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1. Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
“
“We live, as we dream,
We live, as we dream,
alone…”
alone…”

2. The Heart of Darkness
The Heart of Darkness] is a dreadful and
] is a dreadful and
fascinating tale, full as any of Poe’s
fascinating tale, full as any of Poe’s
mystery and haunting terrors, yet with
mystery and haunting terrors, yet with
all the substantial basis of reality that no
all the substantial basis of reality that no
man who had not lived as well as dreamed
man who had not lived as well as dreamed
could conjure into existence.
could conjure into existence.
--from a review in
--from a review in
Nation
Nation, 1906
, 1906

3. Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad’
’s Life
s Life
• Born 1857 in Russian-occupied Poland
Born 1857 in Russian-occupied Poland
• Patriot father & family exiled in Russia 1862
Patriot father & family exiled in Russia 1862
• Both parents dead of illness by 1869
Both parents dead of illness by 1869
• Conservative uncle took him in
Conservative uncle took him in
• Joined French Merchant Marine at 16
Joined French Merchant Marine at 16
• Kicked out due to his nationality
Kicked out due to his nationality
& a suicide attempt
& a suicide attempt
• Joined British Merchant Marine 1878
Joined British Merchant Marine 1878
• Left the sea & began writing 1894
Left the sea & began writing 1894
• Died 1924 & buried in Canterbury
Died 1924 & buried in Canterbury

4. Joseph Conrad’s Life
Joseph Conrad’s Life
• -long stint in the East (Asia) ended, had trouble
-long stint in the East (Asia) ended, had trouble
finding a new position.
finding a new position.
• With the help of a relative in Brussels, took
With the help of a relative in Brussels, took
position as captain of a steamer for a Belgian
position as captain of a steamer for a Belgian
trading company.
trading company.
• Conrad had dreamed of sailing the Congo
Conrad had dreamed of sailing the Congo
• He had to leave early for the job, as the previous
He had to leave early for the job, as the previous
captain was killed in a trivial quarrel – mentally
captain was killed in a trivial quarrel – mentally
and physically unprepared for journey
and physically unprepared for journey

5. Joseph Conrad’s Life
Joseph Conrad’s Life
• Conrad saw some of the most shocking and
Conrad saw some of the most shocking and
depraved examples of human corruption he
depraved examples of human corruption he’
’d ever
d ever
witnessed. He was disgusted by the ill treatment of
witnessed. He was disgusted by the ill treatment of
the natives, the scrabble for loot, the terrible heat
the natives, the scrabble for loot, the terrible heat
and the lack of water.
and the lack of water.
• He saw human skeletons of bodies left to rot - many
He saw human skeletons of bodies left to rot - many
were men from the chain gangs building the
were men from the chain gangs building the
railroads.
railroads.
• He found his ship was damaged.
He found his ship was damaged.
• Dysentary was rampant, as was malaria; Conrad
Dysentary was rampant, as was malaria; Conrad
had to terminate his contract due to illness and
had to terminate his contract due to illness and
never fully recovered
never fully recovered

6. Historical Context
Historical Context
• In 1890, Joseph Conrad secured employment in the
Congo as the captain of a river steamboat, the
approximate year in which the main action of Heart
of Darkness takes place.
• Illness forced Conrad's return home after only
three months in Africa, but that was long enough
for intense impressions to have been formed in the
novelist's mind.
• Today, the country at the center of Heart of
Darkness is called the
called the Democratic Republic of
Democratic Republic of
the Congo
the Congo, , but in Conrad’s time it was the Congo
Free State, or Belgian Congo.

7. Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
• First published as a serial
First published as a serial
in London
in London’s
’s Blackwood
Blackwood
Magazine
Magazine in 1899
in 1899
• Considered by many to be
Considered by many to be
the finest short novel ever
the finest short novel ever
written in English
written in English
• Bridges the Victorian and
Bridges the Victorian and
Modern literary periods
Modern literary periods
• Modern criticism sharply
Modern criticism sharply
divided over merit due to
divided over merit due to
racist/imperialist themes
racist/imperialist themes

8. Key Facts
• Full Title
Full Title:
: Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
• Author
Author:
: Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
• Type of Work
Type of Work:
: Novella (between a novel
Novella (between a novel
and a short story in length and scope)
and a short story in length and scope)
• Genre
Genre:
: Symbolist, colonial literature,
Symbolist, colonial literature,
adventure tale, frame story
adventure tale, frame story

9. Key Facts
• Time and Place Written
Time and Place Written:
: England, 1898–1899; inspired by
England, 1898–1899; inspired by
Conrad’s journey to the Congo in 1890
Conrad’s journey to the Congo in 1890
• Date of First Publication
Date of First Publication:
: Published in 1902 in the volume
Published in 1902 in the volume
Youth: A Narrative; and Two Other Stories
Youth: A Narrative; and Two Other Stories
• Narrator
Narrator:
: There are two narrators: an anonymous
There are two narrators: an anonymous
passenger on a pleasure ship, who listens to Marlow’s
passenger on a pleasure ship, who listens to Marlow’s
story, and Marlow himself, a middle-aged ship’s captain.
story, and Marlow himself, a middle-aged ship’s captain.
• Point of View
Point of View:
: The first narrator speaks in the first-person
The first narrator speaks in the first-person
plural, on behalf of four other passengers who listen to
plural, on behalf of four other passengers who listen to
Marlow’s tale. Marlow narrates his story in the first
Marlow’s tale. Marlow narrates his story in the first
person, describing only what he witnesses and
person, describing only what he witnesses and
experiences, and provides his own commentary on the
experiences, and provides his own commentary on the
story.
story.

10. Key Facts
• Setting (time)
Setting (time):
: Latter part of the nineteenth
Latter part of the nineteenth
century, probably sometime between 1876 and
century, probably sometime between 1876 and
1892
1892
• Setting (place)
Setting (place):
: Opens on the Thames River
Opens on the Thames River
outside London, where Marlow is telling the
outside London, where Marlow is telling the
story that makes up
story that makes up Heart of Darkness.
Heart of Darkness. Events of
Events of
the story take place in Brussels, at the Company’s
the story take place in Brussels, at the Company’s
offices, and in the Congo, then a Belgian
offices, and in the Congo, then a Belgian
territory.
territory.
• Protagonist
Protagonist:
: Charlie Marlow
Charlie Marlow

11. Historical Context

12. Marlow’s & Conrad’s
1889-90 journey into
“
“Heart of
Heart of
Darkness
Darkness”
”
Joseph
Conrad
(1857-1914)

13. Historical Context
Historical Context
The Congo River was discovered by
The Congo River was discovered by
Europeans in 1482
Europeans in 1482
No one traveled more than
No one traveled more than
200 miles upstream until
200 miles upstream until
1877
1877
Is 1,600 miles long and only
Is 1,600 miles long and only
impassable to water traffic
impassable to water traffic
between two places, creating
between two places, creating
a two-hundred mile overland
a two-hundred mile overland
trip
trip
 Matadi (the Company
Matadi (the Company
Station)
Station)
 Kinshasa (the Central
Kinshasa (the Central
Station)
Station)

14. Historical Context
Historical Context
• 1878 – King Leopold II of Belgium asked
1878 – King Leopold II of Belgium asked
explorer Henry Morton Stanley to set up a
explorer Henry Morton Stanley to set up a
Belgian colony in the Congo
Belgian colony in the Congo
– Wanted to
Wanted to “end slavery and civilize the natives”
“end slavery and civilize the natives”
– Actually interested in more material benefits
Actually interested in more material benefits
• 1885 – Congress of Berlin forms Congo Free State
1885 – Congress of Berlin forms Congo Free State
– This was ruled by Leopold II alone
This was ruled by Leopold II alone
– The Congress of Berlin is referred to in the book as
The Congress of Berlin is referred to in the book as “the
“the
International Society for the Suppression of Savage
International Society for the Suppression of Savage
Customs.”
Customs.”
– Leopold never even visited the Congo. He set up
Leopold never even visited the Congo. He set up “the
“the
Company” to run it for him.
Company” to run it for him.

