Essay, Research Paper

The Night Journey in Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, has been illustrated as a dark journey or a narrative of induction, in which adult male returns to see predating from artlessness and deeply appreciates goodness as he becomes acquainted with the nature of immorality. The construct of darkness, which is symbolic of immorality, is presented metaphorically, literally, and notably psychologically. The novel may be described as an expedition into the head, which the reader experiences through Marlow, the supporter. As a & # 8216 ; dark journey & # 8217 ; , the novelette informs the reader that all work forces are capable of abomination, of abomination. Conrad efficaciously illustrates one adult male & # 8217 ; s familiarity with evil through the literary constructs of word picture, symbol, author in context, political orientation and, reader placement and the point of position.

There are basically merely two characters that are important to the impressions and secret plan of Heart of Darkness, viz. Marlow and Kurtz. The two characters are clearly different from each other, although both are every bit characterised with physical and mental traits by Conrad. The reader is involved with the interaction between the two characters. As I support the thesis that adult male moves from artlessness to see and becomes acquainted with immorality in the novelette, I have interpreted the character of Marlow as the incarnation of good, and Kurtz as that of immorality, ( although non wholly ) .

The events of the dark journey of Heart of Darkness are described through the character of Marlow who acts as a go-between as he tells the narrative. Depth and meaningfulness are given in the text, through Marlow & # 8217 ; s map, functioning as a conciousness.

Even before the journey to the Congo, Marlow provides a sense of corruption when he remarks ( on page 33 ) that Africa & # 8216 ; had become a topographic point of darkness. & # 8217 ; Marlow farther describes the Congo as & # 8216 ; a mighty large river resembling an huge serpent uncoiled, with its caput in the sea, its organic structure at remainder swerving afar over a huge state, and its tail lost in the deepnesss of the land. & # 8217 ; The weaving elaboration of the river is symbolic of an entryway to a cryptic topographic point, a shapely organic structure that is normally beautiful ; and so Marlow says that & # 8216 ; The serpent had charmed me, & # 8217 ; ( pg 33 ) .

In Chapter One of the novelette, when Marlow encounters the two adult females knitting black wool, he is troubled by their & # 8217 ; Swift and apathetic placidness & # 8217 ; ( pg 36 ) and, their & # 8216 ; unconcerned wisdom & # 8217 ; ( pg37 ) . The knitters are characters who hold symbolic functions as discretely baleful figures linked with & # 8216 ; darkness & # 8217 ; . When Marlow meets them he says that an & # 8216 ; eerie feelin

g’ ( pg37 ) came over him. He describes one knitter as ‘uncanny and fateful’ ( pg37 ) , and had the impression that the two adult females were ‘guarding the door of Darkness, knitting the black wool as for a warm chill ‘ ( pg 37 ) . It is symbolic that the wool the adult females are knitting, is black ; a coloring material frequently prescribed as something sinister, dark and immorality. It is frequently thought that evil workss are committed during dark ; darkness. To heighten the impression of darkness, Marlow associates the house ( where he encounters the knitters ) with darkness he comments, ‘the house was every bit still as a house in a metropolis of the dead’ ( pg 37 ) . The knitters ‘guarding the door of darkness’ are frequently seen as the Fates in Greek mythology, the goddesses who spin togss of men’s lives and therefore finding their destiny.

The indigens in the text hold symbolic functions as they are mistreated by & # 8216 ; whites & # 8217 ; , by and large Whites who possess authorization over them. The immorality in such Acts of the Apostless is one of the finds of Marlow. The indigens under the control of white governments are depicted as merchandises of their mistreatment which is noteworthy when Marlow describes their status in Chapter One, & # 8216 ; They passed me within six inches, without a glimpse, with that complete, deathly indifference of unhappy barbarians & # 8217 ; ( pg 43 ) . The indigens, who are referred to as & # 8217 ; savages & # 8217 ; in this quotation mark appear to miss look and expose a & # 8216 ; deathlike indifference & # 8217 ; which may be a consequence of evil actions imposed on them. On this same page, Marlow pronounces imagination of snake pit when he says, & # 8216 ; I & # 8217 ; ve seen the Satan of force, and the Satan of greed, and the Satan of hot desire ; but, by all the stars! These were strong, lustful, red-eyed Satans, that swayed and drove work forces & # 8211 ; work forces, I tell you. & # 8217 ; Marlow is acquainted with the immorality of work forces, because he farther states, & # 8216 ; I foresaw that in the blinding sunlight of that land I would go acquainted with a flabby, feigning, weak-eyed Satan of a rapcious and remorseless folly. & # 8217 ; Devils come from Hell, a topographic point which is dark and sinister. It is the & # 8216 ; weak-eyed Satan & # 8217 ; that Marlow refers to & # 8216 ; white work forces & # 8217 ; as ; therefore supplying the reader with the impression that all work forces are capable of corruption, immorality, abomination.

Through the events in which Marlow is acquainted with immorality, he sheds his artlessness in order for experience. Another event in which the supporter informants evil is when he encounters deceasing indigens who & # 8216 ; were non enemies [ and non ] felons & # 8217 ; , but were left to decease, is described in Chapter One, when he describes the incident: [ they were ] black shadows of disease and famishment, lying confusedly in the light-green gloom. & # 8217 ; There is an obvious connexion between the & # 8216 ; black shadows & # 8217 ; and & # 8216 ; somberness & # 8217 ; , with darkness.