Heart of Darkness (1899)
Book Review
Written by DJ Hadoken
Heart of Darkness is a short fiction story written in 1899 by Joseph Conrad, who was an English author of Polish descent.
The title expresses the theme of the book very well. Darkness, evil, plight, suffering. The key theme is savagery in a savage world: this savage world not necessarily only being the jungle in which Marlow travels through, but also the world to which he returns.
One aspect that creates the most impact in this book is the heads impaled upon posts that Marlow discovers. It is an act of pure insanity that symbolizes further succumbing to darkness. It symbolizes the extremes one may resort to in this environment.
It also reveals a startling aspect of human nature- when two races from different extremities meet in a savage land, the more sophisticated will plunge itself into a mode of savagery as the primal mind takes over.
These Europeans, through enslaving the people of this jungle, become dominant. Yet after months pass, their European mindset falters and they surrender to the way of the savage, and become equal to their slaves.
Kurtz’s final words however, had the most impact. “The horror, the horror” expresses a sense of anguish that is perfect for the story Conrad is telling and the deeper meaning he is trying to express. It not only represents the jungle, and the sense of imperialism of the time, but it represents the world.
We are living in a horrible world that Kurtz is finally able to see, just as he dies. The world is full of savages: both the savages in the jungles, and these savages from a highly civilized society.
Conrad was able to express this through his writing. That despite all of the innovations of the time, humans remained savage. The savages of the jungle, wearing little clothes, having bad hygiene and animal-like behavior, are no different than the savages from Europe, who try to justify the enslavement and exploitation of other people and the killing of animals for sport.
Works Cited
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Dover Publications, 1990.
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