15. 15
King Leopold and the Congo
King Leopold and the Congo
•Belgium, as a small country, did not possess
Belgium, as a small country, did not possess
numerous overseas colonies, unlike its
numerous overseas colonies, unlike its
neighbours, Holland, France, Germany, and
neighbours, Holland, France, Germany, and
Great Britain, but shared their imperial
Great Britain, but shared their imperial
ambitions. Leopold persuaded other
ambitions. Leopold persuaded other
European powers at the Berlin Conference of
European powers at the Berlin Conference of
1884-85 to give him personal possession of
1884-85 to give him personal possession of
the Congo.
the Congo.
•In 1886 he organized an international
In 1886 he organized an international
association as a front for his private plan to
association as a front for his private plan to
“develop” central Africa.
“develop” central Africa.
•Leopold used the Congo as a huge money-
Leopold used the Congo as a huge money-
making resource, committing human rights
making resource, committing human rights
violations in the process, as he built public
violations in the process, as he built public
works projects in Belgium with the money
works projects in Belgium with the money
he accrued.
he accrued.

16. 5-8 Million Victims
5-8 Million Victims (50% of Population)
(50% of Population)
“
“It is blood-curdling to see them (the
It is blood-curdling to see them (the
soldiers) returning with the hands of
soldiers) returning with the hands of
the slain, and to find the hands of
the slain, and to find the hands of
young children amongst the bigger
young children amongst the bigger
ones evidencing their bravery...The
ones evidencing their bravery...The
rubber from this district has cost
rubber from this district has cost
hundreds of lives, and the scenes I
hundreds of lives, and the scenes I
have witnessed, while unable to help
have witnessed, while unable to help
the oppressed, have been almost
the oppressed, have been almost
enough to make me wish I were
enough to make me wish I were
dead... This rubber traffic is steeped
dead... This rubber traffic is steeped
in blood, and if the natives were to
in blood, and if the natives were to
rise and sweep every white person on
rise and sweep every white person on
the Upper Congo into eternity, there
the Upper Congo into eternity, there
would still be left a fearful balance to
would still be left a fearful balance to
their credit.” -- Belgian Official
their credit.” -- Belgian Official

17. White King
White King, Red Rubber,
, Red Rubber, Black Death
Black Death
• Countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Great
Countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Great
Britain that acquired large empires exploited both land
Britain that acquired large empires exploited both land
and people. However…
and people. However…
• Some measures to protect the rights of overseas
Some measures to protect the rights of overseas
subjects were introduced.
subjects were introduced.
• Rights of women and men to vote.
Rights of women and men to vote.
• Protection against industrial exploitation was making
Protection against industrial exploitation was making
child labour illegal and improving employment
child labour illegal and improving employment
conditions.
conditions.
• Some of these rights were followed in the African
Some of these rights were followed in the African
colonies…..but NOT BY LEOPOLD II
colonies…..but NOT BY LEOPOLD II
• Leopold had to give up the Congo to Belgium in 1908 as a
Leopold had to give up the Congo to Belgium in 1908 as a
result of the international campaign exposing Leopold
result of the international campaign exposing Leopold’s
’s
activities in the Congo.
activities in the Congo.

18. The Ivory Trade
The Ivory Trade
• Most Europeans in the 1890s felt
Most Europeans in the 1890s felt
that the African peoples needed
that the African peoples needed
exposure to European culture and
exposure to European culture and
technology to become more
technology to become more
evolved.
evolved.
• This responsibility was known as
This responsibility was known as
“the white man’s burden” and the
“the white man’s burden” and the
fervor to bring Christianity and
fervor to bring Christianity and
commerce to Africa grew.
commerce to Africa grew.
• In return for these
In return for these “benefits,” the
“benefits,” the
Europeans extracted HUGE
Europeans extracted HUGE
amounts of ivory.
amounts of ivory.

