Unlocking the Depths: A Literature Review of "Heart of Darkness"

Embarking on a literature review can be akin to traversing the tangled jungles of Joseph Conrad's
"Heart of Darkness." This classic novella, renowned for its complex themes and intricate narrative,
presents a daunting landscape for scholarly exploration. Crafting a comprehensive literature review
demands a deep understanding of the text's nuances, historical context, and critical interpretations.
It's a journey that requires both scholarly rigor and a keen eye for insightful analysis.

Navigating the depths of "Heart of Darkness" within the realm of literary criticism can be
particularly challenging. Scholars and students alike grapple with the myriad interpretations of
Conrad's work, ranging from examinations of colonialism and imperialism to explorations of
existentialism and the human psyche. Each perspective offers a new layer of meaning, each critique a
fresh angle from which to approach the text.

The difficulty lies not only in comprehending the breadth of existing scholarship but also in
synthesizing these diverse viewpoints into a cohesive narrative. Crafting a literature review requires
meticulous research, careful selection of relevant sources, and skillful integration of ideas to provide
a comprehensive overview of the existing discourse surrounding "Heart of Darkness."

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Furthermore the connotations of brooding are threatening, menacing and dark. Marlow's discovery
of how Kurtz has gained his position of power over the local people involves him in a radical
questioning, not only of his own nature and values, but of those that underpin Western civilization
itself.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the
English-speaking world. The Nature Of Evil In Humanity In The Book, Heart Of. If you are using
mobile phone, you could also use menu drawer from browser. Overall the main reason I liked Dorian
Gray more was because of the writing style itself. I'm a good student and I always have been but it
takes a little help to stay at the top and this is where I get it. The luxuries that are found in
civilization are nowhere to be found where Marlow had spent years. Of course, the most important
question, generally the most frequently asked question related to the novella, concerns what Kurtz
means by the statement. And he is right too, it is a spiritual journey into the dark places of the human
soul. Marlow felt as though this stranger could not be totally trusted. Marlow realizes that only very
near the time of death, does a person grasp the big picture. One major effect of Conrad's use of a
frame and two narrators is to provoke a chain of reaction. Conrad hints at the theme, by various
techniques such as imagery. As identity is such a broad topic it can be broken down into other
sections. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best
works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. He published his first novel ( Almayer's
Folly ) in 1894. In 1890, Joseph Conrad worked as a pilot on a steamship in the Belgian Congo, and
Heart of Darkness is at least in part based on his experiences there. To tear treasure out of the bowels
of the land was their desire, with no more moral purpose at the back of it than there is in burglars
breaking into a safe. Finally Marlow gives in promising to keep the truth from being known in
Europe. In 1979, the novel finally got a film adaptation in the form of the legendary Apocalypse
Now. Joseph Conrad drew on his own experience commanding a Belgian steamer on the Congo
River in the early 1890s. Additionally, Orson Welles began but never completed the filming of an
adaptation of the novel in 1940 due to a lack of funding. This is important, because C wants it to be
clear that this evil is in everyone. By juxtaposing the psychological horror that Marlow experiences in
the jungle with the vapidness of high society in London, Conrad forces the reader to confront the
heart of darkness at the core of humanity. He is one of few colonials who appear to have
accomplished much. It was seen then (and is seen now) as an anti-colonialist book. Activities and
Writing Assignments: Participate in a wide array of activities and writing assignments that will
compliment and further your literature studies, including character analysis, mapping the journeys of
characters, comparative analysis of ideas, constructing a timeline of story events, extracting life
lessons from the text, in-depth passage analysis to understand tone, and point of view shifts. He, like
Kurtz had good intentions upon entering the Congo. Get it We pay the store, you get the goods,
nothing to pay today. But the wilderness found him out early, and had taken vengeance for the
fantastic invasion.
