The Deep Sense of Dramatic Irony: Conrad Through the Entire Book - Research Paper Example

Marlow was not typical ..., and to him the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze, in the likeness of one of these misty halos that sometimes are made visible by the spectral illumination of moonshine. (Conrad, 4). One of the most common reactions to Joseph Conrad's book Heart of Darkness is confusion. The story follows the travels of a man named Marlow who takes on a job as a freshwater sailor in the Congo to go in search of a Company man named Kurtz. After several problems with his boat and other distractions, he finally finds Kurtz in the heart of the jungle and brings him out even though the man is so sick he is already close to death. What is confusing is the way that Conrad tells the story. The reader gets to near the end of the story still confused about what this all means. Most of the story is meant to be a criticism of imperialism, but Conrad uses a very sophisticated modern form of expression that tries to say something meaningful without actually addressing the point. Fortunately, Conrad includes a scene at the end of the story, in which Marlow goes to visit the deceased Kurtz's Intended, that helps to explain some of what Conrad intended his story to mean. The dialogue Conrad writes between Marlow and this woman sheds light on the characters of Marlow and Kurtz through the medium of a third perspective. Through their conversation, the reader gains insight into the two men's basic characters and some hints about how to interpret the story. Although it's easy to overlook, especially given the dramatic action of the rest of the story, the repetition in this two-page dialogue provides the reader with some clues to help interpret the story's meaning. This scene demands attention through its use of repetition, which is also what gives the scene its dramatic impact. This technique is brought into play when the Intended begs Marlow to repeat Kurtz's dying words. Almost every word she uses in the sentence is repeated as she says, “I want – I want – something – something – to – to live with” (123). The repetition slows down the pace of the narrative and forces the reader to pay closer attention to what is being said. It also demonstrates the lady's desire to slow down time, perhaps even freeze it to a time when she could pretend Kurtz was still alive. Marlow's strong desire to overcome the truth reveals his own internal weaknesses and inability to reject the soul-changing knowledge he's gained. The only two words in this statement that are not repeated are the final two - "live with." This has the strange effect of making them stand out in a way that repetition typically does to the repeated word. It also focuses attention on the woman's still-fresh grief over the loss of Kurtz and the emptiness of her life without the promise of marriage in the future. The words seem to force themselves forward from her own inner darkness, perhaps even against her will. The realization that the woman will use these words as a lifeline throughout the remainder of her life imposes even greater weight on Marlow as he wonders what he should tell her. Obviously, the truth that still haunts Marlow enough to force him to come visit the Intended, Kurtz's anguished cry of "the horror," cannot be mentioned. Turning the traditional literary concept of repetition on its side again, the woman tells Marlow that she loved Kurtz, repeating herself three times - the only words repeated this often throughout the entire passage full of repetitions. This again gives them unusual weight as they reveal the depth of her loss and hammers into Marlow's heart the destruction of entire societies both at home and elsewhere that is brought about by the processes of imperialism. Anything else she says through the rest of the passage is not repeated by her, but is repeated by Marlowe. This gives her words strength not only because they are being repeated in a man's voice in a time when women's voices had very little strength, but also because of the way this emphasizes her impact on Marlow as he sits in her parlor. This form of repetition also allows Marlow to add his own emphasis to her statements, providing some of his internal thoughts as he carefully considers them. The darkness transfers finally to Marlow as he 'admits' that the last word on Kurtz's lips was her name, which is interestingly never provided to the reader - almost as if Marlow is attempting to protect the innocent. At this point, she gives a "cry of inconceivable triumph and unspeakable pain. 'I knew it - I was sure!'" (Conrad, 50). A small ellipses is all that separates her words from Marlow's repetition "She knew. She was sure" (Conrad, 50). Marlow's repetition visibly and strikingly lacks the passion of the lady's. Delivered in a dry, sardonic tone, the statement echoes the philosophical reflective tone Conrad has established through most of the story and immediately reveals the lie for what it is. As Marlow listens to the woman crying, he takes up the repetitive pattern. He wonders, twice, whether he had done the right thing by lying to her. He insists, twice, that he could not tell her. Finally, he asserts, twice, that it "would have been too dark altogether" (Conrad, 50). This progression of repetition reminds the reader of Kurtz's final repeated statement, "The horror! The horror!" (Conrad, 43), and demonstrates the repeated haunting of Marlow who is now doubly plagued with the addition of this lie and the knowledge that he has contributed to the darkness again. Through its use of repetition, this passage reveals the deep sense of dramatic irony that Conrad has used through the entire book. Not only is this clear in the way that the two people communicate with each other, through dramatically different vocal inflections and meanings, but also in the different beliefs between the lady and Marlow regarding the character of Kurtz. Although she believes he was one of the best and most accomplished of men, Marlow and the audience know that he was also one of the most corrupt and brutal of men - repeating the essential characteristics of imperialism and its negative effects on the imperialist nation. Marlow realizes, as he watches her weep, that he will be forever haunted by the dual darkness - the knowledge of what has happened in the jungle with the destruction of the native innocence, and the knowledge of what has happened in the civilized world with the willful deception of those in the know to allow those back at home to believe only the lies. Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. The Heart of Darkness. New York: Penguin, 2004. Read More