Heart of Darkness

A detailed Summary of Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

In Joseph Conrad's novel, 'Heart of Darkness', the term "darkness" can be related to a few different meanings. Conrad uses this term in various ways to characterize social, political and psychological affairs in order to help the reader get a feel of his attitudes towards things, such as colonialism, Africa, and civilization.

The first impression of the word "darkness" in relations to this novel that I understood was its reference to racism. This, I got from the way Conrad writes about the White people and how they treated the natives (Black), in Africa. During the colonization of Africa, forced ideals of a race that thought of themselves as more superior than those who occupied that land before them existed. This is demonstrated as Conrad writes about how the Whites completely dominate the Blacks in Africa. A significant passage from the novel illustrating this point is when Marlow describes, " Black shapes crouched, lay...The work was going on...this was the place where some of the helpers had withdrawn to die...they were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom" (34-35). The natives were not "helpers", but sl

From racism, the idea of civilization is brought about in terms of "darkness". Conrad uses the contrast of light and dark with relation to the civilized and the uncivilized. The light of course, represents civilization or the civilized side of the world and the dark, more importantly represents the uncivilized or savage side of the world. From the passages quoted earlier, when Marlow calls the workers "black shadows of disease and starvation" (35), Conrad is reinforcing the idea that Blacks and the dark images they project are uncivilized and they are nothing to be wishing for.

Kurtz, the fabulously successful chief of the Inner Station who has come from Europe to civilize the natives, surrender to the savagery of the wilderness. He gives up his high aspirations, and the wilderness brings out the darkness and brutality in his heart. All principles and desires of the European society are stripped from him, and the unspeakable passions and greed of his true nature are revealed. He collects a following of loyal natives who worship him as an idol, and they raid surrounding villages to collect a huge amount of ivory. The full significance of the wilderness can be seen only through Kurtz, because he gives in to the powers of the wilderness. Conrad writes that

Marlow comments, "The word 'ivory' rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it...I've never seen anything so unreal in my life" (44). In contrast, the wilderness appears solid, immovable, and ominously threatening. During Marlow's stay at Central Station, he describes the surrounding wilderness as a "rioting invasion of soundless life, a rolling wave of plants, piled up, crested, ready to...sweep every little man of us out of his little existence" (54). It is difficult to say, however, what the intentions of the wilderness actually are. Through Marlow's eyes, it is always somewhat of an enigma. It is "an implacable force brooding over and inscrutable intention" (60).

However, through Conrad's reiteration of Marlow's experience, there was an interesting aspect of the slaves seen. The reality is that these Blacks are what created the civilized life for the Whites. The Blacks are being used by the civilized, in turn making them uncivilized. But, the fact rem

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Approximate Word count = 1541
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English