Heart of Darkness

448 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Analysis of heart of darkness

Heart of Darkness

The Heart of Darkness

In the Heart of Darkness, Conrad uses his own experiences in the Belgian Congo to create a character, Marlow, who is appalled by what he discovers in the Congo. Conrad uses a nameless second narrator to reveal the truth Marlow encounters as he journeys deep into the jungle. In his journey, Marlow becomes obsessed with the reclusive Mr. Kurtz. Because of his obsession, Marlow discovers an inherent evil deep down with in himself and all those around him. Conrad uses Kurtz in a way to show the absolute corruption and lack of self-restraint Marlow encounters in the Congo.

When the novel starts Marlow imagines his trip into the Congo will be an adventure in the unknown, but as he gets deeper and deeper into the jungle Marlow discovers the darkest part of the human mind. Marlow is horrified by what he sees around him and is held from oblivion only by the hope he holds for discovering the genius, Mr. Kurtz. Marlow discovers that the only thing that gives people restraint in society, and when left to himself man will become no better than a common animal. Only a rear and extraordinary man can control himself and those surroundings, Marlow believes that Kurtz is such a man. Marlow’s discovery of Kurtz and what he has done destroys his ideals, and this realization ho comes to in the Congo isolates him.

Kurtz becomes a source of light for Marlow in an otherwise dark place, the latter is driven to find Kurtz by a strong obsession. Marlow discovers the full capacity of his obsession when one of his crew dies, so that Marlow may reach the source of his light. As he journeys into the Congo, Marlow comes to discover ugly truth about himself and Kurtz. This has a great impact on Marlow and makes him a dynamic character. Marlow struggles throughout the novel to maintain some self restraint which everyone else seems to have lost out in the darkness. This use of light and dark is one of the most effective devises used by Conrad.

The framing device drives home the degree to which Marlow’s discoveries have isolated him from mainstream European society.

Show More
Related

  • Heart Of Darkness

    1436 Words  | 3 Pages

    Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness uses character development and character analysis to really tell the story of European colonization. Within Conrad's characters one can find both racist and colonialist views, and it is the opinion, and the interpretation of the reader which decides what Conrad is really trying to say in his work.

    Read More

  • Apocalypse Now vs Heart of Darkness

    1123 Words  | 3 Pages

    The most important difference between novella and film is the development of their main characters, Marlow and Willard, respectively. In Heart of Darkness, the reader is introduced to Marlow through his various philosophical ruminations about imperialism, morality, and human nature. He learns of the mysterious Kurtz through first-hand accounts of his accomplishments and his bizarre behaviour. As Marlow spends more and more time in the jungle, his pre-occupation with Kurtz becomes an important refuge from the brutality of the Belgians for whom he works. Although critical of the Belgian bureaucracy, it is unclear whether his displeasure stems from their immoral practices or their incompetence and inefficiency. Conrad never reveals Marlow’s true feelings, forcing the reader to confront the issues of racism and human nature themselves.

    Read More

  • Heart Of Darkness Morally Ambiguous Character Essay

    1433 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Heart of Darkness, all of Joseph Conrad’s characters seem to have morally ambiguous tendencies. The most prominently morally ambiguous character is Kurtz, whose distance from society changes his principles, and leads him to lose all sense of decorum. Conrad takes a cynical tone when describing Marlow's journey. Marlow's voyage through the Congo gives him insight to the horrific, dehumanizing acts that his company and Kurtz conduct. Conrad creates a parallel with the tone of his writing and the misanthropic feelings that the main character experiences. Furthermore, Conrad creates a frame story between Kurtz and Marlow, adding to the symbolism and contrast between contextual themes of light and dark, moral and immoral, and civilization and wilderness. After being sent on a horrific journey into the Congo of Africa, as an agent for the Company to collect ivory, Marlow finds the infamous and mysterious Kurtz. Kurtz, who has totally withdrawn from society, and has withdrawn

    Read More

  • Heart of Darkness

    2215 Words  | 5 Pages

    1.     The protagonist of Heart of Darkness is a person named Charlie Marlow. Oddly, his name only appears once in the novel. Marlow is philosophical, independent-minded, and generally skeptical of those around him. He is also a master storyteller, eloquent and able to draw his listeners into his tale. Although Marlow shares many of his fellow Europeans’ prejudices, he has seen enough of the world and enough debased white men to make him skeptical of imperialism. An example of Marlow being independent-minded and philosophical is when he takes a trip up a river, as a break from working on ships. Marlow describes the trip as a journey back in time, to a “prehistoric earth.” This remark on how he regards colonized people as primitive, which is his philosophical viewpoint.

    Read More

  • Loss of Innocence in Heart of Darkness

    1713 Words  | 4 Pages

    Heart of Darkness is Joseph Conrad's tale of one man's journey, both mental and physical, into the depths of the wild African jungle and the human soul. The seaman, Marlow, tells his crew a startling tale of a man named Kurtz and his expedition that culminates in his encounter with the "voice" of Kurtz and ultimately, Kurtz's demise. The passage from Part I of the novel consists of Marlow's initial encounter with the natives of this place of immense darkness, directly relating to Conrad's use of imagery and metaphor to illustrate to the reader the contrast between light and dark. The passage, although occurring earlier on in the novel, is interspersed with Marlow's two opposing points of view: one of naïveté, which comes before Marlow's eventual epiphany after having met Kurtz, and the matured perspective he takes on after all of the events leading up to his and Kurtz's encounter.

