Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, relies on the historical period of
imperialism in order to describe its protagonist, Charlie Marlow, and his
struggle. Marlow's catharsis in the novel, as he goes to the Congo, rests on how
he visualizes the effects of imperialism. This paper will analyze Marlow's
"change," as caused by his exposure to the imperialistic nature of the
historical period in which he lived. Marlow is asked by the organization for
which he works, to travel to the Congo River and report back to them about Mr.
Kurtz, a top-notch officer of theirs. When he sets sail, he doesn't know what to
expect, but by the end of his journey Marlow will have changed forever. Heart of
Darkness is the story of a man's journey through the African Congo and the
"enlightenment" of his soul. It begins with Charlie Marlow, along with
a few of his comrades, cruising aboard the Nellie, a traditional sailboat. On
the boat, Marlow begins to tell of his experiences in the Congo. Conrad uses
Marlow to reveal his personal thoughts and emotions during the course of this
journey. Marlow begins his voyage as an ordinary English sailor who is traveling
to the African Congo on a "business trip". He is an Englishmen through
and through, and has never been exposed to any drastically alternative forms of
culture, such as the one he will encounter in Africa. Throughout the book,
Conrad, via Marlow's observations, reveals to the reader the naive mentality
shared by most Europeans. Marlow as well, shares this naivete in the beginning
of his voyage, however, after his first few moments in the Congo, he realizes
the ignorance he and his comrades possess. We first recognize the general
naivete of the Europeans when Marlow's aunt is seeing him for the last time
before he embarks on his journey. Marlow's aunt is under the assumption that the
voyage is a mission to "wean those ignorant millions from their horrid
ways"(Conrad, 18-19). In reality however, the Europeans are there in the
name of imperialism, and their sole objective is to earn a substantial profit by
collecting all the ivory in Africa. Another manifestation of the Europeans
obliviousness towards reality is seen when Marlow is recanting his adventure
while aboard the Nellie. He addresses his comrades on board, saying: "When
you have to attend to things of that sort, to the mere incidents of the surface,
the reality--the reality I tell you---fades. The inner truth is hidden luckily,
luckily. But I felt it all the same; I felt often its mysterious stillness
watching over me at my monkey tricks, just as it watches you fellows performing
on your respective tight ropes for---what is it? Half a crown a
tumble"(Conrad, 56). Marlow is saying that while he is in the Congo,
although he has to concentrate on petty things, such as overseeing the repair of
his boat, he is still aware of what is going on around him, including the
horrible reality, which he is in the midst of. On the other hand, his friends on
the boat simply don't know of these realities. It is their ignorance, as well as
their innocence which provokes them to say "Try to be civil,
Marlow"(Conrad, 57). Not only are they oblivious to the reality, which
Marlow is exposed to, but their naivete is so great, they can't even comprehend
a place where this 'so called' reality would even be a bad dream. Hence, their
response is clearly rebuking the words of a "savage" for having said
something so ridiculous and "uncivilized". Quite surprisingly, this
mentality does not pertain exclusively to the Englishmen in Europe. At one point
during Marlow's voyage down the Congo, his boat hits an enormous patch of fog.
At that very instant, a "very loud cry" is let out(Conrad, 66). After
Marlow looks around and makes sure everything is all right, he observes the
contrasts of expressions between the white and black men. “It was very curious
to see the contrast of expression of the white men and of the black fellows of
our crew, who were as much strangers to this part of the river as we, though
their homes were only eight hundred miles away. The whites, of course greatly
discomposed, had besides a curious look of being painfully shocked by such an
outrageous row. The others had an alert, naturally interested expression; but
their faces were essentially quiet”(Conrad, 67). Once again, we see the
simple-mindedness of the Europeans, even when they were exposed to
‘reality’. Their mentality is so heavily engraved in their minds that even
the environment of the Congo can't sway their belief that people simply don't do
the horrible Things, Marlow recounts. The whites are dumbfounded and can not
comprehend how people, in this case the natives, would simply attack innocent
people. The blacks, however, who are cognizant of the reality in which they
live, are "essentially quiet". They feel right at home, and are not
phased by the shriek. Similarly, the difference of mentalities is shown when
Marlow speaks of the portion of his crew who are cannibals. While in the midst
of his journey, Marlow quite casually converses with these cannibals, even about
their animalistic ways. As Jacques Berthoud said so accurately in his Joseph
