Discussion of the Narrative framework of ´Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a link between Victorian and modern literary values and ideals, something which is evident in his writing. Victorian values focused on heroism whilst modern ideals are more centered on being critical-Conrad's hero is Marlow, a sailor, but Marlow still criticises contemporary colonialism and imperialism and Conrad has set the story on a stage other than Europe. Conrad's criticisms are voiced through Marlow, and although he could be considered Conrad's mouthpiece, this is not necessarily true. To provide some space and objectivity between the main narrator, Marlow, and his own personal story, Conrad makes use of a first person narrator who tells the story as he is listening to Marlow's story; the nameless first narrator is used in the first of two settings, on the ship, the Nellie, and Marlow's
Marlow is an introspective sailor, and is served to the reader in the form of the traditional hero-tough, honest, and a capable and independent thinker, but he also appears as a broken man, the world has defeated him in some way, which also makes him sceptical, weary and cynical of the world. Marlow tells the yarn in an attempt to educate his fellow crew in the understanding of the world beyond oneself, and in the judgement of other people. The The alienation, or distance Conrad immediately creates by using another narrator, and also by using defamiliarisation in his descriptions 'I arrived in a city that always makes me think of a whited sepulchre' as well as with names of people and places separates the writer from his subjective opinions. And as Marlow is placed between the two extremes of Kurtz, and the Company, he becom
Some common words found in the essay are:
Africa Conrad, Congo River, Europe Conrad's, Heart Darkness, Blackwood's Magazine, Altogether Conrad's, Nellie Marlow's, Kurtz Company, distance conrad, narrative framework, colonialism imperialism, marlow's story,
Approximate Word count = 563
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)
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