Imperialism In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness

What is Imperialism? Imperialism is when a strong nation takes over weaker nations, dominating them economically, politically, and/or socially. When a country wants to expand its territory it attempts to imperialize other regions. Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness possesses many characters who have certain point of views on Imperialism and what motives they have on imperializing other regions. Why did these people want to imperialize regions, primarily the Congo in Africa? How do their motives compare or differ? Richard Meinertzhagen, Karl Pearson, Joseph Chamberlain, and Cecil Rhodes all also had their own motives and views on imperialism, some similar and some different from the characters in Conrad’s novel.

Marlow’s (the main character

He believed in what his Oxford professor said, “to found colonies as fast and as far as she is able, formed of the most energetic and worthiest of men.”(Perry 241). Rhodes also in a way supports the idea of the white man’s burden. He says, “I contend that we are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race. Just fancy those parts that are at present inhabited by the most despicable specimens of human beings what an alteration there would be if they were brought under Anglo-Saxon influence…”(Perry 242). He has a huge sense of nationalism, naming the British Empire as the greatest empire in the world. Rhodes definitely uses race in a negative way. Explaining how every other race is inferior to the Anglo-Saxon race. He seems like the kind of guy who would abuse his power during Imperialism, comparably to the managers point of

He was involved in the killing of many natives, but had mixed feelings about doing it. He says, “... and we killed about 17 niggers… Then the fun began. We at once burned the village and captured the sheep and goats. After that we systematically cleared the valley in which the village was situated, burned all the huts, and killed a few more niggers…”(Perry 253). The fact that he says “Then the fun began” sort of gives off this notion that he enjoyed doing what he did but it’s not fully clear. Also him saying the word “nigger” is meant as a derogatory term sort of classifying these people as inferior to him. He later says, “In the open space in centre of the village was a sight which horrified me - a naked white man pegged out on his back, mutilated and disembowelled, his body used as a latrine by all and sundry who passed by… My reason for killing all adults, including women, was that the latter had been the main instigators of not only the murder but the method of death…”(Perry 253). Richard is one of the only ones who speaks out about what the natives did to the white men during European Imperialism. He takes on the idea that the natives shouldn’t act aggressively because the Europeans are there to “help” and “civilize” them. Obviously the natives would act a certain way when strangers come to their land and try to change the culture and take it over. He goes on to explains how