Conrad, "what would be unspeakable horror in London...becomes, on the Congo
river, an unremarkable topic of conversation”(Berthoud, 47). These
"unspeakable horrors" are hardly unspeakable in the Congo because they
are normal occurrences there. On the Nellie, Marlow explains to his comrades,
the basic difference between living in Europe, and being in the Congo. He
states: "You can't understand. How could you? With solid pavement under
your feet, surrounded by kind neighbors ready to cheer you or to fall you,
stepping delicately between the butcher and the policeman, in the holy terror of
scandal and gallows and lunatic asylums---how can you imagine what particular
region of the first ages a man's untrammeled feet may take him into by the way
of solitude---utter solitude without a policeman---by the way of silence utter
silence, where no warning voice of a kind neighbor can be heard whispering of
public opinion”(Conrad, 82). In Europe, there are "kind neighbors"
who help each other to make sure that everything is all right. The European
lives his life "stepping delicately between the butcher and the
policeman". Everywhere he looks, there is always someone there who can
"catch him if he is falling". On the other hand, once a man enters the
Congo, he is all alone. No policeman, no "warning voice of a kind
neighbor"...no one! It is when Marlow enters the Congo and begins his
voyage, that he realizes the environment he comes from is not reality, and the
only way he is going to discover reality is to keep going up the river. There is
one specific theme in Heart of Darkness in which the reader can follow Marlow's
evolution from the "everyday European" to a man who realizes his own
naivete and finally to his uncovering of his own reality. This evolution comes
about as a direct result of Marlow's observations of how things are named. This
sounds very unusual, that a man would find his true reality by observing the
names of certain things. However, it is precisely these observations which
change Marlow forever. Marlow first realizes the European's flaw of not being
able to give something a name of significance, in the beginning of his voyage,
when he has not quite reached the Congo, but he is extremely close. “Once, I
remember, we came upon a man of war anchored off the coast. There wasn't even a
shed there, and she was shelling the bush. It appears the French had one of
their wars going on there-abouts. Her ensign dropped like a limp rag; the
muzzles of the long six inch guns stuck out all over the low hull; the greasy,
slimy swell swung her up lazily and let her down, swaying her thin masts. In the
empty immensity of earth, sky, and water, there she was, incomprehensible,
firing into a continent. Pop, would go one of the six inch guns; a small flame
would dart and vanish, a little white smoke would disappear, a tiny projectile
would give a feeble screech---and nothing happened. Nothing could happen. There
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 natives---he called them enemies!---hidden out of sight
somewhere”(Conrad, 21). Conrad is teaching us something extremely important.
Berthoud points out that the "intelligibility of what men do depends upon
the context in which they do it." Marlow is watching this occurrence. He
sees the Europeans firing "tiny projectiles" and their cannons
producing a "pop". The Europeans, however, see themselves fighting an
all out war against the savage enemies in the name of imperialism. The Europeans
feel that this is an honorable battle, and therefore, get emotionally excited
and fight with all they have. Marlow, however, sees it differently. He is now in
Africa where reality broods; it's lurking everywhere. The only thing one has to
do to find it is open his mind to new and previously 'unheard' ideas. He looks
at this event and reduces it from the European's image of a supposedly intense
battle, with smoke and enemies everywhere, to a futile firing of "tiny
projectiles "into an empty forest. For the first time, Marlow recognizes
the falsity of the European mentality, and their inability to characterize an
event for what it is. At the end of the passage, his fellow European crewmember
is assuring Marlow that the allied ship is defeating the "enemies",
and that they just couldn't see the them because they were "hidden out of
sight somewhere". In actuality, they were shooting at innocent natives who
have probably fled from the area of battle already. Marlow is beginning to
realize that "what makes sense in Europe no longer makes sense in
Africa"(Berthoud, 46). With that passage, Conrad informs the reader of
Marlow's realization. From that point on, Marlow is looking to define if in
actuality, the mentality instilled upon him in Europe is similar to this, or if
those are atypical Europeans who are living in a dream world. As the novel
continues, Marlow recognizes that this flaw of not being able to see something
for what it is, and in turn, not being able to give it an accurate
"label", is indeed "the European way". There are some names
given by the Europeans that simply don't fit the characteristic of the object
being named. Marlow points out that the name 'Kurtz' means short in German.
