Imperialism

Imperialism means the period of colonization of African and Asian countries by European states, the USA and Japan in the 19th century, on the other hand it means an idea that was disseminated since the beginning of the modern times around the 16th century .

The people of the mighty European countries thought to be the first race of the world. With new inventions, like new ships, printing, weapons, Europe was superior to the other continents. Driven by the church's idea of mission, the need for resources and greed for gold, first the Spanish and Portuguese, later all important countries started to take over and exploit less developed countries .

The thought of being the superior race played an important role. Many scenes and dialogues in "Heart of Darkness by Joseph

Conrad. "

He shows the of the imperialist exploitation of a backward. Conrad's treatment of the theme of white imperialism was influenced by his own visit to the Congo and his exploration of that dark country; and his rendering of Marlow's conscious and sub-conscious thoughts was also based upon his own reactions to what he had himself witnessed in the course of his travels through the Congo.

Marlow's reference to the ancient Roman conquest of Britain. The keynote of the theme of imperialism is struck at the very outset of Marlow's narration. Marlow speaks at the beginning of the ancient Roman conquest of Britain, and says that the ancient Romans were conquerors using brute force .

Their conquest of Britain was "robbery with violence" and the violence in this case meant murder on a large scale. The conquest of another country, says Marlow, mostly means the taking away all things from those who have a different complexion .

He says that a conquest is unpardonable. What can, however, excuse such a conquest is the idea at the back of it: not a sentimental pretence but an idea, and an unselfish belief in the idea .

What Marlow here wishes to say is that conquest can be excused only if the conquest perform some constructive work in the backward country which they have conquest. The white man certainly has a duty to the savages whom he subdues, and whom he begins to govern. The test of the white man's intentions lies only in his performance of this duty. If he fails in this duty, his government of the backward countries cannot be justified

The Idea Behind Imperialism The idea of European imperialism on Africa is

to civilize the NATIVES.The print media at that time was telling this

lie and affected by this, Conrad’s Aunt also says to him that he will be “weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways” Conrad during course of his story changed his view and rejected efficiency as standard of Heart of darkness.

Imperialism in Heart of Darkness 

In Conrad's Heart of Darkness Marlow, the main character, symbolizes the positiveness of Imperialism. Marlow, as a character realizes the evil that negative Imperialism has caused and decides it is truly unnecessary. When Marlow states, "I had got a heavenly mission to civilize you," he expresses his good intentions to help the Africans progress and advance. Furthermore, when he says, "I was an impostor," Marlow recognizes the fact that he is an invader into a foreign land, yet he sticks to his moral values .

Marlow observes many kinds of abuse of power by other whites, simply because they have better weapons of war. When the manager severely battered a young black boy for the burnt shed Marlow disapproves. However, when he sees abuses and unjust treatment he does not physically try to stop it. Instead, he just turns away and accepts that it is happening. That is one of Marlow's flaws, he does not support his convictions .

Heart of Darkness imperialism

Quotes 

Greta’s Example- Page 7 Chapter 1 Here we can see an

example of imperialism, since they refer to them as “their enemies”. It shows the rivality between the Europeans and the natives. As we can see, they call them their enemies, which is why we can infer they want to take over

Charlie Marlow•“here was a touch of

insanity in the proceeding, a sense of lugubrious drollery in the sight; and it was not dissipated by somebody on board assuring me earnestly there was a camp of

—”enemies—!

Chapter 2 YAZET’S

EXAMPLE “As Marlow travels from the outer station to the central station and finally up the river to the inner station, he encounters scenes of torture, cruelty,

and near slavery”.

•This example shows racism and imperialism, the way Belgians treat the natives so they can surrender to them. Also, slavery is commonly attached to imperialism and here we can see how people were treated like slaves. They are treated this way so they can see that the Belgians are stronger.

Chapter 1 page 39 Charlie Marlow

“Near the same tree two more bundles of acute angles sat with their legs drawn up. One, with his chin propped on his knees, stared at nothing, in an intolerable and appalling manner, his brother phantom rested its forehead, as if overcome with a great weariness; and all about others were scattered in every pose of contorted collapse, as in some picture of a massacre of a ”pestilence .

•Here we see the true consequences of imperialism—mistreated and overworked slaves who are left to die on their own. They're given no food, care, or medicine, and are left to die outdoors. But notice how Marlow calls them "bundles," "creatures," and phantoms"? They're treated so inhumanely that Marlow can't even see them as fully human.

