Title: Heart of Darkness

Title: Heart of Darkness Biographical information about the author: Author: Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad was born in 1857 in Poland as Jozef Teodor Date of Publication: 1902 Konrad Korzeniowski. His father was active in a Genre: Modern novella revolutionary movement to bring Polish independence, and Historical background: as a result, the Russian government kept Conrad’s family Heart of Darkness was written in 1898 and 1899. from settling for long in one place. His mother died when he Europe was undergoing great social changes in this was seven of tuberculosis. His father died of the same illness when he was only eleven. His mother’s brother took him period, is an example of “twentieth century” into custody. Five years later, he moved to France to learn to literature, marked by a questioning of traditions and sail. In 1878, he traveled to England and spent the next imperialism. Twentieth century literature actually twenty years sailing on British ships. In 1889, Conrad began began in the late nineteenth century. This period is writing his first novel Almayer’s Folly; it was published in largely marked by the weakening of stable traditions, 1895. In 1890, Conrad was shocked by what he saw when he dominant during the Victorian age, epitomized in the traveled in the Belgian Congo, on a trip in which gave him a bohemian movement in France. Pessimism was severe illness and disillusioned him towards imperialism. common in the literature of the “twentieth century.” The exploitation he observed there served as an inspiration Idealism about imperialism, prevalent in the mid- for Heart of Darkness. Conrad married Jessie George in 1800s, was beginning to fall in Britain and Europe as 1896, and he was ; he was sixteen years older than her. the public became aware of the injustices and Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness in 1898 and 1899. Conrad exploitations. The Boer War, a brutal and costly continued to write until he died of a heart attack in 1924. struggle between the native South Africans and the Characteristics of the Genre: British imperialists broke out as Conrad wrote this The modern novella often illuminates individual novella. At the same time, Sigmund Freud was experience, conveys inner consciousness, and focuses on beginning his work on the id, the ego, and the super- the mystery of the universe, its lack of order and purpose ego. Plot summary: Heart of Darkness begins on the Thames river and told by an unknown narrator. He and several other men are on the deck of a ship when Marlow, a captain, begins to speak. Marlow had always wanted to travel to Africa and up the snakelike Congo River. With the help of his aunt in Brussels, Marlow gets a job as a boat captain on the river with a Dutch trading company that deals in ivory. After getting his assignment at the office in Brussels, he travels to the mouth of the Congo River in a French steamer, which drops off soldiers and clerks at many stations along the African coast. The site of a French man-of-war firing at nothing puzzles Marlow. When Marlow arrives at the mouth of the Congo, a Swedish captain takes him to the company’s Inner Station on a smaller boat. Outside of the station he sees Africans chained and working hard at worthless projects, with others nearby dying slowly. Marlow is impressed with the competence and dress of the accountant who works at this station. It is here that he firsts learns of Kurtz, an exceptional trader who is destined for great things. Marlow then travels to the company’s Central Station, walking two hundred miles inland with a sick, overweight white man who had to be carried by Africans, until they tired of it and abandoned him. Once at the station, Marlow meets the General Manager, a hollow man who got his job not by virtue of his merit but simply by remaining alive. His only talent is making people feel uneasy. The boat Marlow was supposed to captain had been torn up in an accident just before he arrived, so Marlow spends months at the station making repairs and waiting for rivets. During this time, Marlow watches many of the white men do no work and walk aimlessly. One day a building caught fire and they decided to punish an African for it. Marlow then meets another hollow man, the brick maker, who has no materials to build bricks. The brick maker questions Marlow about his connections in Europe, and Marlow learns more about Kurtz, who is besides being an excellent trader, an artist and in Africa for the purpose of bringing light to the natives. Marlow determines that the brick maker is a spy for the manager and that neither likes Kurtz. The mysterious Kurtz increasingly intrigues Marlow. He overhears the manager and the manager’s corrupt uncle express their hatred and jealousy towards Kurtz, who is rumored to be ill. With the repairs complete, Marlow captained the boat upriver, manager on board, towards Kurtz’s station. He employed the help of a group of cannibals, who refrained from eating anyone in his presence. Just before arriving at Kurtz’s station, a tribe of Africans attacked the ship, and his African helmsman was killed, having lost his self-control. At this point Marlow worries that he may never meet Kurtz, but they find Kurtz’s station upriver. Greeted by a young Russian, Marlow finds out that Kurtz is very ill. He also finds out that Kurtz convinced a tribe he was a deity to use them to get more ivory. Kurtz goes crazy and runs for the woods, devoid of all restraint. Marlow finds him and helps him back to his bed. Kurtz gives Marlow some papers to give to people in Europe. Kurtz eventually dies, saying “The horror, the horror.” Marlow returns to Europe, delivers the papers, and eventually talks to Kurtz’s fiancé. She is still very idealistic and he cannot tell her about Kurtz’s last words, saying instead Kurtz uttered her name before dying. Describe the author’s style: An example that demonstrates the style: The complexity of Conrad’s language is often “The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the characterized by balanced phrases and parallel beginning of an interminable waterway. In the offing the sea and structures. He interprets his narrative with the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous long, poetic descriptions of natural scenes. space that tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide Although sometimes criticized for his seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with verbosity, his word choice, phrasing, and gleams of varnished sprits. A haze rested on the low shores that length of sentence, these characteristics tend ran out to sea in vanishing flatness. The air was dark above to elevate his prose to the level of eloquence. Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and greatest, town on earth.” (Page 1)

