moralhod Relative Morality in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness
analytical Essay
1513 words
Relative Morality in Heart of Darkness
It has been well documented by critics that modernist literature departs from the blind acceptance of beliefs, religious beliefs in particular, evident in literature of prior periods (Abrams 1). As Jump notes "[...] the modern western world is less sure of its values than most previous cultures with which we are familiar; relativism and subjectivity are facts of everyday experience" (15). Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is no exception. The novel does explore the place of the individual in an increasingly complex society, but Conrad's presentation specifically focuses on the moral dilemma of man in a godless world. The lack of Christianity or any other stable moral system to underpin moral decisions is evident in Heart of Darkness not only to the reader, but to Conrad's characters as well. Marlow's narrative presents both the human drive to have a stable conception of reality - a center - and the precedence this drive can take over basic moral decisions.
Conrad alludes to the forms of religious faith through the infusion of religiously connotative language into the speech of both Marlow and the narrator. The narrator describes Marlow as having "[...] the pose of a Buddha preaching [...]" (1, 11). This characterization is strengthened by Marlow himself when describing his activity before he leaves for the Congo: "[...] I was loafing about, hindering you fellows in your working and invading your homes, just as though I had got a heavenly mission to civilize you"(1, 16). The trip itself is then described as both a "glorious idea" and "the noble cause" (1, 20-21). The references to faith, Christianity in particular, set up a context in wh...
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...re to seek out meaning while accepting that an absolute meaning may never be found.
Works Cited
Abrams, M.H., ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 6th ed. Vol. 1. New York: Norton, 1993. 1080-1125.
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness I. 26 July 2002.
< http://pd.sparknotes.com/lit/heart/section1.html>.
---. Heart of Darkness II. 26 July 2002.
< http://pd.sparknotes.com/lit/heart/section2.html>
---. Heart of Darkness III. 26 July 2002.
< http://pd.sparknotes.com/lit/heart/section3.html>
Jump, John D., ed. The Critical Idiom. London: Methuen & Co., 1977.
Jean-Aubry, George. Joseph Conrad: Life and Letters. Vol. 1. New York: Page, 1966.
Ed. Marvin. Conrad: Collection of Critical Essays. Mudrick. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1972.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the russian and the fiancée grasp onto the strong sense of power presented to them in kurtz without fully comprehending the implications of his own moral system.
- Analyzes how marlow concludes that the exploitation of others is only possible because kurtz himself has no center.
- Explains abrams, m.h., ed. the norton anthology of english literature.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's heart of darkness focuses on the moral dilemma of man in a godless world.
- Analyzes how conrad reinforces the importance of perspective by including another level of complexity to temper even kurtz's evil.
Related
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- Symbols, Setting, and Ironies of Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, is about many things: seafaring, riverboating, trade and exploration, imperialism and colonialism, race relations, the attempt to find meaning in the universe while trying to get at the mysteries of the subconscious mind. Heart of Darkness is a vivid portrayal of European imperialism. The book in other words is a story about European "acts of imperial mastery" (1503)-its methods, and the effects it has on human nature-and it is presumable that Conrad incorporates much of his own experience in the Congo and his opinions about imperialism into the story. Beyond the shield of civilization and into the depths of a primitive, untamed frontier lies the true face of the human soul.
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- Analyzes how marlow sees colonization as a darkness which conquerors must thrive in by "closing their eyes"
- Analyzes conrad's use of symbolism to contrast between two different aspects or bring out a distinctive quality.
- Analyzes "heart of darkness: a systematic evaluation of the darkness inherent in men's souls" and "the perfect native".
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's novel, heart of darkness, is a vivid portrayal of european imperialism. the setting is relevant to the overall theme of the novel.
- Analyzes how conrad's portrayal of the characters, setting, themes, symbols, and ironies in the heart of darkness reflects the true nature of man.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's novel heart of darkness illustrates the negative human side of brutality and discrimination. the deeper meaning and implication of being human is dependent on many factors.
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- Analyzes how the influence of the jungle on kurtz is portrayed through the apparent effects of their surroundings, which dictate the emotional and physical behavior of man
- Analyzes how man's instinctual feelings of arrogance are portrayed through the role of europeans in africa, showing the overall weakness of humankind.
- Analyzes how arrogance is depicted in heart of darkness through kurtz's character. he resorts to the primitive behavior of the natives, establishing himself as a "god" amongst the people.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe has cast a cloak of racism upon joseph conrad's back, calling it vile and ungodly. however, the connection with the past shows both the mindset, and the ignorance, of those who colonized africa in the late nineteenth century.
- Analyzes how charlie marlow retells his story of how he encountered a force that could only be described as "the horror, the horror." the reader must understand that these words are not only of the protagonist, but also of conrad.
