The Verger by W. Somerset Maugham Summary

“The Verger” is a short story by W. Somerset Maugham about Albert Edward Foreman, a humble man who serves as a verger at St. Peter’s Church in Neville Square. For 16 years, Albert has been dedicated to his job, performing his duties with pride and efficiency. He loves his work, wearing his verger’s gown with great dignity. However, his life takes a sudden turn when a new vicar arrives and insists on changes that alter the course of Albert’s life.

Albert is not an educated man; he cannot read or write. This fact had never been a problem during his long years of service. He carried out his responsibilities perfectly and earned the respect of the church members and clergy. However, the new vicar, a young man who is keen on making everything in the church perfect, discovers Albert’s illiteracy and sees it as unacceptable. He believes that a church official should be able to read and write because these skills represent the standard the church should uphold.

One day, after a church service, the vicar asks Albert to join him and the churchwardens for a meeting. Albert is confused but follows obediently. During the meeting, the vicar confronts Albert about his inability to read and write. He tells Albert that this lack of education does not reflect well on St. Peter’s Church. Albert is taken aback. He tries to defend himself, stating that he has been doing his job well for 16 years without any issues. Despite his arguments, the vicar insists that Albert must learn to read and write within three months or resign from his position.

Albert is devastated by the vicar’s demand. He tries to explain that at his age, it would be very difficult for him to learn these skills. He is not young anymore, and the thought of going back to learning basics like reading and writing feels overwhelming and embarrassing. But the vicar is firm. He tells Albert that if he does not learn, he will have to leave his job. Albert politely refuses the offer to learn, saying it is too late for him to start now. Seeing that Albert is unwilling to change, the vicar tells him that he must resign immediately. Albert’s long-standing service is dismissed in an instant, leaving him jobless and humiliated.

As Albert leaves the church, he feels lost and deeply upset. For years, he had taken pride in his work, and now he is left wondering what to do next. He doesn’t want to go home immediately, so he decides to walk around the city, trying to clear his mind and think of his next steps. As he walks along the streets, Albert feels the weight of his situation. He has some savings, but they are not enough to live comfortably without work. He is unsure how to provide for himself in the long term.

While wandering, Albert feels the urge to smoke. He doesn’t smoke often, but at that moment, he feels that a cigarette might help calm his nerves. He looks around for a tobacco shop, but surprisingly, there isn’t one in the area. Albert finds this strange, thinking that such a busy street would be the perfect place for a tobacco shop. As he continues to think, an idea begins to form in his mind. Albert realizes that there might be a business opportunity here. He decides to take a risk and open his own tobacco shop in this location.

With the little money he has saved, Albert rents a small shop and starts selling tobacco and cigarettes. To his delight, the business takes off quickly. His shop becomes popular, and Albert finds himself enjoying his new role as a shop owner. He works hard, treating his customers well, and soon makes a steady profit. Encouraged by his success, Albert expands his business. Over the next ten years, he opens more tobacco shops in different parts of London. His business thrives, and Albert’s wealth grows significantly. He goes from being a humble church verger to a prosperous businessman, owning ten shops across the city.

One day, Albert goes to the bank to deposit his earnings. The bank manager, impressed by the large sum of money Albert has accumulated, suggests that he invest his savings in secure assets. The manager explains that investing in certain securities could earn Albert more money over time. However, Albert is hesitant. He is not familiar with investments, and he prefers to keep his money safe in the bank where he can see it. When the manager offers to handle the paperwork and explains that Albert only needs to sign the documents, Albert’s illiteracy is revealed once more.

Albert tells the bank manager that he cannot read or write, so he doesn’t understand what he would be signing. The manager is shocked. He cannot believe that a man who cannot even read has managed to build such a successful business empire. In disbelief, he remarks that Albert has done incredibly well without basic education and wonders aloud what Albert could have achieved if he had been literate. Albert responds with a simple, yet profound answer: if he had known how to read and write, he would still be the verger at St. Peter’s Church, carrying out his duties quietly and without question.

This response highlights the irony of Albert’s journey. His inability to read and write, which was initially seen as a disadvantage that cost him his job, ultimately led him to a far more prosperous and fulfilling life. The story illustrates that formal education is not the only path to success. Albert’s success comes from his willingness to adapt, his keen observation, and his boldness to take risks. His story is a testament to the power of resilience and the unexpected ways that life can unfold.

