Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Summary:
Heart of Darkness, a novel written by Joseph Conrad, explores the experiences of Marlow, the main character of the novel and the main narrator. It begins with several men on a ship travelling along the Thames River. Marlow, the only named character on the ship, begins telling the other men of his journeys, beginning with his childhood curiosities and his dark perceptions about Europe.
He becomes the narrator for the rest of the novel. Marlow begins to recall a time when he went to Africa and discovered something about humanity. He tells of his longtime desire to become a sailor and the connections that his aunt had in order to get him hired at an ivory company in Africa. Ironically, Marlow is given the job after the previous captain was killed. The very first of Marlow’s
exposures was with the company doctor that questioned Marlow about insanity in his family. Marlow seemed to be agitated by the doctor and concerned about what was ahead. The coast of Africa is described as sickly and repetitive. Once Marlow arrives to the main station of the company, he sees many natives traveling in lines and confined by chains. This alarms him, along with the
multitude of sickly, moaning, natives lying all around the island. Marlow meets the company’s accountant, seeming to be far healthier and cleaner than the native people he had encountered at his arrival. A lot of his time is spent in the Accountant’s hut and he sees his irritability with the sick natives. Marlow and several other men begin traveling to the office of Mr. Kurtz in the Congo. During the journey Marlow meets an overweight man that places a burden on the rest of the group. Marlow asks him why he came to the company if he cannot handle the environment and he responds that he came for money. Marlow arrives to the office and meets the company’s manager. Marlow learns that the ship that he will be sailing is broken and the process of fixing the ship requires time to allow different parts and supplies to arrive. While in the process of fixing his ship, there is an expedition led by the Manager’s uncle. While Marlow is traveling to Kurtz’s station, there is a rumor that he has been killed. He later learns that this isn’t true and that Kurtz is only ill. Marlow spends his time tending to Kurtz and Kurtz begins to trust Marlow. After Kurtz dies, Marlow finds Kurtz’s sweetheart and Marlow is haunted by the death of him.
Analysis of Major Characters:
Marlow - Marlow is the main character and protagonist of the novel. His character narrates the majority of the story. His experiences in the Congo define his character within the novel. He is logical and cautious because of what he has experienced in his lifetime and he embodies a heroic, reasonable quality. He has a profound interest in sailing and works diligently to do what
he loves. In comparison to the other characters of the novel, Marlow seems the sanest and most reasonable, as he does not work to obtain money, he works to obtain satisfaction. Marlow’s approach to life is rewarded by the author, as he does not fall victim to the sickness of the island, while others die off at quick rates. His character emphasizes the qualities of the other characters, as Marlow remains mild and versatile throughout the plot of the novel. Marlow’s experience in the Congo allows him to be a character of reason and this is demonstrated as he is telling about his past.
Kurtz - Kurtz remains a character of mystery for the greater part of the novel. He is spoken about by the company’s accountant and the manager in opposite lights. It can be concluded that Kurtz gives the company a lot of success through his station on the island. He seems to be the most successful and others appreciate or despise this contribution from him. The opinions of the other characters of Kurtz reveal their dispositions, such as whether they work for the company or the financial success of themselves. The Accountant
praises Kurtz, as he has done well for the company and the Manager and his uncle have no respect for him, seeming more selfish than appreciative. Kurtz is described as hollow and contemptuous; however, this is contradicted by Kurtz’s fiancée’s opinion of him. Kurtz’s fiancée only has positive accounts of him. Once Marlow meets Kurtz and the audience is introduced to him, there is still a
mystical quality to Kurtz’s character.
Manager - The Manager is introduced when Marlow arrives at the main station. The Manager leaves an uncomfortable, strange impression on Marlow and initiates his true character. As a manager, he is in charge of keeping the company in order, but instead he works to achieve more than Mr. Kurtz. His greediness and overindulgence is evident when he unites with his uncle. He does not do anything to prevent his uncle’s expedition from destructing the supplies of the company, though he is a leader. Marlow overhears the Manager and his uncle speaking about Kurtz in a hush, secretive manor. These events make the vindictiveness of the Manager clear. He is hungry for power, as it is the only means he has at control. He is unremarkable and less successful than Kurtz, thus
power is what he uses to fulfill this emptiness. His method of keeping power is making others, such as Marlow, feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
Setting: Heart of Darkness took place in the 1800’s in Africa, describing the journey of the main character Marlow. Marlow narrates the story of his past while sailing a ship, the Nellie, on the Thames River with several other unnamed characters. The story that was told by Marlow took place in the Congo region in Africa, a place of deep jungles and disease. Author Joseph Conrad, similar to the novella’s Marlow, had many desires in his youth to have control of a ship in the Congo. In 1890, Conrad was able to take control of a ship in the Congo just as Marlow was given the opportunity. His journey in the Congo became the basis of his novella Heart of Darkness. Many aspects of Joseph Conrad’s real-life experiences in the Congo are mentioned in this novella— details and events. The sickness that is mentioned in the book reflects back to the sickness that he had seen and experienced during his time in the Congo. The ship that Conrad was assigned to had also been in poor condition and he had to make the repairs before he could take command, extremely similar to Marlow’s experiences with this. On Conrad’s journey in the Congo, the ship he was on picked up a company agent that had later died during their trip. This is comparable to the tale of Mr. Kurtz in Marlow’s version of the story. Heart of Darkness can be viewed as an outlet for Conrad because the comparisons are so evident.