19. • Uses of ivory in the 1890s
Uses of ivory in the 1890s
– Jewelry and other decorative items
Jewelry and other decorative items
– Piano keys
Piano keys
– Billiard balls
Billiard balls
• From 1888 to 1892, the amount of ivory
From 1888 to 1892, the amount of ivory
exported from the Congo rose from
exported from the Congo rose from
13,000 pounds to more than a quarter
13,000 pounds to more than a quarter
million pounds.
million pounds.
• 1892 – Leopold declares all natural
1892 – Leopold declares all natural
resources in the Congo are his sole
resources in the Congo are his sole
property
property
– This gave the Belgians free reign to
This gave the Belgians free reign to
take whatever they wanted however
take whatever they wanted however
they wished.
they wished.
– Trade expands, new stations are
Trade expands, new stations are
established farther and farther away
established farther and farther away

20. Belgian Atrocities in the Congo
Belgian Atrocities in the Congo
• Reports of these atrocities reached the European public,
leading to an international movement protesting the Belgian
presence in Africa. These acts, reflected in Heart of Darkness,
continued, despite an order by Leopold II that they cease.
• Heart of Darkness was an important literary intervention into
the emerging debate about atrocities in the Congo.
• Edmund Dene Morel, who founded the Congo Reform
Association in 1904, described Conrad's story as "the most
powerful thing ever written on the subject." For Morel, the
title became synonymous with the "tortured African world"
of the Congo that suffered under the autocratic rule of King
Leopold, a man Morel described as "a great genius for evil."

21. Order in the midst of Chaos:
HOD’s Structure
• Patterns of Three:
– 3 chapters
– 3 times Marlow breaks off the story
– 3 stations
– 3 women
(Aunt, Mistress, Intended)
– 3 central characters
(Kurtz, Marlow, Narrator)
– 3 characters with names
– 3 views of Africa
(political, religious, economic)

22. Narrative Style in HOD
• Frame Narrative – (story within story)
with narrator, Marlow
• Circular Structure – mimics oral
storytelling, readers sits down with
sailors, ready to hear myth or quest
• Light and Dark – motifs, symbols
• Transformation –physical,
psychological

23. Narrative Style in HOD
• Frame Narrative - The
Frame Narrative - The story within a story technique
story within a story technique
distances Conrad as author.
distances Conrad as author.
– Readers are unsure whether they are reading the tale second- or
Readers are unsure whether they are reading the tale second- or
third-hand.
third-hand.
– Difficulty in distinguishing whether the opinions expressed are
Difficulty in distinguishing whether the opinions expressed are
Conrad's own or the narrator's.
Conrad's own or the narrator's.
• The book is divided into three chapters that indicate
The book is divided into three chapters that indicate
changes in Marlow's attitude towards Kurtz or the idea
changes in Marlow's attitude towards Kurtz or the idea
of Kurtz.
of Kurtz.
– In Chapter One, Marlow begins to build a picture of Kurtz from
In Chapter One, Marlow begins to build a picture of Kurtz from
other people's descriptions of him.
other people's descriptions of him.
– Chapter Two sees Marlow's growing obsession with meeting
Chapter Two sees Marlow's growing obsession with meeting
and talking with Kurtz.
and talking with Kurtz.
– In Chapter Three, Marlow and Kurtz actually meet.
In Chapter Three, Marlow and Kurtz actually meet.

24. Narrative Style in HOD
• The book has a distinct circular structure: the first
narrator begins and ends the novel in the same evening
while on the boat moored on the Thames.
• "Darkness" (excess, madness, destruction) is not only in
the jungle but everywhere, even in London, which was
the heart of the British empire and its colonialism.
• There is a clear progression downward to hell that recalls
Dante’s Inferno, and perhaps also Hamlet’s descent into
madness.

