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Heart Of Darkness

Decent Essays

Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness is an ominous tale of Marlow, a seasoned seaman, and his journey through the Congo, into the centre of Africa, and into the centre of himself, and of the discoveries he made. As much as it is a journey of Marlow along through the Congo and his experiences, it is more of a journey into the inner ‘Marlow’, and the findings he uncovers. The novella centres on Marlow’s mission to find Kurtz, however he is also trying to find himself. Like Kurtz, Marlow had good intentions on embarking for his voyage; however, he is changed by the savagery and the darkness of the Congo. Conrad subtly explains to us that Marlow is what Kurtz had been before venturing into the Congo, making him greedy, corrupt and savage, whereas Kurtz is what Marlow may become. Marlow, when becoming impatient about not yet finding Kurtz, says, “I was getting savage” (Conrad, p.24), hinting he was becoming more and more Kurtz-like. Whilst travelling further and further upriver, Marlow feels as if he is venturing back in time, being plunged into the wilderness and the ever-present darkness, revealing his crew member’s, and his, inner …show more content…

Isolated from civilization, he uncovered his evil and nefarious character, and became corrupt by his own power. ‘”My ivory’. Oh yes, I heard him. “My Intended”, my ivory, my station, my river, my –“ everything belonged to him’ (Conrad, passage three, ll.20-21). This line exemplifies Kurtz after being changed by the darkness of the jungle. Before travelling and living in the Congo, Kurtz was considered a respectable and an honorable man, but was transformed by the jungle. However, it was not the jungle that created Kurtz, that created this character that was unleashed, it was Kurtz prior to living in the Congo. ‘All Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz’ (Conrad, passage three,

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