Some of these projects include creating a simple home bar, building a small desk or workstation, or
even creating a new backyard addition. Don’t hesitate to sue our summary if you need to write a
book report. The goal of brainstroming is to produce insights that will improve one’s overall state of
mind. The light bulb is one of the most important inventions of all time. Get your order without
delay Your order will be shipped as normal. By juxtaposing the psychological horror that Marlow
experiences in the jungle with the vapidness of high society in London, Conrad forces the reader to
confront the heart of darkness at the core of humanity. I think Marlow felt a sense of loyalty to
Kurtz because they shared a similar mindset. Although he is reflective of Europe's ideals, his desire
for riches sometimes overcomes. Mr. Kurtz has begun to identify himself with the savages. Upload
Read for free FAQ and support Language (EN) Sign in Skip carousel Carousel Previous Carousel
Next What is Scribd. Their demeanor expresses a deep sadness from within their hearts. Kurtz seems
to be very interested in collecting ivory through distorted practices. It was there for the taking
regardless of what happened along the way. From start to finish, Conrad gives a rise-and-fall story
of the protagonist, (who is partially based off of Conrad himself) Charles Marlow. One could say
that “Heart of Darkness” is about finding ones identity. Return nearly all items within 30 days of
delivery. Marlow, shocked by such words, leaps to his feet and reveals himself. Reading about the
natives, we get an even stronger impression that we are in the midst of darkness. He witnesses the
brutal treatment of the natives, the generally poor status of the ivory stations he arrives at, and the
gruesome intentions of other, “civilized” human beings. They weekly pay the cannibals three pieces
of brass wire about nine inches long in order to buy provisions from the river-side villages. Marlow
brings a certain duality to the idea of imperialism, while he subscribes to the notion of his aunt that
they are emissaries of 'the light', as he goes up the river he notes 'a touch of insanity' about the man-
of-war firing blindly into the bush. Conrad conveys the themes through the structure and language
used in Heart of Darkness. Own it Choose how you pay us back over time, up to 6 months interest
free. Charles Marlow is a seaman just hired as a ferry captain for a Belgian trading company in the
Congo, after the last one was killed by the natives over a petty dispute. The result was a beautiful
and wealthy Europe, while Africa was enslaved. But, as it is almost immediately revealed to the
reader, the only reason they want to find Kurtz is to take control of his station in order to gain more
profits. Conrad's work was instrumental in this effort, particularly his experimentation with the use
of time and non-chronological narratives. Later, he suggests a counterfactual scenario: The
population had cleared out a long time ago. He soon reaches the Company station and receives his
first shock, everything there seems meaningless. The journey is not a pleasant one, it is a very
difficult task, where evil lurks in the smallest of places.
Unreliable Narrator: Although it's never stated explicitly in the novel, the framed narrative device
suggests that Marlow could be lying. If you do not find the exact resolution you are looking for, then
go for a native or higher resolution. There is one particular sequence, when the boat is stuck in the
river at night and there is a heavy fog, where Conrad conveys a true sense of horror and fear by both
illustrating the landscape and the reactions of the characters. Conventional symbolism associates
light and white with good, and black with evil. Kurtz is brought into the scene with a stretcher, and
the manager and pilgrims lay him in one of the cabins and deliver him his mail, which they brought
from the Central Station. In Heart of Darkness, the really radical point of this is to expose their lack
of meaning. Does this also show Europe’s belief that “the ends justify the means?” This statement is
false. Universal Novels Summary Of Heart Of Darkness For Joseph Conrad King Faisal University.
We shall snap their necks like dogs that cannot be made obedient. Want it Create your account in
moments and select Zip at checkout. They were supposed to buy their own provisions from river-
side villages, but as we can see, there are NO river-side villages. It was about this time he changed
his name to the more British-sounding Joseph Conrad and published his first short stories (he wrote
in English, his third language after Polish and French). The inspiration of the story was taken from
the author’s own life story. The story of how the cannibals are paid is one of those times. After
returning from such a journey, I believe that I would be shocked with reality. Marlow overhears a
very unpleasant conversation between the General Manager and his uncle, who comes to the Central
Station with another expedition. Today Conrad is generally regarded as one of the greatest writers of
fiction in English-his third language.Adam Hochschild is the author of seven books, including King
Leopold's Ghost- A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa and Bury the Chains-
Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves. The Russian trader is the only white
person who is not in search for money, fame, or power. They are now more energy-efficient and last
longer than ever before. It was seen then (and is seen now) as an anti-colonialist book. The main idea
of darkness is shown through what Marlow had learnt through his journey which is that there is
darkness within every human, and that is a connection between all humans of every race and colour,
no matter how civilised or how educated. Determined to meet this man, Marlow begins his journey.