26. • Darkness
Darkness
• Primitive Impulses (Kurtz, previous captain, etc.)
Primitive Impulses (Kurtz, previous captain, etc.)
• Cruelty of Man (Kurtz and Company)
Cruelty of Man (Kurtz and Company)
• Immorality/Amorality (Kurtz)
Immorality/Amorality (Kurtz)
• Lies/Hypocrisy
Lies/Hypocrisy
• Imperialization/Colonization
Imperialization/Colonization Power Corrupts
Power Corrupts
• Savage vs. Civil
Savage vs. Civil
• Role of Women
Role of Women
• Civilization exploitive of women
Civilization exploitive of women
• Civilization as a binding and self-perpetuating force
Civilization as a binding and self-perpetuating force
• Physical connected to Psychological
Physical connected to Psychological
• Barriers (fog, thick forest)
Barriers (fog, thick forest)
• Rivers (connection to past, parallels time and
Rivers (connection to past, parallels time and
journey)
journey)
Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness Motifs
Motifs

27. “
“Foster”ing Connections
Foster”ing Connections
• Geography
Geography
• Weather
Weather
• Illness or disease
Illness or disease
• Bible or mythological allusions
Bible or mythological allusions
• Quest
Quest
• Symbols
Symbols
• Eating as communion
Eating as communion
• Irony
Irony

29. Light vs. Dark
Light vs. Dark
Heavy vs. Light
Heavy vs. Light
Inferiority vs. Superiority
Inferiority vs. Superiority
Civil vs. Savage
Civil vs. Savage
Interior vs. Exterior
Interior vs. Exterior
Illusion vs. Truth
Illusion vs. Truth
Misogyny vs. Misanthropy
Misogyny vs. Misanthropy
Insanity vs. Sanity
Insanity vs. Sanity
Racism vs. Anti-racism
Racism vs. Anti-racism
Imperialism vs. Insularity
Imperialism vs. Insularity
Contrasts in Heart of Darkness
Contrasts in Heart of Darkness

30. What is Modernism?
What is Modernism?
• Criticized the 19th
century as a dangerously unreal period of
comfortable certainty and positive assurance
• Broke up the logically developing plot typical of 19th
century
novel
• Attempted to use language in a new way
• Drew attention to style instead of trying to make it
“transparent”
• Offered unexpected connections or sudden changes in
perspective
• Played with shifting and contradictory appearances to
suggest the shifting and uncertain nature of reality
• Used interior monologues and free association to express
the rhythm of consciousness
• Blended fantasy with reality while representing real
historical or psychological dilemmas

31. What is Modernism?
• Modernism claims to show:
– a more accurate representation of reality
– a better understanding of human
consciousness
• The 20th
century “vision” places its emphasis on
how we know – on the structures of perception
themselves – rather than on traditional elements
such as plot and character development.

32. Interpretations
Interpretations
• Archetypal (the shadow; the quest)
• Marxist
• Sociological / Cultural
• Psychological
• Formalist
• Modernist
• Religious
• Moral

33. The Shadow Archetype
• The Shadow - reflects deeper elements of our
psyche, where latent dispositions which are
common to us all arise.
– Our shadow may appear in dreams, hallucinations
and musings, often as something or someone who is
bad, fearsome or despicable in some way.
– It also reflects something that was once split from us
in early management of the objects in our lives.
• We tend to see it in “others.” That is to say, we project
our dark side onto others and thus interpret them as
“enemies” or as “exotic.”
• Thus, the shadow is the personification of that part of
human, psychic possibility that we deny in ourselves and
project onto others.

34. The Shadow Archetype
• The goal of personality integration is to integrate the
rejected, inferior side of our life into our total experience
and to take responsibility for it.
• It is, by its name, dark, shadowy, unknown and
potentially troubling. It embodies chaos and
wildness of character.
– The shadow thus tends not to obey rules, and in doing
so may discover new lands or plunge things into chaos
and battle.
– It has a sense of the exotic and can be disturbingly
fascinating. In myth, it appears as the wild man, spider-
people, mysterious fighters and dark enemies.