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- Analyzes how conrad plays double-duty by associating all of europe to both the company and the woman.
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- Analyzes how kurtz is the most recognized symbol of european imperialism in the novel. he is a top agent, skilled collector, master of rhetoric, and god to anyone he meets.
- Analyzes how conrad shares golding's belief that all men, if left without proper restraints, will eventually become corrupt and give themselves over to the whims of their desires.
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- Analyzes how joseph conrad and william blake manifest the damage of a "civilization" where humans live within bounds. both writers lived during rapid change, such as the age of imperialism and the industrial revolution.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad uses the example of belgium and the congo to demonstrate amorality. the journey of marlow towards the inner station and kurtz is described as a journey into prehistoric times.
- Analyzes how blake argues that the social restrictions the inhabitants of london are put into are partly the result of their own narrow-mindedness.
- Analyzes how the "prehistoric" congo is the representation of society without any "mind-forg'd manacles". the europeans are savages and have used their sense of ethnocentrism to enslave the native peoples.
- Analyzes how the russian trader is the character foil of kurtz because he is not deluded by the rewards of the ivory trade.
- Analyzes how kurtz becomes corrupt from his own psychological restrictions as a member of civilized society. he has developed an insatiable desire for self-glorification through worship and the ivory trade that has resulted in moral deprivation.
- Analyzes how kurtz's ruthlessness came to him "last, only at the very last." he became corrupt as he fell into the ivory trade. his enlightenment was "piercing enough to penetrate all the hearts that beat in the darkness."
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- Analyzes how the word "charter'd" is repeated in lines 1 and 2 in describing the state's unyielding control over society.
- Analyzes how the last stanza of blake's poem is written in enjambment, which causes the reader to read it with more flow.
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1043 wordsRead More - God and Sin in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darknessanalytical essayGod and Sin in Heart of Darkness A long debated issue that has plagued human beings since the fall of man is what leads people to commit evil actions and whether evil is inherent in all people. In the literary work of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Marlow grapples with those two similar issues. They way in which Charlie Marlow, the protagonist and skipper, goes about determining the answers are by observing his and other people's goals and motivations throughout his voyage of discovery and self-enlightenment in the Congo of Africa.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how charlie marlow, the protagonist and skipper in joseph conrad's heart of darkness, grapples with these two similar issues by observing his and others' goals and motivations throughout his voyage of discovery and self-enlightenment in the congo.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's novel heart of darkness suggests that the environment pushes people to their extremes, so they commit evil actions.
- Analyzes how adam's sin brought death to the entire human race. kurtz was born with the capacity to murder and commit other sins.
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- Analyzes how conrad weaves a literary element into heart of darkness: setting. the congo illustrates the sinful nature of humans.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes conrad's heart of darkness as an example of atmospheres which augment ethnocentric and greedy tendencies, so that we, as readers, may act with more care and awareness.
- Analyzes how the novel exposes the true nature of the europeans society: ethnocentric and greedy.
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880 wordsRead More - Heart Of Darkness Reality Quotesanalytical essay“It was as unreal as everything else- as the philanthropic pretence of the whole concern…” (29) This quote shows the basis that is represented in this novel, Conrad’s idea of reality can be related with a person’s self exploration. This quote is found in part one of the novel where Marlow sees the plotting atmosphere of the station since all the good things that Marlow have heard about the company were fake. Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad, is a story that follows the adventure of an explorer named Marlow. His journey up the Congo River allows Marlow to meet new people and discover the reality of Africa and the corruptness within. Although some achieves the perception of what is reality, some characters’ perception of reality changes by factors that has affected them throughout their journey of
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how conrad's idea of reality can be related with a person’s self-exploration. heart of darkness follows the adventure of an explorer named marlow.
- Analyzes how marlow's self-exploration has caused him to see the hidden reality under the fantasy that he has once perceived.
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In this essay, the author
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- Argues that this definition places humans at the center of the universe, capable of finding their way by human reason without the help of a supernatural god.
- Analyzes how ambivalent is the relationship between humanism and renaissance. the more specific meaning of the renaissance refers to the transitional movement in europe between medieval and modern times.
- Opines that the intial impact of humanism, the reformation, and nationalism was felt during the sixteenth century.
- Analyzes the educational goals of scholars who studied and taught the classics. they steeped themselves in latin grammar and rhetoric.
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- Asks if the renaissance writers were classical in the broadest sense of the word. does the quotation have any meaning for the twentieth century?
- Analyzes how grierson begins with a quote from an 1805 article by an evangelical christian, john foster.
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- Analyzes how grierson characterizes the italian renaissance as a "literature penetrated with the free imaginative spirit of humanism, its joy in life and art."
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In this essay, the author
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- Explains abrams, m. h., the norton anthology of english literature.
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956 wordsRead More