ipl-logo

Kurtz's Representation In Heart Of Darkness

1175 Words5 Pages

Kurtz's Intended Representation in Conrad's Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is one of the most known novels in English literature. The story begins when Marlow, who works for a Belgian company, went in a journey to the heart of Africa as a steamship captain. Through his journey he heard the name of Kurtz for the first time. Then the name repeated many times which made Marlow, who is our narrator in addition to other unknown narrator, interested to know about Kurtz. Kurtz works for the company as an ivory trader in the Congo which was at that time one of Belgium's colonies. According to Marlow Kurtz was the ideal English man, or as what he called him a "remarkable man", who holds the banner of civilization. Marlow's dream …show more content…

She carried her head high… She was savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent; there was something ominous and stately in her deliberate progress. And in the hush that had fallen suddenly upon the whole sorrowful land, the immense wilderness, the colossal body of the fecund and mysterious life seemed to look at her (75, …show more content…

While the intended is civilized and powerful, but the interior kinship with the black African is what scares him because this will one day end the superiority of the white European on others, Sara Nassab states that:" The post-colonial readers regard intended as a foolish person, who mourns a man that is known to her. Kurtz's mistress lives independently without Kurtz. The African woman signifies the fact that Africa does not need salvation from other territories" (38). Another representation of women is stereotyping them, once Marlow talks about women in the novel he positioned them in their own world that they imagine, and no need for them to know about the real life in which they could make it worse:
Did I mention a girl? Oh, she is out of it—completely. They—the women, I mean— are out of it—should be out of it. We must help them to stay in that beautiful world of their own, lest ours gets worse. Oh, she had to be out of it. (59) That stereotyping of women in Conrad's Heart of Darkness leads to the lie that Marlow committed to the intended, Kathryn Marie Smith argues that the lie of Kurtz is not the lie that he tells to the intended by telling her that last words pronounced by Kurtz was her name, but she states that the visit to the intended from the beginning is a lie because, as she mentioned, Marlow confesses that he does not know even

Show More
Related
1556 Words | 7 Pages

It seems to me I am trying to tell you a dream — making a vain attempt, because no relation of dream can convey the dream-sensation… No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence — that which makes its truth, its meaning — its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible” (Conrad, P.24). In addition to the collection of absurd events and imagery Marlow encountered, the surreality of Marlow’s adventure is also due to the ineffable feelings intermingled together. Under the emotions and feelings that is incapable for expression, lies Marlow’s inability to make sense of his own feelings.

Read More
774 Words | 4 Pages

In their respective works, Barbara Kingsolver and Joseph Conrad give to the reader their main idea, through the internal reassessment of their characters. Though written 100 years apart Kingsolver’s Poisonwood Bible and Conrad’s Heart of Darkness both include the theme of a transformation of a major character. To show this theme Kingsolver uses her character of Leah Price, while Conrad uses his character of Charles Marlow. The first way that Kingsolver and Conrad show this theme is through Leah and Marlow’s turning away from the “patriarchal” figures in their life.

Read More
997 Words | 4 Pages

Hellen Keller once said that, “Although the worlds is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” In Hellen Keller’s autobiography, The Story of My Life, she wrote about her experiences with learning as a person who was both blind and deaf. In this passage taken from her book, she described her transformation from a child who fought fervently against learning, to an individual who yearned to understand and describe the world around her. Keller presented her shift in the passaged as one that altered her perspective of every aspect of her life, and awakened a sense of happiness and fulfillment within her. She portrayed this change through devices that allowed the reader to closely follow her experiences and understand the emotions that she carried with her

Read More
297 Words | 2 Pages

What does Conrad mean with “in there” and what with “out from there”? Firstly ivory is also in this paragraph written in connection with Kurtz, that means one example of many because you can always read ivory in combination with darkness, Kurtz, religious symbols…I think with “in there” Conrad expresses definitely the jungle and the Congo, because it’s the dark place where ivory is coming out. And of course Kurtz is in there because he brings all the ivory out of the jungle, at least he gives the commands and the blacks are working for him. In the book you can often read that Kurtz is the greatest ivory trader on earth, so I think you can find Kurtz everywhere where you can also find this material. For me it seems that Kurtz and ivory are similarly

Read More
1186 Words | 5 Pages

In addition, the juxtaposition between what Marlow sees as irritating for himself and the slave’s difficult work demonstrates the different perspectives of the white and black people working for The Company. Conrad’s comment displays how humanity and society have different expectations of different people and how those expectations change the way people are treated. Marlow also struggles to find an appropriate name to call the

Read More
1102 Words | 5 Pages

Conrad uses examples of order and chaos throughout his novel to aid in the delivery of the differentiation of the truth of human nature and the sham of civilization. In these examples, order represents civilization and chaos represents the wilderness of Africa. When Marlow finally left the central station to retrieve Mr. Kurtz, he and his crew stop at an abandoned cottage in the middle of the jungle where a European once lived and noticed an old book on the table. Marlow says, “Not a very enthralling book; but at the first glance you could see the singleness of intention, an honest concern for the right way of doing work, . . . The simple od sailor, with is talk of chains and purchases, made me forget about the jungle and the pilgrims in a delicious sensation of having come upon something unmistakably real” (78).