Memorable Quotes Quote Significance -“The work was going on. The work! And this -This quote clearly illustrates the theme that the European was the place where some of the helpers had presence in Africa was futile and cruel. The Europeans at the outer withdrawn to die.” (Page 14) station were working the Africans to death on projects designed for no apparent purpose. The senselessness of the situation is used by Conrad to show that the Europeans were not going to accomplish anything in Africa.

-“ I noticed there was a hole in the bottom of - In this passage a shed full of native African crafts catches on fire. his pail.” (Page 20) “A stout man with mustaches” tries to put the fire out but is doomed for failure because of a hole in his pail. European imperialism is represented water pail and the fire represents the vivacious culture that the Europeans are trying to suppress. The water pail cannot possibly put out the fire because all the water leaks out. Conrad uses this the hole in the bucket to show that the European attempt to “civilize” the Africans is futile.

-“The horror! The horror!” (Page 64) -Kurtz’s last words have a remarkable reflection on a theme from the novel that “A journey is more fulfilling than its end.” When Kurtz realizes that he has reached the end of his journey, his life, he can remember the many experiences and accomplishments he has made during the journey of his life. However, Kurtz also realizes that the path he had chosen for his journey brought about his demise, the end of his journey. This theme is also reflected through Marlow who gains much experience through his journey in Africa but when he returns to Europe he cannot bring closure to his journey. The horror of ending a journey overshadows the experiences that occurred along that journey.

-This quote most clearly supports the theme of the novel that -“What saves us is efficiency – the devotion to “Without restraint civilization tends toward savagery.” Marlow efficiency” (Page 4). comments that conquerors like the Romans can remain sane by efficiently doing their work and not deeply involving themselves with the natives. The focus on efficiency restrains people from answering to only their primal instincts. Marlow is able to remain civil by occupying himself with the responsibilities of being a riverboat captain; however, Kurtz ignores the guidelines of his work and is pulled into the savage culture of the natives. Characters Name Role in the story Significance Adjectives Marlow He is a European sailor who Marlow plays a significant role in the themes of the novel. ascetic narrates the story. He goes to During Marlow’s journey up the river Marlow witnesses the honest Africa to pilot a riverboat for a futility of the European imperialism, seeing incidents of Belgian ivory trading company. meaningless abuse and . Upon reaching Kurtz, a brilliant man It becomes Marlow’s duty to Marlow had eagerly anticipated meeting, he finds a sick, savage seek out Kurtz, another man lost with no restraint. He learned more in his journey from riverboat captain, and bring his observations on restraint and the treatment of the Africans him back to the trading than he did when he finally arrived at his goal, which was to companies central. speak to Kurtz. Kurtz He is the most successful agent Kurtz is critical to the meaning of the novel. His initial goals talented for the Dutch trading company. disappeared as he rose to be the top agent in the Belgian Congo. conflicted Kurtz becomes so entwined in His change from an idealistic imperialist to an ivory-obsessed his trade that he breaks the agent is used to show that the Europeans could not “civilize” rules of his company and Africa. Africa made Europeans un-“civilized.” After being employs savage techniques to isolated for too long, he had become a beast, with the heads of get ivory. He becomes very ill Africans on poles at his station. Kurtz, a good man in Europe, and before his death, he tries to had lost all restraint, even ignoring the rules of his own escape civilization and go into company. Conrad illustrates that without restraint, people tend the jungle. towards savagery through Kurtz’s attempted escape into the jungle. Accountant He lives at the Outer Station Conrad uses the accountant to show that with restraint, a person well- and is the company’s main is sensible and level-headed, even in difficult conditions, in dressed accountant. He greets Marlow contrast with the helmsman and Kurtz that Marlow will hard- and tells him about Kurtz. encounter later. The accountant is restrained by his commitment working to his appearance and his work. Cannibals They work on the boat with The cannibals exemplify the power of restraint. Marlow restrained Marlow as the boat moves wonders why these men do not eat him, because they have not hungry towards the inner station. eaten anything but rotting hippo meat in months. Marlow sees how complicated the savages are, as he cannot find a single reason why these uncivilized African cannibals are not eating the pilgrims. Some restraint is keeping them from bestiality. Marlow’s She is in the top social circle in Marlow’s Aunt believes in imperialism. She plays the role of enthusiastic Aunt Brussels, and she helps Marlow showing the idealistic European view of imperialism, blind to idealistic get the job in Brussels. its exploitation, cruelty, and ultimate futility. While no “progress” is being made on the African cultures, she is enthusiastic about the idea. Kurtz’s She is Kurtz’s lover at the inner Kurtz’s mistress provides more basis for the theme that the wild mistress station; she belongs to the tribe imperialism is futile. Kurtz went to Africa to civilize “savages” gorgeous which Kurtz controls. like her but instead he became like her. She is mysterious and the pilgrims did not understand what she was saying or doing. General He runs the company and is not The general manager shows how restraint keeps people from hollow Manager particularly talented. He makes becoming savage. He outlasts Kurtz and everyone else in Africa repugnant people uneasy. by being patient and following all of the rules. General He is in charge of the corrupt The manager’s uncle and his expedition represent the cruelty in corrupt Manager’s Eldorado Expedition, which the European occupation. They are “sordid buccaneers… conspiring Uncle Marlow hears came to a bad reckless without hardihood, greed without audacity, and cruel fate in the wilderness. without courage” (27). Harlequin He is Kurtz’s assistant and The Russian’s actions may also depict the theme that restraint young Russian devoted follower at the inner keeps people from wild savagery. He is busy talking to and foolish station. taking care of Kurtz, but in the end, when Kurtz is dying, he is content to walk out into the jungle with practically nothing. Kurtz’s She is Kurtz’s fiancée back in She represents the idealism behind imperialism, much like naïve intended Europe, whom Marlow visits Marlow’s aunt. She believes Kurtz died doing good things for mature months after Kurtz’s death. the world, when in fact, he died doing no good The He was an African who helped The helmsman shows how the loss of restraint causes a person wild helmsman Marlow navigate. When the to become savage. During the attack on the ship, the helmsman foolish boat comes under attack, he lost all restraint and began acting on primal instinct, ultimately goes crazy on the deck and is leading to his death. killed by an arrow.

