Heart of Darkness and Marxism

1. SAMI UL HAQ
M PHIL LITERATURE 1ST SEMESTER
LAHORE LEADS UNIVERSITY

2. theory based
on an
interpretatio
n of the
works of Karl
Marx and
Friedrich
Engels

3.  Materials condition
 Peoples
consciousness
 Social class
 View of history: class
struggle (evolving
conflict between
classes with opposing
interests) structures
each historical
period
 A sympathy for the
working class
Source:
www.barnesandnoble.com

4.  Class consciousness:
The self-awareness
of a social class and
their capacity to
act in its own
rational interests
 Ideology
 Exploitation
 Proletariat
 Bourgeoisie
 Hegemony

5.  Born 1857 Polish,
Ukrine
 Studied French and
German,in 1874
become sailor,left for
Marceilles
 His themes Lonliness
and Seeking
independence
 He made several
voyages to congo
which provide stuff for
‘Heart of Darkness”
 Died August 3,1924
due to heart attack.
Source: www.sothebys.com

6.  Heart of Darkness'
was first
published as a
three-part serial
story in
Blackwood’s
Magazine
Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Blackwood's_Magazine_-
_1899_cover.jpg

7. Author Joseph Conrad
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre
Frame story,
Novella
Publisher
Blackwood's
Magazine
Publication
date February 1899
Media type Print (serial)
Source :
http://flavorwire.com/423424/
50-incredibly-tough-books-for-
extreme-readers

8.  one man's
nightmarish
journey into the
interior of Africa
 A Belgian trading
company.(Ivory)
 A civilization
mission of Kurtz
which leads him to
brutality.
 VIDEO Source :
Poetry.rapgenius.com

9.  No traces are
found that this
novella is written
with Marxist point
of view but it
have the element
of Marxism in it.
Source:thirdreichoccult
history.blogspot.com

10. “…just close to the
chief accountant was
laying a sick man .
He was groaning but
the accountant had
no word of sympathy
for him. He was all
the time waiting for
him to die, so that
he could not get
disturbed in his
work.” Source:
aalisthoughts.blogspot.com

11.  “Six black men advanced in
a file, toiling up the path.
They walked erect and slow,
balancing small baskets full
of earth on their heads, and
the clink kept time with
their footsteps. Black rags
were wound round their
loins, and the short ends
behind waggled to and fro
like tails. I could see every
rib, the joints of their limbs
were like knots in a rope;
each had an iron collar on
his neck, and all were
connected together with a
chain whose bights swung
between them, rhythmically
clinking.”
Source:
http://heartofdarknessandap
ocalypsenow.wikispaces.co
m/Heart+of+Darkness+Galle
ry

12. 
''your strength is
just an accident
arising from the
weakness of
others'' - pg 10
penguin classics Source:
http://heartofdarknessandap
ocalypsenow.wikispaces.co
m/Heart+of+Darkness+Galle
ry

13.  "To the left a clump of
trees made a shady
spot, where dark
things seemed to stir
feebly. I blinked, the
path was step"
Many times throughout
the text we see that
Conrad describes
Africans as "black
things", giving the idea
of an object and
making them sound
inferior.
Source:
http://heartofdarknessandapoc
alypsenow.wikispaces.com/Hea
rt+of+Darkness+Gallery

14.  "They would have
been even more
impressive, those
heads on the
stakes, if their
faces had not been
turned to the
house. Only one,
the first I had made
out, was facing my
way"
Source:
http://heartofdarknessandapocal
ypsenow.wikispaces.com/Heart+
of+Darkness+Gallery

15.  “I’ve seen the
devil of violence,
and the devil of
greed, and the
devil of hot desire;
but, by all the
stars! these were
strong, lusty, red-
eyed devils, that
swayed and drove
men” (Conrad 52).
Source:newsletters.vent
ura-ca.parentclick.com

16.  . “He (Kurtz) began
with the argument that
we whites, from the
point of development
we had arrived at,
‘must necessarily
appear to them
(savages) in the nature
of supernatural beings –
we approach them with
the might as of a deity…
by the simple exercise
of our will we can exert
a power for good
practically unbounded’”
(Conrad 92).
Source:
senseye00.deviantart.com

17.  “He declared he would
shoot me unless I gave
him the ivory and then
cleared out of the
country, because he
could do so, and had a
fancy for it, and there
was nothing on earth
to prevent him killing
whom he jolly well
pleased. And it was
true, too. I gave him
the ivory. What did I
care!” (Conrad 100).
Source: Indialeak.com

18.  Kurtz written a report “Suppression of
savage customs” ,a note was added at the
foot of the last page “Exterminates all the
brutes”

19. “He was hungry of
Ivory.Ivory was a
passion with him”
 Kurtz deep voice
from behind the
curtains:
“save me, save the
ivory” Source: Wikipedia the free
encyclopedia

20. If we consider the roll of
Bourgeoisie(Imperialists) with respect
to Proletariat(Native Africans), their
abuse and exploitation of the natives,
their desire for wealth, The native
Africans were forced to work in their
factories- we can easily termed Heart
of Darkness as Marxist Novel, but it
fails to arise natives to raise their
voice against the imperialists, which
is the important aspect of Marxist
theory.