Heart Of Darkness, a novella by Joseph Conrad, depicts a journey of Charles Marlow into the wilderness of Congo. Conrad gives the reader an opportunity to follow the seafarer through the forests of the unknown land and into the Heart Of Darkness. However, Heart Of Darkness is not simply an adventure book, it is a complex novella that opens up a series of problems - those of race, gender, humanity, imperialism, etc. Today, almost no conversation about European colonization of Congo can be conducted without a mention of Joseph Conrad and his novella. There are numerous reasons that justify such prominence of this particular literary work that can be found both inside the narrative itself and in the discussions that it inspires. Heart of Darkness …show more content…
An arguement can be made that Kurz, a prominent memeber of the European company that employes Marlow, plays the role of a physical embodiment of Imperialism in Heart of Darkness. In the novella, prior to encountering Kurz, Marlow ceaselessly hears about the character in the diologs with other Europeans on the station; the narrating character paints a vivid picture of this legendary man in his head and becomes crazed with impatience of meeting him. When Marlow finally sees Kurz, he finds out that the man’s body and soul is frenzied with an incurable pestilence. Kurz turns out to be a lunatic, whose madness is his obsession with wealth and power. Kurz deems himself a goddess, and, intoxicated with his own grandeor, losses his identity and morals; Kurz’s heart fills with darkness. Kurz’s passing in the finale of the novella becomes one of the most memorable parts of the narration, as the man’s last flicker of ardent clarity shows the immense amount of guilt he suddenly experiences. The embodiment of Imperialism with a heart of darkness dies, leaving only a lingering phrase behind him: “The horror! The horror!”