They are hugely influential books, and you are a more educated person for having read them. The
goal of brainstroming is to produce insights that will improve one’s overall state of mind. Whether
it’s coming up with a new way to do something, coming up with an original idea for a product, or
coming up with a way to improve something you already have, creative ideas can help make your
business more successful. And how can you come up with one for your own business. Clearly, Kurtz
is participating in these “savage customs” for his own gain. The chief accountant has the restraint that
it takes to get the job done. What redeems it is the idea only.” Is this statement true, and why would
Marlow feel this way after his experience in Africa. Despite remaining some what of an enigma to
those around him, he clearly asserts himself as a powerful influence on the people he encounters.
The plot of Heart of Darkness, the voyage from Outer to Central to Inner station, symbolizes a
journey into the self. The ideas and mood behind the atmosphere brush off against the state of the
reader. Marlow's story is told to four listeners, one of whom tells it to the readers, who may react to
it differently to it as the listeners do. When he finally encounters Kurtz, who has descended into
madness and leads a group of natives with god-like power, Marlow must confront the corruption and
despair that hides within his Western values. I felt how big, how confoundedly big, was that thing
that couldn't talk, and perhaps was deaf as well. It also changes the register (tone) as the reader is
led on to think of other ideas. Chapter 3 14. How would you feel returning to civilization after an
experience like Marlow had. Heart of Darkness is a unique novel that showcases European
imperialist mentality at the end of the 19th century and through the beginning of the 20th. Marlow
was most impressed by the accountants white clothes. The Russian trader is the only white person
who is not in search for money, fame, or power. He was careful to study photographs of the time,
especially of the Congolese, lest he be accused of the racism of caricature. It contains background
information for Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, including narrative technique, themes, and major
symbols. Kurtz also threatens the manager for deterring his plans. Iv heart of darkness Iv heart of
darkness The Journey Within the Heart of Darkness 11 The Journey Within the Heart of Darkness 11
Chinua Achebe Chinua Achebe Elements of Darkness and Light in the Heart of Darkness with
Special Referenc. The one thing I would add is that it is important that all of Europe contributed to
the making of Kurtz, because he represents the entire continent. Appearance vs reality in Heart of
Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Pride and Prej. Mai Al Natour University of Jordan English
Department Professor M. The others might have been asleep, but I was awake. Thus, it is a symbol
of danger; it lies in wait, ready to strike. I chose to read it in this class because it is a very important
piece of literature. They are servants to the white people in charge, against their will. While this
novel explores the brutality of Belgian ivory traders, it has come under fire from critics for
perpetuating the same backwards depictions of the natives that it criticizes. Clearly, Kurtz is
participating in these “savage customs” for his own gain. He used a piece of carbonized thread as a
filament in a glass vacuum bulb. There is one particular sequence, when the boat is stuck in the river
at night and there is a heavy fog, where Conrad conveys a true sense of horror and fear by both
illustrating the landscape and the reactions of the characters. Marlow is a stationary man, very
unusual for a seaman. Even though Marlow shares many of the same prejudices as Europeans of his
time, he has experienced enough of the world to begin to call to question the white man’s
imperialism. Marlow overhears a very unpleasant conversation between the General Manager and his
uncle, who comes to the Central Station with another expedition. During the journey back he grows
weaker and weaker. Marie Smith The Nature Of Evil In Humanity In The Book, Heart Of.
Additionally, Orson Welles began but never completed the filming of an adaptation of the novel in
1940 due to a lack of funding. What struck Marlow most about the manager were his stealthy eyes
and the feeling of uneasiness he sensed when in his presence. However, his presence easily adds
much more insight to Marlow's character. He also sees Kurtz as a threat and, same as the General
Manager, wants him dead and out of his way. He was careful to study photographs of the time,
especially of the Congolese, lest he be accused of the racism of caricature. Marlow's tale opens and
closes in darkness, and many of the novel's significant events happen in darkness as well. Rumor has
it that Kurtz is a sort of genius who is expected to climb in rank over time. Nothing but Skin and
Bones: Kurtz, who is described as unnaturally, skeletally thin when he's finally retrieved.