Setting Significance of Opening Scene The setting begins on the Nellie, a ship at anchor in the In the opening scene the major themes of the novel are Thames River in London. While anchoring there, put into progress. The narrator develops the theme that a Marlow tells his companions on the Nellie a narrative journey is more fulfilling than its end through the quote about his adventures as a riverboat captain on the Congo “The tidal current runs to and fro in its unceasing River sometime in the past. The Congo story is preceded service, crowded with memories of men and ships it had and followed by a visit to Brussels, Belgium, the borne to the rest of home or to the battles of the sea” (2). headquarters for the ivory company that hires him. The sea moves the men and when it finally reaches its goal, moving them to their destinations, it is left with only memories. Marlow then initiates the theme about imperialism through a reference to how the Romans civilized Britain by colonizing the land many years ago, putting themselves in a place they were uncomfortable and into an unconquerable “darkness.” Preceding his story about his journey to the Congo, Marlow refers to the theme about restraint, talking about how the Romans had probably kept themselves sane with work and a goal in mind, or else they would have lost their minds in the wilderness. Symbols Significance of the Closing/Ending Kurtz’s oil painting -- Kurtz’s painting symbolizes Marlow is disgusted by the people of Brussels when he Europeans in Africa. The painting is a blindfolded returns; he sees these people as living trivial, self- woman carrying a torch in darkness. The torchlight important lives that offend Marlow in his knowledge makes her faces look sinister. The torchlight is the gained from his journey. Marlow visits The Intended to civilized European cultures, while the darkness is give away personally the last physical possessions of “savage” Africa. The angry look on the woman’s face Kurtz and to symbolically end his memory of Kurtz; symbolizes the evils that Europeans do in their attempt Marlow and the Intended discuss Kurtz for some time, to bring civilization to Africa. Finally, the futility of the and then Marlow tells her that he uttered her name as his European attempt is apparent in Kurtz’s painting; the last word, to keep her in her happy reality rather darkness pushes against the torchlight and prevents it than the more gruesome one. By telling this lie, Marlow from spreading out. No one is being illuminated. has decided to allow the idealism about imperialism to Heads on poles around Kurtz’s hut – The heads that go on. Marlow’s story has little noticeable effect on the Marlow sees when he arrives at Inner Station symbolize crew except for the narrator; while the Director tells the the ultimate failure of European attempts at civilizing people aboard the boat that they have lost the ebb, the Africa. Kurtz has killed the very people he intended to nameless narrator become introspective and sees civilize. In Africa, the Europeans lose site of their something like the heart of darkness in the clouds above idealistic goals, and therefore cannot accomplish them London. Rivets – The rivets that Marlow needs to fix his steamboat represent the civilizing influence of work. Old AP Questions Marlow tells his listeners of this, saying that it disguises the deeper truth of things when one becomes involved in 1972, 1976, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, one’s tasks. In Heart of Darkness, the rivets make it 2002 (B), 2003 (B), 2004, 2004 (B) possible for Marlow to continue his job and leave the insanity of Center Station.

Possible Themes  Imposing one's form of civilization on another through imperialism is futile, causing more chaos than it is worth.  Without some form of restraint, people tend to degenerate into savagery.  Often, the journey towards a goal is actually more fulfilling that the achievement of that goal.