Heart of Darkness

The Horror of Man

Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” is a tale of two men who work for an ivory company in the heart of Africa. The two men, Marlow and Kurtz, come to see the horror that hides behind the trappings of civilization and every day life, the true darkness within all mankind. Characterization, symbolism, and tone are important in Joseph Conrad’s construction of the main idea behind the “Heart of Darkness”. The author uses those things and more to build up the main Idea behind the story and make it evident to the reader.

Both Marlow and Kurtz can be seen as the main character in the story and for the story to be effective as a whole both have to exist. The author develops the character of these two men simultaneously even though Marlow does not come in contact with Kurtz until towards the very end of the story.

The author builds up the characteristics of Marlow and Kurtz throughout the story so the reader knows that these men are like most people in their thinking, the reader then can see that Marlow and Kurtz are normal respectable people. The story is seen through Marlow, but the focus throughought the story is upon Kurtz almost from the moment Marlow reaches the first station in Africa. Kurtz character really begins to take shape about the time Marlow reaches the central station, he becomes known as an “exceptional man, of the greatest importance”. The reader sees the ambition that drives the man through the words of others. Even after Kurtz’s death, when Marlow tells Kurtz’s fiancé of his death he lies to her about him because the truth “would have been to dark- to dark altogether”(224). The reader can see that Marlow still thought highly of the man and his character though, Marlow just knew what lurked beneath the surface of this man. The reader see’s that see the Marlow himself as being a respected man “the worst that could be said of him was that he did not represent his class…Marlow was not the typical seaman”(165). Wherever Marlow went he heard of Kurtz and Marlow was excited to meet the man, it almost became his goal. This can be seen when Marlow has gotten the steamboat close to the camp that Kurtz was at and the natives attacked, the manager comments “And by the way, I suppose Mr.