Types of Conflicts:
Man vs. Man: Throughout the plot of the novel Marlow catches glimpse of the different perceptions of life that each character has. Certain characters, such as the Manager and his uncle, embody the greediness and selfishness of humanity. Other characters, such as Marlow and the maintenance man that he meets, demonstrate the reason that is not common in humanity. The Manager of the company makes evident his conflict with Mr. Kurtz. The Manager wants to be better than all of the others, thus he holds a grudge upon the one man that is more successful. The man vs. man conflict is more of a man vs. inhumanity.
Man vs. Nature: The difficult environment presented in the novella is an apparent conflict for the protagonist as well as the other
characters. The natives of the Congo region struggle with the adaptation to the company’s people and the disease of the area. The company’s members also struggle with the disease that threatens their lives. Many characters, minor and major, experience the fight with the sickness. Mr. Kurtz and Marlow both obtain illness and Mr. Kurtz eventually dies. Marlow’s ablility to overcome the illness demonstrates his reason.
Major Themes:
Illness - Mental and physical illness is a major aspect of the novel. The company’s members are vulnerable to the diseases and mental weakness that is presented to them by the land and by the other members. Before Marlow’s journey began, a doctor asked him about his family’s mental health history. This forewarns Marlow of what he will become susceptible to while he is there. He
learns that a man committed suicide while serving the company. Physical sickness is looming throughout the entire land. Natives, without the proper care, fall victim to the illness more so than the white people. Many white characters become sick and die because of the diseases.
Uncertainty - Many aspects of the novella present the characters and readers with wonder and uneasiness. Beginning with Marlow’s trip to the office of the company, he notices the depth and repetitiveness of the land. All the eye can see is dark green, tangled jungle and there is no distinction from point A to point B. Mr. Kurtz is a character that remains uncertain for much of
the novel. Why is he talked about so much? What does he do to make others despise him? How is he so successful? The “darkness” that looms in humanity allows for more ambiguity.
Power - There are many corruptions in the company caused by greed and power. The Manager’s jealousy towards Mr. Kurtz is apparent in many occasions and he uses his uncle’s expedition to lift him higher in an unjust manor. Mr. Kurtz and the ccountant view themselves as superior to the natives though they claim that they are here to improve the conditions for the natives.
The treatment and neglect of the natives by the company, however, disproves this claim. Even Marlow demonstrates his yearning for power near the end of the novella, as he pushes to develop trust between him and Mr. Kurtz while he is on his deathbed. If Mr. Kurtz entrusts in Marlow, Marlow may be able to obtain the power that Mr. Kurtz received after he dies.
Major Symbols:
Darkness - The literal and metaphorical darkness in the novella represents the unknown, evil, corruption, and death. The literal darkness of the night and of the jungle brings about uncertainty and fear, while the metaphorical darkness of illness and the people presents the possibility of death.
Ivory - Though ivory is white and could be considered pure, it demonstrates the greed within humanity. The members of the company must produce more ivory in order to make more money. The juxtaposition of the pure color and corrupt symbolism of ivory conveys that there is no person that is purely good, but rather those that can conceal the darkness and corruption better than others.
Congo River - The Congo River symbolizes the path that is traveled
by all of the company, but particularly Marlow. Though it is evident that it is
the literal path of Marlow, along the way Marlow learns more about the darkness
of humanity. He witnesses greed from the Manager and his uncle. When he travels
further, he sees the appetite of Kurtz, and finally, at the end of his journey
down the river, Marlow recognizes his desires to hold the power and possessions
that Kurtz has.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQLUS2WrnoE
"Heart of Darkness." YouTube. YouTube, 10 Mar. 2010. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQLUS2WrnoE>.
Heart of Darkness, a novel written by Joseph Conrad, explores the experiences of Marlow, the main character of the novel and the main narrator. It begins with several men on a ship travelling along the Thames River. Marlow, the only named character on the ship, begins telling the other men of his journeys, beginning with his childhood curiosities and his dark perceptions about Europe.
