The Heart of Darkness

The Heart of Darkness

  • Submitted By: aimless
  • Date Submitted: 10/05/2008 1:39 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 1667
  • Page: 7
  • Views: 888

On his journey along the Congo River, Marlow discovers the heart of darkness. The different forms the darkness takes are; the cruelty and greed of the colonialists, the base uncivilization of the Congolese people, and Kurtz’s complete surrender to the darkness in his soul. In Marlow’s journey he reveals a terrifying view of the human race, and shows how easy it is to become inhuman, without the constraints and checks of European Society.

Marlow discovers that the Company members in the Congo have a heart of darkness that is full of desires for power and ivory. The propaganda that existed at the time of the Colonisation of the Congo is depicted by Marlow’s aunt who, through her contacts, helps him secure the job with the Company. Marlow’s aunt supports Marlow’s “civilisation mission”. Marlow, however soon discovers, that without the rules and checks of European Society, and faced with a race of people the Company representatives think of as little more than animals, and who they have no understanding of or sympathy for, the Company representatives succumb to the darkness of cruelty, power and a lust for ivory. Marlow experiences their cruelty throughout his journey up the Congo River. The Accountant speaks to him about the Congolese during Marlow’s first couple of days in the Congo; “ When one has got to make correct entries, one comes to hate those savages – hate them to death.” and after he had travelled to where the Company Manager was “A nigger was being beaten near by. They said he had caused the fire in some way; be that as it may, he was screeching most horribly.” Marlow soon discovers that all the Company members care about is raping the Country for as much ivory as possible. When Marlow asks his white companion why he came to the Congo, his reply was “To make money of course. What do you think?” A later observation of Marlow’s“ The word ivory rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it.” Marlow discovers how the...

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