    Read More

  • The Heart Of Darkness

    552 Words  | 2 Pages

    Marlow’s thoughts are so consumed by Kurtz, that he is built up to be much more of a man than he truly is. In turn, Marlow is setting himself up for a let down. He says at one point, “I seemed to see Kurtz for the first time...the lone white man turning his back suddenly on the headquarters, on relief, on thoughts of home...towards his empty and desolate station”(P.32). When Marlow reaches Kurtz’s station, he begins to become disillusioned. He begins to hear about, and even see, the acts that Kurtz is committing, and becomes afraid of him. He sees in Kurtz, what he could become, and wants nothing to do with it. He does not want people to know he has any type of relationship with him, and says in response to the Russian, “I suppose that it had not occurred to him that Mr. Kurtz was no idol of mine.” (P.59). It is at this point that he begins to discover the darkness in his heart.

    Read More

  • The Power of Kurtz in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

    656 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Marlow finally reaches Kurtz he is in declining health.  This same jungle which he loved, embraced and consumed with every ounce of his flesh had also taken its toll on him.  Marlow finally meets the man whose name has haunted him on his river journey.  Could this frail human be the ever so powerful Kurtz?  The man who has journeyed into uncharted territories and has come back with scores of ivory and the respect of the native tribe.  Yes, this was the very man and though he is weak and on his way to death his power still exudes from him.

    Read More

  • Struggle between Freudian Personalities in Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"

    1389 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thus, in this novel, the characters of Marlow and Kurtz, are, at one time, shown to have been dominated by their super-ego, brought up in the British society believing in the White man’s burden. Then, both the characters journey through the African jungles, where they are confronted by horrors that they struggle to stay human and civilized. While Kurtz gives in completely to his id and becomes an inhumane barbarian, controlled by his wants and wishes; Marlow doesn’t completely give in as much as Kurtz but does remain psychologically affected from his experiences. Finally, through this intense struggle between the personalities of the characters, Conrad tries to tell us that human personality is indeed very fragile, and can be compromised without restraint.

    Read More

  • The Darkness of Colonialism and Imperialism in Heart of Darkness

    1243 Words  | 3 Pages

    Through the usage of individual characters, Conrad illustrates the differences between dark and light and black and white created by colonialism. Marlow and Kurtz can be as two halves of one soul. Throughout the tale, Marlow is disgusted with what he sees during his employment with the ivory company. He is shocked and angered at the horrible treatment of the black workers. By the end of his tale, Marlow has turned f...

    Read More

  • The Dark and Light Imagery in "Heart of Darkness"

    1192 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the entire novella, Joseph Conrad uses simple events to describe significant dark and light imagery. As the story begins, a man named Marlow describes his journey into the depths of the African Congo. He is in search of a man name Kurtz who is an ivory trader. His experiences throughout his journey are physically difficult to overcome. However, even more complex, was the journey that his heart and mind experienced throughout the long ride into the Congo. Marlow’s surroundings such as the setting, characters, and symbols each contain light and dark images that shape the central theme of the novel.

    Read More

  • The Significance Of Nature In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness

    1438 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kurtz. Marlow retrieves an ailing Mr. Kurtz, who is holding onto life by a thread. In his last words, Mr. Kurtz screams, “The horror! The horror!” When reflecting upon this outcry Marlow states, “I affirm that Kurtz was a remarkable man. He had something to say. He said it. Since I had peeped over the edge myself, I understand better the meaning of his stare, that could not see the flame of the candle, but was wide enough to embrace the whole universe, piercing enough to penetrate all the hearts that beat in the darkness.” Marlow admires Kurtz because Kurtz was able to break free from racism and wholeheartedly assimilate with all stretches of humanity. Perhaps Kurtz knowledge of the world comes at the cost of sanity. Marlow observes Kurtz’s universal perspective, but he himself does not quite attain it. Although he has taken steps in the direction of understanding for the natives, Marlow’s innate prejudices restrain him from crossing the bridge into the land of

    Read More

  • Marlow Journey in the Congo in Heart of Darkness by Conrad

    715 Words  | 2 Pages

    The protagonist Marlow believes that: “the mind of man is capable of anything-because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future” (109). The basis of Heart of Darkness is Marlow's physical journey up the congo river to meet Kurtz. The main character Marlow goes through many physical and psycological changes from the beginning to the end of the story. In the beginning, Marlow is fairly innocent as he goes up the river, he gets closer and closer to Kurtz, and he moves closer and closer he learns more and more about the hearts of men and the darkness. When he eventually reaches Kurtz, Marlow's perception is obstructed and he physically and psychologically, does not know where he is.

    Read More

  • Heart of Darkness: Analysis of the Two Major Themes

    917 Words  | 2 Pages

    On one hand, Marlow is saved by his self-discipline while on the other hand Kurtz is doomed by his lack of it. Before Marlow embarked on his voyage to Africa, he had a different view. Due to propaganda, he believed that the colonization of the Congo was for the greater good. In his head, he judged that the people of Africa were savages and that colonization would bring them the elation and riches of civilization. Despite an apparent uneasiness, he assumed that restraint would function there.

    Read More

  • Marlow and Kurtz in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

    791 Words  | 2 Pages

    The main character in Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, isKurtz. Kurtz no longer obeys the authority of his superiors who believe that he has become too extreme and has come to employ "unsound methods" (Coppola, 1979; Longman, 2000). Marlow is sent to retrieve Kurtz from the evil influences in the Congo, and a wild journey on a tainted river ensues.  Along the way, Marlow learns about the real Kurtz and finds himself identifying with and becoming dangerously fond of the man.

    Read More

  • Racism in Heart of Darkness

    355 Words  | 1 Pages

    This sight angers Marlow, and when he gets to Kurtz, it’s too late. Even he has been pulled in by the darkness. Conrad makes an effective distinction between Marlow and Kurtz.

    Read More

More about Heart of Darkness

Open Document