He becomes the narrator for the rest of the novel. Marlow begins to recall a time when he went to Africa and discovered something about humanity. He tells of his longtime desire to become a sailor and the connections that his aunt had in order to get him hired at an ivory company in Africa. Ironically, Marlow is given the job after the previous captain was killed. The very first of Marlow’s
exposures was with the company doctor that questioned Marlow about insanity in his family. Marlow seemed to be agitated by the doctor and concerned about what was ahead. The coast of Africa is described as sickly and repetitive. Once Marlow arrives to the main station of the company, he sees many natives traveling in lines and confined by chains. This alarms him, along with the
multitude of sickly, moaning, natives lying all around the island. Marlow meets the company’s accountant, seeming to be far healthier and cleaner than the native people he had encountered at his arrival. A lot of his time is spent in the Accountant’s hut and he sees his irritability with the sick natives. Marlow and several other men begin traveling to the office of Mr. Kurtz in the Congo. During the journey Marlow meets an overweight man that places a burden on the rest of the group. Marlow asks him why he came to the company if he cannot handle the environment and he responds that he came for money. Marlow arrives to the office and meets the company’s manager. Marlow learns that the ship that he will be sailing is broken and the process of fixing the ship requires time to allow different parts and supplies to arrive. While in the process of fixing his ship, there is an expedition led by the Manager’s uncle. While Marlow is traveling to Kurtz’s station, there is a rumor that he has been killed. He later learns that this isn’t true and that Kurtz is only ill. Marlow spends his time tending to Kurtz and Kurtz begins to trust Marlow. After Kurtz dies, Marlow finds Kurtz’s sweetheart and Marlow is haunted by the death of him.
Analysis of Major Characters:
Marlow - Marlow is the main character and protagonist of the novel. His character narrates the majority of the story. His experiences in the Congo define his character within the novel. He is logical and cautious because of what he has experienced in his lifetime and he embodies a heroic, reasonable quality. He has a profound interest in sailing and works diligently to do what
he loves. In comparison to the other characters of the novel, Marlow seems the sanest and most reasonable, as he does not work to obtain money, he works to obtain satisfaction. Marlow’s approach to life is rewarded by the author, as he does not fall victim to the sickness of the island, while others die off at quick rates. His character emphasizes the qualities of the other characters, as Marlow remains mild and versatile throughout the plot of the novel. Marlow’s experience in the Congo allows him to be a character of reason and this is demonstrated as he is telling about his past.
Kurtz - Kurtz remains a character of mystery for the greater part of the novel. He is spoken about by the company’s accountant and the manager in opposite lights. It can be concluded that Kurtz gives the company a lot of success through his station on the island. He seems to be the most successful and others appreciate or despise this contribution from him. The opinions of the other characters of Kurtz reveal their dispositions, such as whether they work for the company or the financial success of themselves. The Accountant
praises Kurtz, as he has done well for the company and the Manager and his uncle have no respect for him, seeming more selfish than appreciative. Kurtz is described as hollow and contemptuous; however, this is contradicted by Kurtz’s fiancée’s opinion of him. Kurtz’s fiancée only has positive accounts of him. Once Marlow meets Kurtz and the audience is introduced to him, there is still a
mystical quality to Kurtz’s character.
Manager - The Manager is introduced when Marlow arrives at the main station. The Manager leaves an uncomfortable, strange impression on Marlow and initiates his true character. As a manager, he is in charge of keeping the company in order, but instead he works to achieve more than Mr. Kurtz. His greediness and overindulgence is evident when he unites with his uncle. He does not do anything to prevent his uncle’s expedition from destructing the supplies of the company, though he is a leader. Marlow overhears the Manager and his uncle speaking about Kurtz in a hush, secretive manor. These events make the vindictiveness of the Manager clear. He is hungry for power, as it is the only means he has at control. He is unremarkable and less successful than Kurtz, thus
power is what he uses to fulfill this emptiness. His method of keeping power is making others, such as Marlow, feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
Setting: Heart of Darkness took place in the 1800’s in Africa, describing the journey of the main character Marlow. Marlow narrates the story of his past while sailing a ship, the Nellie, on the Thames River with several other unnamed characters. The story that was told by Marlow took place in the Congo region in Africa, a place of deep jungles and disease. Author Joseph Conrad, similar to the novella’s Marlow, had many desires in his youth to have control of a ship in the Congo. In 1890, Conrad was able to take control of a ship in the Congo just as Marlow was given the opportunity. His journey in the Congo became the basis of his novella Heart of Darkness. Many aspects of Joseph Conrad’s real-life experiences in the Congo are mentioned in this novella— details and events. The sickness that is mentioned in the book reflects back to the sickness that he had seen and experienced during his time in the Congo. The ship that Conrad was assigned to had also been in poor condition and he had to make the repairs before he could take command, extremely similar to Marlow’s experiences with this. On Conrad’s journey in the Congo, the ship he was on picked up a company agent that had later died during their trip. This is comparable to the tale of Mr. Kurtz in Marlow’s version of the story. Heart of Darkness can be viewed as an outlet for Conrad because the comparisons are so evident.
