#Heart_of_Darkness
by
#Joseph_Conrad
Heart of Darkness
by
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad December 3, 1857-August 3, 1924
English novelist and short-story writer
He is best known for writing the novels Lord Jim (1900), Nostromo (1904), and The Secret Agent (1907) and for the novella Heart of Darkness (1902).
Conrad is considered an early modernist, though his works contain elements of 19th-century realism. His narrative style and anti-heroic characters have influenced numerous authors, and many films have been adapted from, or inspired by, his works.
Characters
Marlowe
Kurtz
The Manager
The Accountant
The Harlequin
The Intended
Kurtz's Native Mistress
Fresleven
Brick maker
Chief Accountant
Pilgrims
Cannibals
Russian trader
Helmsman
Aunt
The men aboard the Nellie
Important Questions:
Title Significance
Themes (Imperialism, colonialism, restraint)
Character of Marlowe and Kurtz
Symbolism
Impressionism
Summary with Quotations
Heart of Darkness
Opening
The Nellie (Name of the Ship)
A group of men are aboard an English ship that is sitting on the Thames
The group includes a Lawyer, an Accountant, a Company Director/Captain, and a man without a specific profession who is named Marlow.
The narrator appears to be another unnamed guest on the ship.
Marlow begins to speak about London and Europe as some of the darkest places on earth.
“He had sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion ... resembled an idol”
Marlow sitting like Buddha
He mentions colonization and says that carving the earth into prizes or pieces is not something to examine too closely because it is an atrocity.
“I was thinking of very old times, when the Romans first came here, nineteen hundred years ago...”
“Now when I was a little chap I had a passion for maps.”
“The map, resembling an immense snake uncoiled, with it's head in the sea ... The snake had charmed me”
“I, Charlie Marlow ... I got my appointment” (Aunt)
“Two women, one fat and the other slim, sat on straw bottomed chairs, knitting black wool”
“He gave me a searching glance, and make another note. Ever any madness in your family”
Outer station
“... decaying machinery, a stack of rusty rails... And I saw black people run.”
“... each had an iron collar on his neck, and all were connected together with a chain...”
A young boy approaches Marlow, looking very empty. Marlow can do nothing but offer him some ship biscuits.
They introduce themselves: he is the Chief Accountant of the Company.
After ten days of observing the Chief Accountant's ill temper, Marlow departs for his 200-mile journey into the interior of the Congo, where he will work for a station run by a man named Kurtz.
Marlow finally arrives at a secondary station, where he meets the Manager, who for now will oversee his work
“The word “ivory” rang in the air, was wispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it”
“I have never seen anything so unreal in my life”
(INNER STATION)
They meet a Russian man who resembles a harlequin.
He says that Kurtz is alive but somewhat ill.
Finally, he has the chance to talk to Kurtz, who is ill and on his deathbed.
Marlow manages to take him back to his bed.
Kurtz last words “Horror! Horror!”
Marlow returns to England, but the memory of his friend haunts him. He manages to find the woman from the picture, and he pays her a visit. She talks at length about his wonderful personal qualities and about how guilty she feels that she was not with him at the last. Marlow lies and says that her name was the last word spoken by Kurtz-the truth would be too dark to tell her.