35. The Archetypal Quest
The Archetypal Quest
• HOD is a modern myth (= tradition of quest narrative)
HOD is a modern myth (= tradition of quest narrative)
– In a quest, the story develops as a central character,
In a quest, the story develops as a central character,
the hero, meets and overcomes a series of obstacles
the hero, meets and overcomes a series of obstacles
on the way to accomplishing a task.
on the way to accomplishing a task.
– archetypal quest stories – Virgil’s
archetypal quest stories – Virgil’s Aeneid
Aeneid & Dante's
& Dante's
Inferno
Inferno
• HOD contains mythological “quest” elements:
HOD contains mythological “quest” elements:
-- fellow journeymen (the Pilgrims)
-- fellow journeymen (the Pilgrims)
-- a fool (the Harlequin = the Russian)
-- a fool (the Harlequin = the Russian)
-- a set of obstacles as they travel down river
-- a set of obstacles as they travel down river
(“descent to the underworld”)
(“descent to the underworld”)

36. The Archetypal Quest
• But is there a conventional hero?
• It is unclear whether the hero is Marlow or
Kurtz.
– Marlow is a flawed hero - for most of the book he
lacks insight and is uncertain of the nature of his own
quest, nor is it clear why he is obsessed by Kurtz.
– Kurtz himself remains an enigma. This quest yields an
empty prize: the mystery, the task, remains
incomplete, "unsolved."

37. Marxist Interpretation
• “Marxism” refers to the economics of class warfare.
• Heart of Darkness is a depiction of, and an attack upon,
colonialism in general, and, more specifically, the brutal
form colonialism took in the Belgian Congo.
– the mistreatment of the Africans
– the greed of the so-called "pilgrims"
– the broken idealism of Kurtz
– the French man-of-war lobbing shells into the jungle
– the grove of death which Marlow stumbles upon
– the little note that Kurtz appends to his noble-minded essay on
The Suppression of Savage Customs
– the importance of ivory to the economics of the system.

38. Sociological/Cultural
Interpretation
• Heart of Darkness may also be read as a sociological
investigation of those who conquer and those who are
conquered, and the complicated interplay between
them.
– Marlow's invocation of the Roman conquest of Britain
– cultural ambiguity of those Africans who have taken on some of
the ways of their Europeans
– the ways in which the wilderness tends to strip away the civility
of the Europeans and brutalize them
– Conrad is not impartial and scientifically detached from these
things, and he even has a bit of fun with such impartiality in his
depiction the doctor who tells Marlow that people who go out
to Africa become "scientifically interesting."

39. Psychological Interpretation
• Conrad goes out of his way to suggest that in some sense
Marlow's journey is like a dream or a return to our
primitive past -- an exploration of the dark recesses of
the human mind.
– Apparent similarities to the psychological theories of Sigmund
Freud in its suggestion that dreams are a clue to hidden areas of
the mind
– we are all primitive brutes and savages, capable of the most
appalling wishes and the most horrifying impulses (the Id)
– we can make sense of the urge Marlow feels to leave his boat
and join the natives for a savage whoop and holler
– notice that Marlow keeps insisting that Kurtz is a voice -- a voice
who seems to speak to him out of the heart of the immense
darkness

40. Religious Interpretation
• Heart of Darkness is also an examination of various
aspects of religion and religious practices.
– the way Conrad plays with the concept of pilgrims
and pilgrimages
– the role of Christian missionary concepts in the
justifications of the colonialists
– the dark way in which Kurtz fulfills his own messianic
ambitions by setting himself up as one of the local
gods

