Into the Darkness: Marlow’s Discovery of the Relationship between Darkness and Civilization
$4.95
5 word format
document in english
literature
presentation
published 23/06/2008
review : not yet assessed
level : Advanced
requested 0 times
SummaryIn his novel Heart of Darkness, published in 1902, Joseph Conrad explores the deepest reaches of the African continent, and at the same time, the innermost secrets of human nature. The novel is narrated mostly by Marlow, a seaman known for his “inconclusive experiences,” who has, over the course of his travels, voyaged down the Congo in the service of ivory traders. His journey, in addition to investigating the ruthlessness of the ivory merchants and the deplorable exploitation of the African natives, delves into the nature of human civilization and European imperialism. As he travels further into the jungle, Marlow feels that he is also traveling back to the origins of humanity, to the predecessors of his countrymen, insulated by their fierce jungle from the rest of the world until now. Conrad seeks to examine the two antithetical extremes of human existence, the highly disciplined and organized structure of civilization, in the form of imperialist Europe, and the untamed, passionate liberties of the African continent. What Marlow and Conrad discover is that even men born into all the comforts of modern, civilized culture retain the darkness of primeval life, making the title of the book signify both the embodiment of Africa as the central location, the heart of the darkness within man, and the fact that man’s heart, by definition, is created at least in part out of darkness. By the end of the novel, after his voyage is completed and he has encountered Kurtz’s Intended, Marlow comes to realize that only by forging a very delicate balance of proof and faith, fact and illusion, can civilized life continue to exist despite the presence of the “immense darkness” within man.
Table of Contents
- Conrad seems to have been greatly preoccupied with issues of identity, and this preoccupation is expressed in Marlow's journey.
- If these men are pilgrims at all, their god is the 'flabby devil' of folly who rules with a slovenly hand the unkempt Stations
- Mr. Kurtz is possibly the most perfect example of this loss of civilization.
- When Marlow actually meets Kurtz he calls him 'very little more than a voice".
- His loss of civilized behavior is overpowering.
- His sins still exist, but he recognizes the darkness within his heart.
- Heart of Darkness is a terrifying look into the fragility of modern civilization
Most downloaded documents over 30 days in literature Latest in the category literature From the same author
knowledge network