Heart Of Darkness Imperialism

706 Words2 Pages

The novel Heart of Darkness is about Marlow, a sailor, who journeys up the Congo River to meet Kurtz. Marlow changes as a person going through many experiences and meeting new people. The heart of darkness represents evil and struggle found in different places, including imperialism, the Congo environment, and human nature.

This story takes place during imperialism, where Europe began to take over the world from the 15th to 19th century. Europe being a superior race during imperialism was a dark thought, and Colonialism in Africa was one of the consequences this. In Heart of Darkness, Marlow realizes the evils coming from imperialism. He believes that it is truly unnecessary and has intentions to help African Americans advance as he states …show more content…

The Congo River is the key to access the interior of Africa, which was known at that time as the ‘dark continent’. Marlow’s trip through the Congo river was a struggle because it would be the most difficult journey he would take. There are multiple instances where Marlow experiences struggles in the Congo. First of all, he describes the river saying it is “resembling an immense snake uncoiled, with its head in the sea, its body at rest curving afar over a vast country, and its tail lost in the depths of the land” (Conrad 8). The river itself is plain danger, as it lies there, waiting to strike. Traveling up the river is difficult as well; its strong current makes it hard to travel through, and it becomes a slow progress upstream. The slow progress serves as a way for Marlow to experience the river’s horrors of darkness and wilderness. This Congo environment was a struggle that Marlow experienced, as he dealt with multiple experiences and dangers there. After Traveling up the Congo River, Marlow finally meets Kurtz, and notices his various qualities that make up his …show more content…

He is an ambitious and greedy man who begins to have the mentality that he should be a god who leads people to civilization. Ambition is a general trait of human nature, and it can become an evil idea, especially when it is combined with greed. Kurtz’ ambition and greed lead him to raiding multiple African villages, and he begins to have an obsession over obtaining ivory. In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz’ obsession over ivory is described as it had “taken him, loved him, embraced him, got into his veins, consumed his flesh, and sealed his soul to its own by the inconceivable ceremonies of some devilish initiation” (Conrad 31). The fact that the African Americans worship Kurtz as a god also shows the abuse of power found in human nature. He easily abuses his power as he has slaves at his side who attack or defend him on his orders, and can order mass killings of anyone who is a rebel. Evil in human nature is shown through the character of Kurtz, with his abuse of power, greed and

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