QUES.
Critically comment on the concept of darkness in Joseph Conrad's ''Heart of
Darkness''.
Joseph Conrad's ''Heart of Darkness'' was first published as a serial form in Blackwood's
Magazine in 1899 and later published in 1902.Conrad's novel title signifies that the Congo is
full of savagery and far from civilization and also depicts that darkness has not gone away.
The meaning of ‘’Heart of Darkness’’ is the abuse of power over those weaker than oneself,
caused by greed, oppression, and cultural subjugation. Marlow's moral conflict is reflective of
these abuses in European imperialism.
The tone in the novel is dark and dismal which is evident in the novella when Conrad
portrayal Marlow being terrified after seeing what Mr. Kurtz and the Company are doing
with the native people to obtain wealth and control. ‘’black bank of clouds… earth flowed
sombre under an overcast sky… lead into the heart of an immense darkness"[pg. 98-
194]. This line states that life and the people in Congo seemed gloomy, downhearted, and
dark. Marlow understands that everything the Company had done was devastating for the
people and their civilization.
Conrad has linked darkness to several meanings and imagery in the novel i.e. setting
[Congo], the character [ Kurtz]. Darkness is perhaps the novel's dominant imaginary. In the
beginning of the novella Marlow travels to the Brussels a deadly silence place, here in the
Company's he saw two women knitting black wool and safeguarding the door of darkness
''Two women one fat and the other slim...knitting wool''[pg.16-194] this demonstrates the
imagery of darkness. After that Marlow undertakes his Voyage to the Congo and refer this
place ‘’coiling snake like through the darkness’ establish a dismal atmosphere of the
novel. Marlow demonstrates Congo's like a 'place of darkness’ [pg. 14-194] and this
darkness indirectly affects primitives’ natives' lives because of unawareness of the company's
real motives. The stream of consciousness and internal monologue emphasized a shift in
focus from the external world to the interior world. Marlow's trip to the inner station is a
further step into the darkness ''penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of
darkness''[pg.47-194]. The dense jungle conceals "the darkness" that lurks within it. The
jungle often has an ominous presence. It underlines the devasting and the havoc that prevails
in the Congo.
To describe the ‘’darkness’’ in the ‘’heart’’, Conrad's makes use of the character of Mr. Kurtz
to symbolize man's dark side. He signifies the triumphant evil powers of hell. He starts as a
normal, ambitious man but, when he travels to Africa, his greed [ivory] causes him to lose his
good intentions and become a God (more like a tyrant) to the natives. He is identified with
''impenetrable darkness''[pg. 61-194] and lives under the influence of darkness ''
I [Kurtz] am lying here in the dark waiting for death''[pg. 88-194]. Kurtz's last moments
away from the dark to ultimate knowledge: 'his stare... not see the flame of the candle, but
was wide... the whole universe, ... penetrate all the hearts that beat in the darkness'[pg.
89-194]. Marlow lies to her [Kurtz's Intended] about Kurtz's last words despite how adamant
he is about not lying. He believed that there is a 'taint of death in lies'[pg. 36-194] yet he
deliberately does it with the belief that it will protect civilization from the true horrors of
darkness. Marlow does not become Kurtz; he realizes that revealing the truth is ''too dark-
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too dark together'' [pg. 98-194] Kurtz shadow also depicts his darkness 'a shadow darker
than the shadow of night'[pg. 92-194]. He is the heart of darkness who prey to the powers
of darkness. Kurtz is also representative as an embodiment of imperialism. ‘’shoot me unless
I gave him ivory''[pg. 72-194] this line suggests his greediness for resources thus
commenting on his imperialist mentality.
The concept of darkness demonstrates through the theme of racism, the politics of
colonization, and the impulses of man. The deepest and darkest realities of the civilization and
imperialism is that are lie. The outer region around the Congo served as a mask and it seems
like that progress, they are doing is worthy for Africa, but exact it cause disastrous for natives.
Conrad exemplifies Africa as a centre of evil ''Near the same tree...picture of a massacre
of a pestilence''[pg. 25-194] Marlow sees the real outcome of imperialism and states that
mistreated and overworked slaves are left to die on their own, Marlow makes the use terms
such as “savages”, “cannibals”, and other derogatory terms utilized to describes the native of
Congo, the manifested darkness of Congo affect Marlow personality & reflects the nascent
stages of this transition wherein he himself start perceive ''worst...suspicion of their not
being inhuman''[pg. 48-194], Kurtz’s mistress is described as a ‘savage’ thus depicting
racism in the novella. Marlow describe the European as ‘’brutes’’ because Kurtz as an
embodiment of imperialism, ''shoot me unless I gave him ivory''[pg. 72-194] his greedy for
resources describe an imperialists mentality. Heart of darkness depicts imperialist rapacity
and violence. Marlow describe that Ivory symbolizes the greediness and destructive side of
mankind ‘’The word ‘’Ivory’’ rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would
think they were praying it. It embodies the complete imperialism spread over the civilized
people.
The concept of darkness establishes by the ambiguous dichotomy between the imaginary of
black and white. The imaginary of light and dark both portrays the ‘’darkness’’ in the novel
'there was a lamp in there…light you know...outside it was so beastly dark [88],
'imperceptible fall the, sun sank low... white changed to dull ... stricken to death...gloom
brooding over a crowd man''[9]. Another image is ''white Sepulchres, which has beautiful
outward but are within full of dead men bones, the portrait painted by Kurtz ''women draped
blindfolded...lighted torch...face was sinister''[pg. 34-194] here white symbolize the
European, torch she carries represent their customs and values that they try to force upon the
native, blindfolded suggest the darkness. The jungle is also holding darkness which illustrates
the significance of light and dark ''forest stood up spectrally in the moonlight'', dark-
green as to be almost black, fringed with the white surf, blue sea ... creeping mist''[pg.
35-194]. The fig. of Kurtz, his fiancé and, Marlow also depicts the mixture of light and dark.
Kurtz is a white man but his greediness for ivory made him a man who is surrounding by
darkness and evilness. His fiancé’s forehead, smooth and white, and ''illumined by the
inexhaustible light of belief and love''[pg. 94-194] signify the white but, still she is
encircled by the dark truth of Kurtz's last word. Marlow is a symbol of light in the dark place
{Congo}, however, throughout the novel he is consumed by the darkness of Kurtz and the
Congo. Conrad connoted darkness with death, evil, mystery which symbolized by black and
white.
To conclude 'Heart of Darkness' is Conrad most ambitious novel. It is about Congo and the
centre figure Kurtz who is completely and utterly engulfed by the inconceivable powers of
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darkness that lies within ''wilderness... Mr. Kurtz... good was buried... unspeakable
secret...damp earth...victorious corruption[pg.79-194]. Conrad’s novella begins and end
with darkness that inhabit in entire region.
REFERENCE:
CLASS NOTES
HEART OF DARKNESS 'JOSEPH CONRAD'
IMAGERY IN CONRAD'S 'HEART OF DARKNESS' TAWFIK YOUSEF
CONRAD AND IMPERIALISM _Ideological Boundaries and Visionary Frontiers '
BENITARY PARRY
THE MYTH OF DARK CONTINENT 'PARTICK BRANTLINGER'
Rashmi Mehra
B.A. English {Hons} 3rd year
2018/1264
