.

The language is descriptive but simple. Maugham uses beautiful imagery to describe the island, mentioning the "volcanic rocks" and "scents of flowers." However, when describing Salvatore, the language becomes plain. He is described as having a "pleasant, ugly face" and "trusting eyes." This contrast prevents the story from becoming too sentimental.

The narrative structure is chronological. It follows Salvatore’s life from a 15-year-old boy to a middle-aged father. It skips over many years quickly to focus on key moments. The most unique narrative device is the ending, where the narrator explicitly tells the reader the moral of the story. He explains that he wrote the story to showcase the quality of "Goodness."

Salvatore by W. Somerset Maugham – Themes

Goodness

The central theme of the story is human goodness. Maugham argues that true goodness is a rare and precious quality. Salvatore is not clever, rich, or famous. He is just good. He accepts his hardships without complaining. He forgives the girl who dumps him. He loves his children gently. The story suggests that this simple, inner light is more valuable than any other talent. It challenges the reader to value character over achievement.

Acceptance and Resignation

Salvatore faces many tragedies: he gets sick with rheumatism, he is kicked out of the navy, and his fiancée leaves him. A normal person might become bitter or angry. Salvatore, however, accepts his fate with a "smile of infinite sadness." He does not fight against reality. He accepts that the girl cannot marry a sick man who cannot work. This theme of stoic acceptance shows a deep maturity. It suggests that peace comes from accepting what we cannot change.

The Beauty of Ordinary Life

The story celebrates the ordinary. Salvatore lives a boring life by most standards. He fishes, works in a vineyard, and takes care of his family. Yet, Maugham portrays this life as beautiful. The scene where Salvatore bathes his baby boys is described with great tenderness. The story argues that there is profound beauty in the everyday duties of a common man. We do not need grand adventures to live a meaningful life.

Salvatore by W. Somerset Maugham – Symbols

The Sea/Ocean

The sea is a major symbol in the story. It represents Salvatore’s freedom and his home. As a boy, he swims in the sea effortlessly. It is his playground. When he is in the navy, he is separated from the sea he loves, and he becomes miserable. Later, the sea becomes a place of healing where he takes his children. It symbolizes the constant, calming presence of nature in his life.

Rheumatism

The illness, rheumatism, symbolizes the harsh reality of life. It is the random tragedy that strikes an innocent man. It ends his military career and ruins his marriage plans. It represents the unfair obstacles that life throws at us. However, it also serves to test Salvatore’s character. Because of this illness, we see his true strength—not physical strength, but the strength of his spirit to forgive and endure.

The Laughing Mouth

Salvatore is frequently described as having a "laughing mouth" and "care-free eyes." This physical feature symbolizes his optimistic soul. Even when he is in pain or heartbroken, his essential nature remains joyful. He greets the world with a smile. This symbol persists from his youth into his middle age. It shows that while his body has been damaged by illness and hard work, his spirit remains innocent and happy.

Salvatore – Critical Commentary

"Salvatore" is often praised for its deceptive simplicity. On the surface, it seems like a boring story where nothing happens. A boy grows up, gets sick, gets dumped, gets married, and lives a normal life. However, critics point out that this is exactly Maugham’s point. He challenges the reader’s expectation of drama. He forces us to find interest in a character who has no villainy and no great ambition.

The story is a masterclass in character study. Maugham avoids making Salvatore a saint or a caricature. He describes him as "ugly" and "coarse," which makes his inner beauty shine brighter. If Salvatore were handsome and perfect, the story would be a fairy tale. By making him a rough fisherman, Maugham grounds the moral lesson in reality.

The ending is a famous example of a writer stepping out of the story. Maugham admits that the story might seem dull ("I wanted to hold your attention"). He reveals his purpose explicitly: to depict the quality of Goodness. Some critics find this "moralizing" a bit heavy-handed, but most agree it works because the preceding story proves his point. We do care about Salvatore by the end, proving that goodness is indeed a compelling subject.