Analysis of “The Verger” by W. Somerset Maugham

“The Verger” by W. Somerset Maugham is a thought-provoking short story that explores themes like self-reliance, resilience, and the power of unconventional success. The story follows Albert Edward Foreman, a humble man who loses his job as a verger at St. Peter’s Church because he cannot read or write. This event, which initially seems like a misfortune, becomes the turning point of Albert’s life, leading him to become a successful businessman. The narrative shows that traditional education and skills are not the only measures of a person’s potential.

Theme of Self-Reliance and Resilience

One of the main themes of “The Verger” is self-reliance. Albert’s journey reflects how inner strength and resilience can help people overcome setbacks. When the new vicar dismisses Albert from his long-standing job due to his illiteracy, Albert feels lost and unsure of his future. However, instead of giving up or feeling sorry for himself, he finds a way to move forward. His resilience is seen when he refuses to learn to read and write at his age, knowing that it would be a difficult task. Instead, he chooses to rely on his instincts and practical knowledge, which ultimately leads him to success.

Albert’s success as a businessman is a result of his self-reliance. He does not seek help from others but instead relies on his observations and understanding of people’s needs. This aspect of his character highlights that being self-reliant does not always mean doing everything alone but using one’s skills, knowledge, and experiences effectively. Even though Albert lacks formal education, his resourcefulness helps him identify a business opportunity in the absence of a tobacco shop on a busy street. This quick decision-making shows his ability to turn adversity into opportunity.

Critique of Conventional Education

Maugham’s story also critiques the conventional view of education as the sole path to success. Albert’s illiteracy is seen as a major flaw by the new vicar, who believes that all church officials should be educated. The vicar’s insistence that Albert learn to read and write reflects a narrow-minded view of what skills are valuable. However, the story challenges this idea by showing that Albert’s success has little to do with formal education. He possesses qualities like determination, creativity, and a strong work ethic, which prove to be more valuable than the ability to read or write.

Albert’s journey highlights the limitations of traditional education in measuring a person’s worth or potential. The bank manager’s reaction to discovering Albert’s illiteracy further emphasizes this point. The manager is shocked that Albert, an uneducated man, has built a business empire and accumulated substantial wealth. This reaction shows society’s bias towards formal education and how it often overlooks other forms of intelligence, such as practical knowledge, intuition, and business acumen.

Irony and the Twist of Fate

Irony plays a significant role in “The Verger.” The story’s central irony lies in how Albert’s illiteracy, initially viewed as a weakness, becomes the driving force behind his success. If Albert had been literate, he would have remained the verger at St. Peter’s Church, leading a modest and predictable life. Instead, losing his job pushes him to take risks and explore new opportunities that change his life for the better. This twist of fate suggests that life’s setbacks can sometimes be blessings in disguise, pushing people toward paths they might never have considered.

Another layer of irony is found in Albert’s response to the bank manager, who wonders what Albert could have achieved if he had been educated. Albert’s simple yet profound answer—that he would have remained a verger—highlights the unexpected ways in which life unfolds. It challenges the assumption that education always leads to better opportunities, showing that sometimes, the lack of conventional skills can lead to unconventional success.

Class and Social Status

The story also explores themes of class and social status. Albert is portrayed as a humble man who takes great pride in his work, despite his low position in society. His job as a verger is simple, but Albert finds dignity in performing his duties well. This contrasts with the new vicar, who comes from a more educated and socially superior background. The vicar’s decision to dismiss Albert based on his illiteracy reflects the class biases of the time, where education was often linked to respectability and social standing.

Albert’s rise to wealth challenges these class distinctions. His transformation from a lowly church verger to a successful businessman demonstrates that social status is not fixed and that success can come from unexpected places. Albert’s story shows that hard work, determination, and the ability to seize opportunities are more important than one’s social background or level of formal education.

Maugham’s Style and Message

W. Somerset Maugham’s writing style in “The Verger” is simple and direct, making the story accessible and engaging. He uses straightforward language and vivid descriptions to bring Albert’s character to life, allowing readers to empathize with his journey. Maugham’s storytelling is laced with subtle humor and irony, particularly in the interactions between Albert and the bank manager, which add depth to the narrative.

Maugham’s message is clear: success is not defined by conventional standards. Through Albert’s story, he emphasizes that education is just one of many paths to achievement and that people should not be judged solely based on their formal skills. Maugham portrays Albert as a symbol of the self-made individual, someone who uses his unique strengths to carve out his own path in life. The story encourages readers to look beyond traditional measures of success and recognize the value of practical intelligence, adaptability, and the courage to take risks.