Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad In Joseph Conrad's novel, 'Heart of
Darkness', the term "darkness" can be related to a few different
meanings. Conrad uses this term in various ways to characterize social,
political and psychological affairs in order to help the reader get a feel of
his attitudes towards things, such as colonialism, Africa, and civilization. The
first impression of the word "darkness" in relations to this novel
that I understood was its reference to racism. This, I got from the way Conrad
writes about the White people and how they treated the natives (Black), in
Africa. During the colonization of Africa, forced ideals of a race that thought
of themselves as more superior than those who occupied that land before them
existed. This is demonstrated as Conrad writes about how the Whites completely
dominate the Blacks in Africa. A significant passage from the novel illustrating
this point is when Marlow describes, " Black shapes crouched, lay…The
work was going on…this was the place where some of the helpers had withdrawn
to die…they were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and
starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom" (34-35). The natives
were not "helpers", but slaves who were forced to work till physical
exhaustion under the orders of the White colonist. To further support the idea
of racism as seen in this novel, consider the description that Marlow gives
about an incident he encounters, "And whiles I had to look after the savage
who was a fireman…to look at him was as edifying as seeing a dog in a parody
of breeches and a feather hat, walking on his hind-legs…he was useful because
he had been instructed" (63-64). From this, Conrad acknowledges that
although the natives take on some White Lai 2 characteristics, they are still
seen as inferior. In that passage, the fireman is seen as a joke. Not as a man,
but a "dog in breeches". Therefore, no matter how educated or similar
in appearance the Blacks become, they are still seen as being beneath the
Whites. The natives are not given any personal traits or uniqueness unless they
possess a similarity to the Whites. Even then we see no glimpse of humanity in
their characters through Conrad's writing. From racism, the idea of civilization
is brought about in terms of "darkness". Conrad uses the contrast of
light and dark with relation to the civilized and the uncivilized. The light of
course, represents civilization or the civilized side of the world and the dark,
more importantly represents the uncivilized or savage side of the world. From
the passages quoted earlier, when Marlow calls the workers "black shadows
of disease and starvation" (35), Conrad is reinforcing the idea that Blacks
and the dark images they project are uncivilized and they are nothing to be
wishing for. However, through Conrad's reiteration of Marlow's experience, there
was an interesting aspect of the slaves seen. The reality is that these Blacks
are what created the civilized life for the Whites. The Blacks are being used by
the civilized, in turn making them uncivilized. But, the fact remains that the
Whites may be considered the savages for working these Blacks to death. However,
as ironic as it may seem, their view was that the natives were there to be
conquered. All in all, Conrad writes about civilization versus savagery. Through
the novel, he implies that the setting of laws and codes that would encourage
men to achieve higher standards is what creates civilization. It prevents men
from reverting back to their darker tendencies. Civilization, however, must be
learned. London itself, in the book is a symbol of enlightenment, was once
"one of the darker places of the earth" before the Romans forced
civilization upon Lai 3 them (18). While society seems to restrain these savage
lifestyles, it does not get rid of them. These primitive tendencies will always
be like a black cloth lurking in the background. The possibility of reverting
back to savagery is seen in Kurtz. When Marlow meets Kurtz, he finds a man that
has totally thrown off the restraints of civilization and has de-evolved into a
primitive state. Marlow and Kurtz are two opposite examples of the human
condition. Kurtz represents what every man will become if left to his own
natural desires without a protective civilized environment. Marlow represents
the civilized soul that has not been drawn back into savagery by a dark,
alienated jungle. This darkness that Conrad writes about can also mean the
wilderness in which the story took place. The wilderness, where the natives live
in, continually watches for the "fantastic invasion" (58) of the White
man. The activities of the White people are viewed throughout the novel as
insane and pointless. Conrad feels that they spend their existence looking for
ivory or plotting against each other for position and status within their own
environment. Marlow comments, "The word 'ivory' rang in the air, was
whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it…I've never seen
anything so unreal in my life" (44). In contrast, the wilderness appears
solid, immovable, and ominously threatening. During Marlow's stay at Central
Station, he describes the surrounding wilderness as a "rioting invasion of
soundless life, a rolling wave of plants, piled up, crested, ready to…sweep
every little man of us out of his little existence" (54). It is difficult
to say, however, what the intentions of the wilderness actually are. Through
Marlow's eyes, it is always somewhat of an enigma. It is "an implacable
force brooding over and inscrutable intention" (60). Lai 4 Conrad pictures
the wilderness as not just an remote force that is unconcerned with anything
else but itself, but rather, a mirror in which one can see clearly the darkness
hidden in one's heart. The environment of the jungle, in contrast to the
European form of society from which the White men have come, imposes no
restraints upon the behavior of an individual. It is a harsh environment that
tests one's ability to hold onto sanity without an organized structure of
society. The people who are successful in fighting the wilderness are those who
create their own structured environments. As long as they keep themselves busy
with surface activities, they cannot hear the whispers of the wilderness, and
the darkness in their hearts can remains buried. Marlow himself must face the
truth that the wilderness reveals to him. He sees the wild dancing and chanting
of the natives, and though he says at first that it is incomprehensible to him,
upon reflection he admits that he does feel some kind of connection to the
"passionate uproar." He says, "[The earth] was unearthly, and the
men were-No, they were not humans. Well, you know, that was the worst of it-this
suspicion of their not being inhuman" (62). But, even in the great
demoralization of the land, Marlow's work, piloting and repairing the steamboat
distracts him from such thoughts. Kurtz, the fabulously successful chief of the
Inner Station who has come from Europe to civilize the natives, surrender to the
savagery of the wilderness. He gives up his high aspirations, and the wilderness
brings out the darkness and brutality in his heart. All principles and desires
of the European society are stripped from him, and the unspeakable passions and
greed of his true nature are revealed. He collects a following of loyal natives
who worship him as an idol, and they raid surrounding villages to collect a huge
amount of ivory. The full significance of the wilderness can be seen only
through Kurtz, because he gives in to the powers of the wilderness. Conrad
writes that Lai 5 through the influence of the wilderness, basic human nature is
revealed to him. At his death, he sees the true state of mankind. His gaze is
"piercing enough to penetrate all the hearts that beat in the
darkness" (113). His final statement of "The horror! The horror!"
(112) is his judgment on all of life. The wilderness brings Kurtz to the point
where he has a full awareness of himself, and from there he makes his
affirmation about all mankind. Thus, in the story the wilderness is more than a
backdrop for the plot. It is an unmerciful force that continually urges the
characters to shed the restraints of civilization and to indulge the despicable
desires of their hearts. The wilderness destroys man's pretensions and shows him
the truth about himself. I think Conrad is trying to imply that every man has a
heart of darkness that is usually drowned out by the light of civilization.
However, when removed from civilized society, the raw evil of untamed lifestyles
within his soul will be unleashed. And that I think, is the meaning of the
"heart" of darkness, which is the journey of discovering one's true
self.
Bibliography
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. England. Penguin Books, 1995.