However, at Marlow's first glance at Kurtz, he remarks how Kurtz appears to be
"seven feet long"(Conrad, 101). Conrad shows us, through Marlow's
observation, how Kurtz's name is just a blatant oxy-moron. Marlow recognizes yet
another obvious misrepresentation, meeting a man who is called the
"bricklayer". However, as Marlow himself points out, "there
wasn't a fragment of a brick anywhere in the station"(Conrad, 39). During
his voyage, however, Marlow doesn't only observe this misnaming, but realizes
the importance of a name. While overhearing a conversation between the manager
of the station and his uncle, he hears Mr. Kurtz being referred to as "that
man"(Conrad, 53). Although Marlow hasn't met Kurtz yet, he has heard of his
greatness. He now realizes that by these men calling him "that man",
they strip him of all his attributes. When one hears Kurtz, they think of a
" very remarkable person"(Conrad, 39). These men are now, by not
referring to him by his name, denying Kurtz's accomplishments. This same idea of
distorting a person's character by changing his name is displayed elsewhere. The
Europeans apply the terms 'enemy' and 'criminals' to the natives. In actuality,
they are simply "bewildered and helpless victims...and moribund
shadows"(Berthoud. 46). Clearly, the injustice done by the simple misnaming
of someone is unbelievable. After witnessing all of these names which bare no
true meaning, as well as possibly degrade a person's character, Marlow
understands that he can not continue in his former ways of mindlessly giving
random names to something in fear of diminishing the essence of the recipient.
As a result, Marlow finds himself unable to label something for what it is.
While under attack, Marlow refers to the arrows being shot in his direction as
"sticks, little sticks", and a spear being thrown at his boat "a
long cane"(Conrad, 75-77). When Marlow arrives at the inner station, he
sees "slim posts...in a row" with their "ends ornamented with
round carved balls"(Conrad, 88). In truth, these are poles with skulls on
top of them. Marlow can formulate a name even for the simplest of things and see
them for what they are. Taking a step back and looking at his voyage, Marlow
realizes the insignificant, mindless, meaningless ‘labels’, which the
Europeans use to identify with something, and he wants to be able to give to
experience, names that have some substance. At this point, he is similar to Adam
in the Garden of Eden who is "watching the parade of nameless
experience" go by. However, Marlow is missing an essential ability, which
Adam possessed. As opposed to Adam, who was delegated by God to name
experiences, Marlow lacked this authority to name. It is Kurtz who will become
this authority, and eventually teach Marlow the essence of a name. Mr. Kurtz is
the Chief of the Inner Station. He is a "universal genius, a prodigy, an
emissary of pity science and progress"(Conrad, 40-45). It is Kurtz who will
teach Marlow what a name is, for one simple reason. "The man presented
himself as a voice...of all his gifts, the one that stood out preeminently, that
carried with it a sense of real presence, was his ability to talk, his
words---the gift of expression, the bewildering, the illuminating”(Conrad,
79). Kurtz was "little more than a voice"(Conrad, 80), but there was
no one with a voice like his. He could speak with remarkable eloquence, he could
write with such precision...he could name with true meaning! "You don't
talk with that man [Kurtz], you listen to him"(Conrad, 90). Marlow has
heard enough about Kurtz, in this case from his devoted pupil, to know that it
is he who can provide Marlow with the authority to offer correct and substantial
names Indeed, Kurtz gives Marlow everything he is looking for. However, he does
it in a very unconventional way. Kurtz teaches Marlow the lesson with his last
words. "The horror! The horror!"(Conrad, 118). These last words are
Kurtz's own judgment, judgment on the life which he has lived. He is barbarous,
unscrupulous, and possibly even evil. However, he has evaluated his life, and he
has "pronounced a judgment upon the adventures of his soul on this
earth"(Conrad, 118). Marlow sees Kurtz "open his mouth wide---it gave
him a weirdly voracious aspect, as though he wanted to swallow all the air, all
the earth, all the men before him"(Conrad, 101). Kurtz takes everything in.
He takes his life, and puts it all out on the table. "He had summed up---
he had judged...The horror!"(Conrad, 119). Kurtz's last words is his way of
teaching Marlow the essence of a name were that a name is not merely a label. It
is one man's own judgment of an isolated event. However, unlike the Europeans
who judge based on already existing principles which they have 'acquired', Kurtz
taught Marlow to look inside of himself and to judge based on his own subjective
creeds. While Marlow is recounting the story, he says to his comrades: "He
must meet that truth with his own true stuff---with his own inborn strength.
