Keyword: «internal struggle»

The article examines the theme of crime and punishment in the stories of William Somerset Maugham as the most important moral and philosophical motif of his work. An analysis of the works shows that Maugham interprets crime not so much as a legal offense, but as an internal moral decline, and punishment as a result of mental conflict, remorse and loss of life balance. Through the images of the characters experiencing the consequences of lies, betrayal, selfishness and moral weakness, the author emphasizes the psychological depth of Maugham's prose.