41. Focus on the literary patterns and structures
Focus on the literary patterns and structures
inherent in
inherent in Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
Threes: 3 parts to the story, 3 breaks in the story
Threes: 3 parts to the story, 3 breaks in the story
(1 in pt. 1 and 2 in pt. 2), and 3 central characters:
(1 in pt. 1 and 2 in pt. 2), and 3 central characters:
the outside narrator, Marlow and Kurtz
the outside narrator, Marlow and Kurtz
Contrasting images (dark and light, open and
Contrasting images (dark and light, open and
closed)
closed)
Center to periphery: Kurtz-> Marlow-> Outside
Center to periphery: Kurtz-> Marlow-> Outside
Narrator-> the reader
Narrator-> the reader
Are the answers to be found in the center or on
Are the answers to be found in the center or on
the periphery?
the periphery?
Formalist Interpretation

42. Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness published in the Late Victorian
published in the Late Victorian
Era exhibits mostly modern traits:
Era exhibits mostly modern traits:
• a distrust of abstractions as a way of delineating truth
a distrust of abstractions as a way of delineating truth
• an interest in an exploration of the psychological
an interest in an exploration of the psychological
• a belief in art as a separate and somewhat privileged
a belief in art as a separate and somewhat privileged
kind of human experience
kind of human experience
• a desire for transcendence mingled with a feeling that
a desire for transcendence mingled with a feeling that
transcendence cannot be achieved
transcendence cannot be achieved
• an awareness of and interest in primitiveness and
an awareness of and interest in primitiveness and
savagery as the condition upon which civilization is
savagery as the condition upon which civilization is
built
built
• a skepticism and a sense that multiplicity, ambiguity,
a skepticism and a sense that multiplicity, ambiguity,
and irony—in life and in art—are the necessary
and irony—in life and in art—are the necessary
responses of the intelligent mind to the human
responses of the intelligent mind to the human
condition.
condition.
Modernist Interpretation

43. Moral Interpretation
Moral Interpretation
Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness is preoccupied with general questions
is preoccupied with general questions
about the
about the nature of good and evil
nature of good and evil, or civilization and
, or civilization and
savagery. What saves Marlow from becoming evil? Is
savagery. What saves Marlow from becoming evil? Is
Kurtz more or less evil than the pilgrims? Why does
Kurtz more or less evil than the pilgrims? Why does
Marlow associate lies with mortality?
Marlow associate lies with mortality?
• Moral ambiguity
Moral ambiguity is a central concept in the novel, and is
is a central concept in the novel, and is
expressed throughout the narrative in the tension between
expressed throughout the narrative in the tension between
opposing forces.
opposing forces.
• Irony
Irony is also deeply embedded in the novel.
is also deeply embedded in the novel.
– At one level, it shows the hypocrisy of the Europeans’ “moral”
At one level, it shows the hypocrisy of the Europeans’ “moral”
purpose of invading Africa, when their motive is really only
purpose of invading Africa, when their motive is really only
commercial.
commercial.
– At another level, it shows how these European emissaries, instead of
At another level, it shows how these European emissaries, instead of
'suppressing savage customs,' actually become savages themselves.
'suppressing savage customs,' actually become savages themselves.

44. Moral Interpretation
Moral Interpretation
• Civilization
Civilization versus
versus wilderness
wilderness
• Culture
Culture versus
versus savagery
savagery
• Fascination
Fascination versus
versus repulsion
repulsion
• Freedom
Freedom versus
versus restraint
restraint
• Innocence
Innocence versus
versus experience
experience
• Justice
Justice versus
versus injustice
injustice
• Reality
Reality versus
versus unreality
unreality
• Strength
Strength versus
versus weakness
weakness
• Success
Success versus
versus failure
failure
• Work
Work versus
versus idleness
idleness

45. Questions to Consider
Questions to Consider
as you Read
as you Read:
• What does it mean to be “savage” or “civilized?”
What does it mean to be “savage” or “civilized?”
• What are the different meanings of the words
What are the different meanings of the words
“dark” and “light”? Notice how many times
“dark” and “light”? Notice how many times
Conrad uses this description in different ways.
Conrad uses this description in different ways.
• Why do people choose to do good? or evil?
Why do people choose to do good? or evil?