Types of Conflicts:
Man vs. Man: Throughout the plot of the novel Marlow catches glimpse of the different perceptions of life that each character has. Certain characters, such as the Manager and his uncle, embody the greediness and selfishness of humanity. Other characters, such as Marlow and the maintenance man that he meets, demonstrate the reason that is not common in humanity. The Manager of the company makes evident his conflict with Mr. Kurtz. The Manager wants to be better than all of the others, thus he holds a grudge upon the one man that is more successful. The man vs. man conflict is more of a man vs. inhumanity.
Man vs. Nature: The difficult environment presented in the novella is an apparent conflict for the protagonist as well as the other
characters. The natives of the Congo region struggle with the adaptation to the company’s people and the disease of the area. The company’s members also struggle with the disease that threatens their lives. Many characters, minor and major, experience the fight with the sickness. Mr. Kurtz and Marlow both obtain illness and Mr. Kurtz eventually dies. Marlow’s ablility to overcome the illness demonstrates his reason.
Major Themes:
Illness - Mental and physical illness is a major aspect of the novel. The company’s members are vulnerable to the diseases and mental weakness that is presented to them by the land and by the other members. Before Marlow’s journey began, a doctor asked him about his family’s mental health history. This forewarns Marlow of what he will become susceptible to while he is there. He
learns that a man committed suicide while serving the company. Physical sickness is looming throughout the entire land. Natives, without the proper care, fall victim to the illness more so than the white people. Many white characters become sick and die because of the diseases.
Uncertainty - Many aspects of the novella present the characters and readers with wonder and uneasiness. Beginning with Marlow’s trip to the office of the company, he notices the depth and repetitiveness of the land. All the eye can see is dark green, tangled jungle and there is no distinction from point A to point B. Mr. Kurtz is a character that remains uncertain for much of
the novel. Why is he talked about so much? What does he do to make others despise him? How is he so successful? The “darkness” that looms in humanity allows for more ambiguity.
Power - There are many corruptions in the company caused by greed and power. The Manager’s jealousy towards Mr. Kurtz is apparent in many occasions and he uses his uncle’s expedition to lift him higher in an unjust manor. Mr. Kurtz and the ccountant view themselves as superior to the natives though they claim that they are here to improve the conditions for the natives.
The treatment and neglect of the natives by the company, however, disproves this claim. Even Marlow demonstrates his yearning for power near the end of the novella, as he pushes to develop trust between him and Mr. Kurtz while he is on his deathbed. If Mr. Kurtz entrusts in Marlow, Marlow may be able to obtain the power that Mr. Kurtz received after he dies.
Major Symbols:
Darkness - The literal and metaphorical darkness in the novella represents the unknown, evil, corruption, and death. The literal darkness of the night and of the jungle brings about uncertainty and fear, while the metaphorical darkness of illness and the people presents the possibility of death.
Ivory - Though ivory is white and could be considered pure, it demonstrates the greed within humanity. The members of the company must produce more ivory in order to make more money. The juxtaposition of the pure color and corrupt symbolism of ivory conveys that there is no person that is purely good, but rather those that can conceal the darkness and corruption better than others.
Congo River - The Congo River symbolizes the path that is traveled
by all of the company, but particularly Marlow. Though it is evident that it is
the literal path of Marlow, along the way Marlow learns more about the darkness
of humanity. He witnesses greed from the Manager and his uncle. When he travels
further, he sees the appetite of Kurtz, and finally, at the end of his journey
down the river, Marlow recognizes his desires to hold the power and possessions
that Kurtz has.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQLUS2WrnoE
"Heart of Darkness." YouTube. YouTube, 10 Mar. 2010. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQLUS2WrnoE>.
Citations:
- "Heart of
Darkness." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 31
Mar. 2013.
<http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/heart/>. - "Heart of
Darkness Study Guide & Essays." Heart of Darkness
Study Guide &
Literature Essays. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.gradesaver.com/heart-of-darkness/>. - "Heart of
Darkness." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 31
Mar. 2013. Web. 31
Mar. 2013.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_Darkness>. - "Whats the Most
Important Conflict in the Novel?Whats the Major
Most Important Conflict in
the Novel? - Homework Help."
Enotes.com. Enotes.com, n.d. Web. 31
Mar. 2013.
<http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/whats-major-most-important-conflict-novel-394894>. - "Heart of
Darkness Theme of Power." Shmoop. N.p., n.d.
Web. 31 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.shmoop.com/heart-of-darkness/power-theme.html>. - "Heart Of
Darkness: Symbolism." Heart Of Darkness:
Symbolism. N.p., n.d. Web.
31 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.marketgems.com/heartofdarkness/symbolism.html>.