Imperialism in Heart of Darkness
- This is a preview of the essay.
To view the full text you must login!
Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness explores and discusses the imperialism that occurred in the Congo during the late 1800's. The story is focused around Marlow, a reflective sailor who is sent up the Congo River in a search of Kurtz, a man admired and idolized by Marlow as an idealistic person of immense skill. Although it is a search for Kurtz, Marlow is in actuality searching himself for who he truly is. Throughout the story Conrad uses imagery and the reoccurring theme of light and darkness to represent and symbolize different aspects of the British and Belgian imperialism. Conrad uses the light and darkness contrast to show the importance of scenes in the story and it gives Marlow a distinct voice as a storyteller. The final evaluation of imperialism in the story is one of darkness and tainted intentions.
As the story opens we find ourselves looking upon a group of men sitting and listening to Marlow telling a story about his adventures in the Congo. From the beginning, Conrad uses imagery to paint a desolate picture of a sea side town.
"A haze rested low on the shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness. The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still it seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth...