How The Heart of Darkness Reflects the Paradoxes of Imperialism in the 19th Century - Essay Example

of the of the The Heart of Darkness and the Paradoxes of Imperialism Q. The Heart of Darkness is one of the great literary criticisms of the process of imperial expansion in Africa. Yet Marlowe, the main character, is originally fascinated by imperialism and the possibilities that exploring Africa has to offer to a young man seeking his fortune and a name for himself. Discuss how The Heart of Darkness reflects the paradoxes of imperialism in the late 19th century. A. Introduction The Heart of Darkness is definitely one of Joseph Conrad’s better known literary works. Hailed as a classic, the novella was first published in 1899 as a three part series in Blackwood magazine, prior to its 1902 publication in book form. Concerned with the evils of colonization in general and of Africa in particular, it is a clear reflection of the politics and strife of the black man in the Belgian Congo of the 1890s. At first glance, Marlowe himself is amazed and excited by the breadth of opportunities and economic wealth that the colonization of Africa will bring, but he is appalled and disgusted by the treatment of the black man at the hands of the Europeans. He realizes that imperialism has many paradoxes and this is but one of them. Discussion It is commonly agreed that the character of Marlowe is a reflection of Conrad himself, who had gone to sea eight years earlier to serve as captain of a Congo steamer; however he fell sick and returned to Europe without sailing since his ship was under repair. Darkness to Marlowe (or Conrad) signifies death, despair, oppression and the sadder things in life. Through the novel we are introduced to darkness at three levels: the darkness of the Congolese wilderness, the darkness of the European’s ill-treatment of the natives, and the darkness that is the capacity for evil and cruelty that inherently resides in the heart of every man. Even the narrative of the story itself is set in a time frame from dusk to dawn and through the dark night, further elucidating the author’s purpose. As the story begins and Marlowe is relating his Congolese adventures to his audience of five men, he remarks that London was at one time one of ‘the darkest places on Earth’ (Conrad, 8) - again a reference to the UK’s seat of world imperialism. Marlowe compares the European domination and colonization of the Congolese natives to the way in which the Romans dominated and colonized the savage English many centuries ago. Conrad himself was unsure whether imperialism and colonization was a boon or a curse- at best he saw it as a double edged sword. Thus in commenting to his Polish cousin on the Boer War he applauds the effort of the black man to free themselves from the yoke of imperialism, yet he agrees that nowhere better can the fruits of democracy be enjoyed than under the British flag. Conrad regarded the British as being less harsh than the Germans or the Belgians- however he laments that revolts and uprisings against the British colonizers were increasingly occurring in different parts of the world. As Marlowe travels from the Outer Station to the Central Station and finally to the Inner Station, he encounters scenes of cruelty, torture and near slavery. The fact that Kurtz has convinced some of the natives to worship him as a God can also be likened to the imperialists forcing the colonized to obey and follow their every command. Kurtz has put natives on the job to do his bidding while he relaxes and enjoys life as a God. Much the same can be said about imperialist policies-whatever wealth they looted and plundered they took back to their homes and households in the name of their rulers. So Kurtz can be compared to the imperialist regime and ideals- he is ruthless and conniving while powerful and unrepentant as well-quite the picture of imperialism as its worst. Even in the moment of his death, as Kurtz blurts out ‘the horror, the horror’ (Conrad, 73) we can see that Marlowe clearly regards it as Kurtz’s reflection of his life and the terrible deeds he has done. Yet he comforts Kurtz’s fiancee upon meeting her one year after his death by lying and stating that Kurtz’s last words were the whisper of her name. This is the duality of Conrad- the paradox of imperialism as he feels and narrates in this novel as well through the character Marlowe. Marlowe and Kurtz seem to be two sides of the coin- Marlowe is initially impressed by Kurtz and all the stories he has heard about him, but disregards these when he begins to know the real Kurtz. At the time of writing, King Leopold of Belgium had managed to retain the Congo as his own private playground. Conrad’s view of imperialism was that it was a waste and a curse- moreover it often obliterated the lives, values and cultures of the native people. Conrad’s ancestors came from Poland, itself colonized by the Germans and the Russians- thus he could himself feel pity for the Asians and the Africans. Both in Lord Jim and In the Heart of Darkness, the protagonists are at a loss and divorced from their own cultures. Madness and power are correlated in these novels, yet Conrad is able to show that even Kurtz is a victim of madness- his life goals are consistent with what the Company wants him to do and he is forever thinking up of some scheme to make wealth and achieve prosperity and progress. This is how imperialism blinds us all. The end of the story has Marlowe comparing the river to lead on to the heart of an immense darkness. Conclusion In this assignment we have explored how Joseph Conrad viewed imperialism and commented on how the paradoxes of imperialism are recounted through the eyes of Marlowe and Kurtz. Works Cited James, Heather. The Norton Anthology of Western Literature, Eighth edition, Volume 2. W.W. Norton & Company, 2005. Read More