The Shabby Treatment, Meted out to the Black Crew

It is equally disgusting for us to watch the manner in which the cannibal crew of Marlow's steamer are being treated by the white owners of the steamer. The cannibal crew are most efficient, hard-working, and sturdy fellows who deserve every possible encouragement. But, the pity of it is that they are not fed properly. It goes to the credit of the cannibal crew themselves that they are exercising self-restraint and are not attacking the white men on board the steamer in order to kill them and eat their flesh. Thus, the white men led by the manager, are absolutely unconcerned about the welfare of the very men on whose labour and toil they depend. Without this cannibal crew the steamer could not have gone ahead at all; and yet the white bosses do not bother whether or not these men are properly fed.

The Lamentable Failure of Mr. Kurtz to Uplift the Savages

Even Mr. Kurtz, who has begun to identify himself with the savages, and who had at one time held that the white man should confer huge benefits upon the backward people, has done nothing for the uplift of the natives. Instead of improving their mode of life, he has himself become a savage in their company. He has miserably failed to exercise any self-restraint, and has begun to satisfy his various lusts without any limit. Even in his prime of life, when he had supported the view about the white man’s civilizing role, he had written down the following words conveying an opposite message: “Exterminate all the brutes.” In fact, Mr. Kurtz has now become brutalized, and even dehumanized. Such is the irony of the achievement of Mr. Kurtz who had once upon a time believed that the white man could prove himself to be the Messiah of the natives..

Ivory a symbol of imperialist greed

and commercial mentality

Faten Talib Al-Hadrami

Marlow’s (or Conrad’s) experiences in the Congo clearly show that the white man there had field to perform his function. Instead of civilizing the savages, the white men who went there become exploiter, pure and simple. Ivory was no use by the natives themselves, while the white men collected ivory and sent it to Europe where it could profitably be used for the making of numerous ornamental articles. Now, as we go through this book, we find that ivory is being constantly mentioned. Ivory dominates the thoughts of the manger of the central station, the thoughts of brick maker, the thought of the several white agents who loiter around the central station and to whom Marlow gives the name of “faithless of pilgrims.’

Subsequently we find that ivory not only dominates the thoughts of Mr. Kurtz but has become an obsession with him. The manager of the central station tells Marlow that Mr. Kurtz collects more ivory that all the other agents taken together; and the Russian tells Marlow that, on one occasion, Mr. Kurtz had threatened to kill him if he did not give up to Mr. Kurtz a small quantity of ivory which the Russian had received as a gift from the native tribal chief.

Thus ivory becomes a symbol in the book. .Ivory symbolizes the white men’s greed and the white men’s commercial mentality. Ivory becomes a source of gain to the trading company which can , therefore , afford to invest a lot of money in sending its agents into the Congo .

So we can say that ivory in heart of darkness shows everlasting greed of white men that prevent them of their moral and religious values. It seems to have some supernatural power that was controlling their life till their last breath. Conrad made use of ivory to show how greed of one destroys one’s life.

" Marlow the narrator of Conrad explains how the Europeans consider themselves as superior and civilized more than Africans which Europeans consider them as primitive and inferior. Conrad submits the idea of racism by presenting the cruel treatment by Europeans towards Africans and by presenting the idea of colonization. We interpret from the novel that Europeans not only colonize Africans but also, their land. They colonize African under the purpose of civilization while in reality they only want to dominate them and their land "The conquest of the earth" and make them their slaves. They think that they have the right to do this because the native Africans differ from them in the appearances and the behaviors.

.Here, we can say that the idea of colonization depends completely on the racism and because the Europeans have the power, they are who colonized Africans not the opposite. Marlow illustrates the reality about the conquerors that they not have "a sentimental pretence", they only focus on how they make all Africans "bow down" for them and "offer a sacrifice" to them. Marlow also explains that European could colonize most the land and natives and they succeed in their purpose for colonization. Marlow does not find any "difficulty in finding the Company’s offices" because most of the city becomes from their own

properties, everywhere Marlow go "it was full of it."

They colonize the earth and in their way to colonize the sea by "make no end of coin by trade". In ‘Heart of Darkness,’ Marlow, the main character, describes how the Europeans dominated the Africans during their imperialism, reducing the natives of the country to a status only equal to that of an animal. Marlow witnesses the inhumane slavery of Africans at the hands of the whites. In the end, In Heart of Darkness, Conrad shows that during Europe’s colonization of Africa, the natives were dehumanized and treated with such cruelty because they were believed to be the inferior race.

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book "Heart of Darkness by Ramji Lall "book " Heart of Darkness by Mohit K. Ray"

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darkness/chapter-3-quotes-28.html

done by:Arwa R awhi Yousif

Salwa Baraja Alhanouf Halawi

Faten Talib Al-hadramiHanan Sawab