Heart of Heart of DarknessDarknessBy Joseph ConradBy Joseph Conrad

Colonialism vs. Colonialism vs. ImperialismImperialism

colonialism as practice and colonialism as practice and imperialism as the idea driving the imperialism as the idea driving the practice practice

Imperialism: first identified with Imperialism: first identified with ancient Rome. Used in the late ancient Rome. Used in the late 1800s with an expansionist 1800s with an expansionist connotation (Conrad mentions the connotation (Conrad mentions the Roman empire on pg. 67)Roman empire on pg. 67)

ColonialismColonialism

About the dominance of a strong About the dominance of a strong nation over a weaker onenation over a weaker one

acquisition of the colonialist, by acquisition of the colonialist, by brute force, of extra markets, extra brute force, of extra markets, extra resources of raw material and resources of raw material and manpower from the colonies manpower from the colonies

While committing atrocities against While committing atrocities against natives, the colonialist believes he is natives, the colonialist believes he is acting morallyacting morally

Rationale for ColonialismRationale for Colonialism The colonized are savages in need of education and The colonized are savages in need of education and

rehabilitation rehabilitation

The culture of the colonized is not up to the standard of the The culture of the colonized is not up to the standard of the colonizer, and it’s the moral duty of the colonizer to do colonizer, and it’s the moral duty of the colonizer to do something about polishing it. something about polishing it.

The colonized nation is unable to manage and run itself The colonized nation is unable to manage and run itself properly, and thus it needs the wisdom and expertise of the properly, and thus it needs the wisdom and expertise of the colonizer. colonizer.

The colonized nation embraces a set of religious beliefs The colonized nation embraces a set of religious beliefs incongruent and incompatible with those of the colonizer, and incongruent and incompatible with those of the colonizer, and consequently, it is God’s given duty of the colonizer to bring consequently, it is God’s given duty of the colonizer to bring those stray people to the right path. those stray people to the right path.

The colonized people pose dangerous threat to themselves and The colonized people pose dangerous threat to themselves and to the civilized world if left alone; and thus it is in the interest of to the civilized world if left alone; and thus it is in the interest of the civilized world to bring those people under control. the civilized world to bring those people under control.

Effects of ColonialismEffects of Colonialism

Oppression: dehumanizes both Oppression: dehumanizes both oppressor and oppressedoppressor and oppressed

Erosion of colonized cultureErosion of colonized culture Rejection among the colonized of Rejection among the colonized of

everything westerneverything western Advanced economy of land colonizedAdvanced economy of land colonized

Post ColonialismPost Colonialism

expose to both the colonizer and ex-expose to both the colonizer and ex-colonized the falsity or validity of their colonized the falsity or validity of their assumptions assumptions

no culture is better or worse than no culture is better or worse than other culture other culture

Alienation: Colonialist is alienated in Alienation: Colonialist is alienated in his own land, leading to traumahis own land, leading to trauma

Ambivalence toward authority: victory Ambivalence toward authority: victory of the settler leads to ambivalence of the settler leads to ambivalence

Conrad’s LifeConrad’s Life Novel based on Novel based on

personal experience: personal experience: was a captain of a was a captain of a steam ship on the steam ship on the Belgian CongoBelgian Congo

Part autobiographical, Part autobiographical, part imaginarypart imaginary

Sought to attack “the Sought to attack “the criminality of criminality of inefficiency and pure inefficiency and pure selfishness” of African selfishness” of African colonialismcolonialism

Marlow is perhaps Marlow is perhaps Conrad himselfConrad himself

Structure and Style of Structure and Style of Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness

Framing narrative: Framing narrative: brings up the question of brings up the question of memorymemory

Most of the tale is being Most of the tale is being told aloudtold aloud

Conrad grips us with his Conrad grips us with his storytelling skills, but at storytelling skills, but at the same time he does not the same time he does not strive to teach a lessonstrive to teach a lesson

Marlow has an ambiguous Marlow has an ambiguous and uncertain moral and uncertain moral positionposition

Marlow is cynical and Marlow is cynical and never reveals meaning, he never reveals meaning, he continues to ask continues to ask questions and suggest questions and suggest mysteries.mysteries.

Structure ContinuedStructure Continued

““Russian Doll” Russian Doll” effect: Kurtz is at effect: Kurtz is at the center of the the center of the story, Marlow, story, Marlow, narrator, readernarrator, reader

Patterns of threesPatterns of threes Patterns of Patterns of

opposition: opposition: dark/light, dark/light, inside/outsideinside/outside

SymbolismSymbolism

Light vs. Dark: contributes to the Light vs. Dark: contributes to the ambiguous tone; depicts the moral ambiguous tone; depicts the moral uncertainty of the world: white is not uncertainty of the world: white is not necessarily good (ivory a symbol of necessarily good (ivory a symbol of greed), black not necessarily evil greed), black not necessarily evil (suffering)(suffering)

The River: Congo is the passageway to The River: Congo is the passageway to Africa, but also is a source of struggle Africa, but also is a source of struggle for Europeans; Thames is a symbol for for Europeans; Thames is a symbol for civilizationcivilization

ThemesThemes

The Absurdity of Evil: The world has The Absurdity of Evil: The world has ambiguous moralityambiguous morality

The Hypocrisy of Colonialism: The Hypocrisy of Colonialism: Africans were meant to be helped; Africans were meant to be helped; instead they were oppressed.instead they were oppressed.

Colonialism as a Source of Madness: Colonialism as a Source of Madness: madness results from a separation madness results from a separation from one’s normal social contextfrom one’s normal social context

How does Conrad portray these How does Conrad portray these themes?themes?

Conrad’s Ambiguous Conrad’s Ambiguous “Lessons”“Lessons”

We must know evil – our own We must know evil – our own capacities for evil- before we can be capacities for evil- before we can be capable of any goodcapable of any good

We must always atone for any We must always atone for any allegiance with the powers of darknessallegiance with the powers of darkness

As men, we are morally isolated from As men, we are morally isolated from one anotherone another

Life is profoundly meaningless: Kurtz’s Life is profoundly meaningless: Kurtz’s death is as meaningless as lifedeath is as meaningless as life

Freudian ReadingFreudian Reading

Dreams are a clue to the inner Dreams are a clue to the inner workings of the mindworkings of the mind

Marlow’s journey is like a dreamMarlow’s journey is like a dream Theory of the Id: we are all brutes Theory of the Id: we are all brutes

and savages on this leveland savages on this level Exploration of the dark recesses of Exploration of the dark recesses of

the human mindthe human mind Kurtz as merely a “voice”: the voice of Kurtz as merely a “voice”: the voice of

Marlow’s deepest psychological self? Marlow’s deepest psychological self?

Truth of Experience vs. Truth of Experience vs. Clarity of IdeasClarity of Ideas

Truths of the psyche and human soul Truths of the psyche and human soul are messy, vague, irrational, darkare messy, vague, irrational, dark

Striving towards a recreation of our Striving towards a recreation of our own dark heartsown dark hearts

Pg. 86: “He was just a word for me. Pg. 86: “He was just a word for me. I did not see the man in the name I did not see the man in the name any more than you do. Do you see any more than you do. Do you see him? Do you see the story? Do you him? Do you see the story? Do you see anything? It seems to me I am see anything? It seems to me I am trying to tell you a dream…”trying to tell you a dream…”