Principles won't do. Acquisitions, clothes, pretty rags---rags that would fly
off at the first good shake. No, you want a deliberate belief. An appeal to me
in this fiendish row---is there? Very well; I hear; I admit, but have a voice
too, and for good or evil mine is the voice that can not be silenced (Conrad,
60)." This judgment must be from one's own internal strengths. That is why
Marlow says, "for good or evil, mine is the speech that can not be
silenced". As Kurtz has taught him with his own judgment, a judgment of
truth overpowers morality. To find one's own reality, one must not rely solely
on other people's morality, others people's 'principles'; he must assess his own
life. Kurtz showed that regardless of whether the truth is good or bad, one must
face up to his reality. He must face up to his own actions even when the
conclusion is "the horror", and by doing so, he will find his true
reality. Marlow understands that being true to yourself is not following
another's moral code, but being able to judge one's self honestly and uncover
their own reality. It is because of this understanding that Marlow claims that
Kurtz's last words are "a moral victory paid for by innumerable
defeats"(Conrad, 120). Despite Kurtz's immoral ways, he is victorious
because he didn't run away from the truth, and that is his moral victory; he is
true to himself. On his voyage, Marlow notices at one of the stations, a picture
that Kurtz had drawn when he was there. It is a "sketch in oils on a panel
representing a woman draped and blindfolded, carrying a lighted torch. The
background was sombre---almost black"(Conrad, 40). At the time, Marlow
didn't really know what it meant. However, this is a precise representation of
Kurtz himself. First, the background was "sombre---almost black". This
is a manifestation of Kurtz because his life is full of darkness. He kills, he
steals, and he is worshipped as a God. Kurtz cannot be without blackness and
survive. In addition, the picture displays the lesson itself. It is a picture of
the lady of justice holding a torch. This is Kurtz's role. Unlike Europe, which
imposes their principles upon others, he is merely there to illuminate. Kurtz is
there to expand the people’s minds, to introduce them to a broad new spectrum
of reality. However, he does not impose his own reality upon them. Hence, he is
blindfolded in the picture. To him, they make a subjective decision and they
find their own truth, regardless of what that truth may be. Eventually Marlow
realizes that Kurtz's picture was in essence, a self-portrait. The same thing
which Kurtz conveyed with 'the horror', he conveyed with this picture. Marlow's
realization is evident with this remark. "I don't like work---no man
does---but I like what's in the work---the chance to find yourself. Your own
reality---for yourself, not for others"(Conrad, 47). Marlow learns the
essence of 'naming' and understands what it means to 'be yourself'. However,
Marlow has encountered two extremes. The European mentality, which is completely
oblivious to reality, and Kurtz, a man who has found his reality, but it is one
of horror and no restraint from any wrongdoing. He is now returning to his home
to deal with his former world, however, he now possesses his new
'understanding'. Marlow cannot return to his previous 'European ways' simply
because he has 'been enlightened' and lost his naivete. However, why can't he
adapt Kurtz's ways and live the other extreme? At one point, Marlow had
"peeped over the edge"(Conrad, 119). Why didn't he 'jump over'? Marlow
is repelled from joining Kurtz for several reasons. Firstly, Kurtz had
"kicked himself loose from the earth...he had kicked the earth to pieces.
He was alone, and I [Marlow] before him did not know whether I stood on the
ground or floated in the air"(Conrad, 112). Kurtz had denied any sort of
moral convictions in order to be worshipped as a God. Because of this
unmonitered power, Kurtz lost all sense of restraint and became the savage that
he was. Marlow, however, has not lost his sense of morality. What Marlow
rejected in Kurtz was the complete absence of any humane or remotely sane
actions. It is because of Marlow's rejection of both the Europeans, who Marlow
claims are full of "stupid importance", and of Kurtz's inability to
establish his own moral code, that Marlow chooses an "alternative
reality"(Berthoud. 60). The first time the reader witnesses Marlow's choice
and becomes a centrist, is when he first gets back to Europe. Marlow finds
himself resenting the way the Europeans went about their life, "hurrying
through the streets to filch a little money from each other"(Conrad, 120).
Not only did he find their lives meaningless, but he mocked them to himself.
"I had no particular desire to enlighten them, but I had some difficulty
restraining myself from laughing in their faces so full of stupid importance...
I tottered about the streets...grinning bitterly at perfectly respectable
people. I admit my behavior was inexcusable" (Conrad, 120). Although Marlow
looked down upon these Europeans, he says something remarkable. He judged his
own actions and found them 'inexcusable'. This is his manifestation of breaking
away from Kurtz's extreme. Unlike Kurtz who lacked all restraint and would never
find looking down on people bad, Marlow realized that he couldn't hold it
against them simply because they didn't know better. Clearly, Marlow has edged
toward a middle ground. He has been able to create some comfortable fusion
between Kurtz’s edge of complete reality with a lack of moral conscience, with
that of the unknowing, and apparently uncaring world from which he came.
Bibliography
Berthoud, Jacques A. Joseph Conrad: The Major Phase (British Authors
Introductory Critical Studies). Cambridge Univ. Press. 1978 Conrad, Joseph.
Heart of Darkness: Backgrounds and Criticisms. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1960.
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. New York: Norton
Critical, 1988.