Heart Of Darkness Imperialism Essay

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Recommended: Critical Analysis of Heart of Darkness

In the novella, “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad, the journey taken to Africa reveals the true evils of European imperialism. Marlow, one of the travellers narrates the journey to the deep interior of Africa, taken by he and other Europeans to find Kurtz, the head of the ivory company. The natives of Africa can only be viewed as less than the Europeans, which adds to the evil they bring. Conrad displays this evil when the European men in the novella change as ivory consumes their own lives. Throughout the journey, the truth of Kurtz is also found, as he isn’t the man who he is thought to be by Marlow and the other Europeans. The journey reveals the true evils of imperialism. Instead of bringing imperialization to Africa, the Europeans …show more content…

In the beginning of the Europeans journey, Kurtz is thought to be a godly human that could be compared to Zeus. When the men finally reach the end of their journey into Africa to find Kurtz, he is not the man who they were expecting. The illness that Kurtz has causing him to fall to death allows him to realize his true self as he screams “The horror, the horror!” This horror he is referring to is the human he has become. This realization shows the true meaning of Kurtz’s ivory interest. Instead of being interested in it to trade among Africa, he only enjoyed to have it as a source of decoration. The men also show that their only concern while in Africa is ivory. Marlow who adores Kurtz throughout the novella can only think of ivory when he is passing. He describes the dying Kurtz as having an “ivory face.” Kurtz is a godly creature to Marlow and when looking at him when he was dying this shows how his life has been consumed by ivory, taking over his life and driving his intentions in Africa. The true downfall of Kurtz is shown when a native states “Mistah Kurtz, he dead.” This puts Kurtz character at the same level of how the men would feel if a native were to pass. The man who these men obsessed over coming to see has passed and has been pronounced dead in the most improper way, with incorrect grammar. The great Kurtz brings darkness to Africa and to his European

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