Furthermore the connotations of brooding are threatening, menacing and dark. The hollowness of
civilization is hinted when their jobs replace the names of the characters in the ship. Why was
Marlow unable to tell Kurtz’s intended the truth about him. Savagery is a key theme in the heart of
darkness, black men used as savages. Select Afterpay at checkout No long forms, instant approval
online. The reason it is important that Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz may be because
Kurtz reflects Europe’s ideals. In Heart of Darkness ivory plays a dual role in significance. He
confuses the beat of the drum (the call to man's primitive side) with his own heartbeat, and is
pleased. Kurtz is an exemplary trader whose alluring fame and mysterious disappearance in the
jungle draw Marlow into a harrowing expedition to recover the man. Teach your students to analyze
literature like LitCharts does. The events at the beginning and at the close of the novel occur outside
Congo but the major and the most significant events of the story take place in the Congo and on the
river Congo. He is a gifted musician and artist, known for his many talents and is a strong leader of
men. Heart of Darkness shows that in practice the European colonizers used the high ideals of
colonization as a cover to allow them to viciously rip whatever wealth they could from Africa. First
published in 1899, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness depicts the semi-autobiographical experiences
of Charles Marlow, a sailor who becomes obsessed with a man by the name of Mr. Kurtz as he
transports ivory in Central Africa. He also confesses that Kurtz was the one who ordered the natives
to attack the steamboat, hoping they would turn around and think that Kurtz had died already. The
stillness prevailing there was not the stillness of peace but of a relentless force brooding over some
mysterious purpose. If Conrad had made Kurtz British, then it could be said that only Britain did
these horrible things. The objective, as laid out by his employer, is to pick up and return with the
ivory harvests collected by each trading outpost along the way. It is what's left after we throw off the
illusions and comforts of civilization, a tremendous emptiness. Appearance vs reality in Heart of
Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Pride and Prej. Literally, the title refers to the dark continent of Africa
known as the Congo. “Heart of Darkness” is an appropriate title for the novel because Marlow
describes his experiences of the interior region of the continent which was known as Congo. You
made some good observations in your answer's to the questions.
Get the entire Heart of Darkness LitChart as a printable PDF. He remembers how the “blank spaces”
on Africa’s map is his inspiration for this voyage. Marlow’s journey into the Congo is metaphorically
a psychological and anthropological might-journey. Our writers give great attention to detail, and do
an excellent job on writing and editing even the most difficult essays. When Marlow returns, he
decides to give Kurtz’s writing to Kurtz’s fiancee. They appear to have just given up any idea of a
good and fair life. 5. What is it about the accountant that impresses Marlow. From the description in
the book, it sounds like they listened through the night. Working on the Chain Gang: At the first
station he comes to, Marlow sees a group of African prisoners working as carriers, chained together
at the neck. In the novella Marlow is saved by restraint, while Kurtz is doomed by his lack of it. Own
it Choose how you pay us back over time, up to 6 months interest free. As Marlow journeys up the
Congo, he feels he is traveling back through time. Presented as pathetic because she has deluded
herself about Kurtz to the point that she's barely functional as an independent person. Heart of
Darkness pays more attention to the damage that colonization does to the souls of white colonizers
than it does to the physical death and devastation on the black natives. The human mind may also be
regarded as a kind of Dark Continent whose exploration is even more difficult than the exploration
of Congo. Here at EssayPro, we are more than happy to assist you and satisfy your needs — no
matter how demanding you are. The accountant also had little knowledge for the job he was
responsible for. 6. At this point, what do we know about Kurtz. While reading the novel I was able
to reflect on my own journey to the soul. The phrase “Heart of Darkness” has yet another meaning.
One day, he hands Marlow all the paperwork he accumulated throughout the years in Africa. The
constant use of foreshadowing would help to remind the reader of the underlying theme of
darkness. Marlow doesn't even bother trying to quote most of Kurtz's delirious ramblings in the last
days of his life; he settles for summarizing them, here and there. To tear treasure out of the bowels of
the land was their desire, with no more moral purpose at the back of it than there is in burglars
breaking into a safe. Marlow's story-within-the-story is set in an unnamed European city (probably
Brussels) and in the Belgian Congo in Africa sometime in the early to mid 1890s, during the colonial
era. While some of these projects may seem complex or daunting, with the right guidance and bits of
inspiration, they can be completed relatively quickly. A Critical Commentary on the first 20 pages on
The Heart of Darkness. Conrad's use of parallels and contrasts relies for effect not on explicit
statement but on the reader's capacity to trace the associations. The horror!” (p. 125) The phrase still
raises a lot of debates; it might refer to the horrors he witnessed in uncivilized Africa, or horrors he
saw created by white colonizers who abused their power and mistreated locals. This also help s to
create imagery, and paints a picture for the reader which words, allowing them to see what Conrad
intended them to see. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!”. With that said, apart
from what Conrad says about the nature of human beings and the horrid nature of imperialism, the
details in the novel also make it special.