Read More
1366 Words | 6 Pages

Tryston Strickland Dr. Norwood Honors English IV March 8, 2018 The Flaw: Human Nature In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad shows human nature’s tendency toward callousness through the use of greed, imperialism, and darkness. Throughout the book the topics of greed, imperialism, and heartlessness give examples of the flaw that humans cannot fix. Humans tend to help others when there is a benefit for them to gain.

Read More
1320 Words | 6 Pages

Kurtz, allowing readers to see the overall madness recurring. Conrad uses specific diction to force readers to imagine the madness that must be going through Mr.Kurtz mind because of his geographical surroundings. Furthermore, Marlow disturbingly states “the air was warm, thick, heavy, sluggish. There was no joy in the brilliance of the sunshine... deserted, into the gloom.”

Read More
2048 Words | 9 Pages

Civilization and Savagery in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness portrays the differences between the civilized Europeans and the “savages” of which they were tasked to bring into civilization. Marlow recounts a tale of his experiences as a captain of a river-steamboat for a Company that trades ivory. He retells the story of his predecessor, Fresleven, a Dane, characterized as being told of being “the gentlest, quietest creature that ever walked on two legs.” Fresleven dies in a scuffle with the natives due to an argument regarding two black hens.

Read More
785 Words | 4 Pages

One of the key themes in the extract above is the dark/light symbolism. Conrad is unique in his use of this symbolism in that he does not connect light with pure goodness or enlightenment. For example, light in the extract above, actually gave way to darkness. Marlow came in with a lit candle (light) and stood by Kurtz who told him he was waiting in the dark for

Read More
813 Words | 4 Pages

Often in literature, the physical journey the main character takes represents their psychological growth. In Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Marlow’s journey into the heart of the Congo represents his progression into the darkest parts of his mind. As he travels deeper into the foreign terrain, he begins to question the world around him and himself. As Marlow begins his journey into the heart of Africa, he holds onto his idealistic belief in imperialism.

Read More
807 Words | 4 Pages

From the narrator Marlow the readers come to know about the Natives that they are actually innocent people who were under Europeans. In relation to this it deals with the theme of Good vs. Evil, in ‘Heart of Darkness’ which is presented when Marlow who is a good character encounters the situation where he is confused between good and evil, whether Mr. Kurtz is really a

Read More
1880 Words | 8 Pages

To be bluntly honest, after having gotten to page 8 without having understood a word of the text, I was very frustrated. Not only did Heart of Darkness have an old-fashioned English style of writing but the first few pages were completely filled with references, symbols, metaphors and vivid imagery. I found myself either looking up each metaphor to understand it better or rereading each imagery because of its vividness. Thankfully, as the book progressed and Marlow’s story began, the plot became clearer and the story started to carry on more smoothly. I have come to realize that Heart of Darkness can be regarded as a story within a story.

Read More
1238 Words | 5 Pages

In Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, the imperialism of Africa is described. Conrad tells the story of the cruel treatment of the natives and of the imperialism of the Congo region through the perspective through the main character, Marlow. Through the lens of New Criticism, it is evident that Conrad incorporates numerous literary devices in Heart of Darkness, including similes, imagery, personification, and antitheses to describe and exemplify the main idea of cruel imperialism in Africa discussed throughout the novella. Throughout Heart of Darkness, Kurtz and other men that are known as strong, greedy, European leaders of the movement to imperialize Africa, are mentioned multiple times.

Read More
915 Words | 4 Pages

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a story that centers around Marlow, an introverted sailor, and his treacherous journey up the Congo River in search of a man name Kurtz. Unfamiliar with the terrain and natives, Marlow faced many different obstacles that made his journey even more tough. Obstacles like the Congo River and the dense jungles that surround it not only limited the crew progress, but also aroused confusion as well. Joseph Conrad amazing use of descriptive wording and imagery help the readers understand why their surrounding was giving them uneasiness throughout their expedition to meet up with Kurtz. The readers can understand why nature was truly an adversary to Marlow and his crew.

Read More

More about Kurtz's Representation In Heart Of Darkness

Related Topics

Open Document