Essay On Heart Of Darkness Imperialism

European Imperialism created a rift within the world. European powers saw the use of Imperialism, as well justified and a mean of spreading their influence and securing their strength. However the nations which found themselves under rule of an imperialistic power did not share the Europeans view on the favors they were giving. European nations saw themselves fit to divide the uncivilized world, almost in a pie like manner, to be placed under their reign. With this came many mistreatments of indigenous traditions and the people themselves. King Leopold the Second’s imperialistic claim on the Congo, and the European attempts at controlling China both exemplify the disaster of Imperialism on the human condition, and the resistance created by the people.

The subject of colonialism has appeared in various literary works. More specifically, this subject has been viewed through a variety of different perspectives and often, these literary works tend to address the problems and consequences related to it. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness explores the hypocrisy of colonial efforts carried out by white Europeans, the brutal conditions and exploitation of the black natives and Africa, as well as the effect colonialism had on white Europeans. Conrad depicts this criticism of colonialism through his use of characters as symbolic illustrations and distinct contrasting images and concepts. The title itself allows readers to delve into the novella for any idea on what could be meant by the idea of darkness and Conrad reveals this to some extent.

Including Conrad’s arguably most memorable line (“The conquest of the earth […] is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much,”) this passage conveys the contrast between the illusion the public had of colonialism in the Congo with the reality. Earlier in the book, Conrad went on to list various “great knights” who were the English imperialists, thus glamorizing the way in which Europeans colonized all of Europe. Furthermore, the passage emphasizes that the colonialists had been abusive and brutal towards people who were just like them apart from having a “different complexion and slightly flatter noses.” Conrad,

"We whites, from the point of development we had arrived at, 'must necessarily appear to them [savages] in the nature of supernatural beings - we approach them with the might of a deity,'..."(2.29). In the novel Heart of Darkness, there are many examples of the belief of imperialism and racial superiority, and the book’s portrayal of the line between civil and savage can be observed through several concepts and beliefs found in the novel. In the text, examples like Kurtz and Marlow believe the natives to be savage and inferior while they themselves are superior, perhaps this is because of their origins of 'civilized' Europe. In Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the story revolves around the main character Marlow and his journey through Africa to find a powerful man by the name of Kurtz. Throughout Marlow's journey, the book tells of the dark and inhumane actions of the people in the Congo at the time as well as the inner thoughts of the main character. Through Marlow's thoughts, his actions, and

From the onset of the novella Heart of Darkness, the narrator Marlow compares his subsequent tale of colonialism with that of the Roman colonization of Northern Europe and the fascination associated with such an endeavor. However, throughout his narration, Marlow challenges this viewpoint by painting a heinous picture of the horrors of colonialist ventures.

Imperialism has often been described as a light, a method to guide the uncivilized. However in Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad sheds true light on the subject. In the novel, Conrad exposes the situation in Congo during the era of Imperialism for the Europeans. Conrad reveals the exploitation of the natives through a tale of Marlow, an introspective sailor, and his nightmarish journey up the Congo River to meet a reputable European trader, Kurtz. As the life of the great Kurtz comes to a close, the horrors he speaks of could be referring to the atrocities that were taking place in the Congo, his realization of how horrible mankind can become without the structure and morality that are laid out by society, or the horror of Kurtz failing to carry out his grand plan of eventually becoming a godlike figure.

As Steven Patrick Morrissey said “Racism is beyond common sense and has no place in our society.” Tragedies in African nations have been glossed over or omitted throughout history. The Congolese genocide, prompted by King Leopold II’s acquisition of the Congo Free State, killed an estimated 10 million people. Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, can be criticised through many different lenses. Though Natives are a large part of Conrad’s narrative of European atrocities in the Congo, his treatment of Congolese Natives throughout the book show them to be nothing more than props. Conrad skews Natives language, culture and intelligence to fit Europeans schema for Africa and Africans.

Nayak believes that “Conrad’s text exposes the violence and mercenary nature of imperialism” thus stating the obvious outcomes of imperialism. The Africans were subdued to heavy intensify labor forcefully and still were expected to follow through yet in past experience history has always shown that riots and revolutions soon to begin to follow such hardships. Nevertheless, Heart of Darkness points out the human perception of being obsessed with anything they seem to want or desire. The Europeans obsession over ivory drove them to imperialize and torture Africans solely to make money.

Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novel heart of darkness, a story of madness and realization of the open world giving the idea of imperialism and darkness. Mr. Conrad carried his own idea of “the horror” a story like no other leaving the open-ended idea of “the horror” which can never truly be defined. Therefore, Giving the character of Mr. Marlow more ideas about the real world and imperialism, represented by Mr. Kurtz. Power corrupts a man, Mr. Kurtz proves that point; Mr. Kurtz is the idea of imperialism, controlling the natives( “savages”) to keep as protection from harm and going insane. “They were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom.”

The Heart of Darkness is one of the narrative works by Joseph Conrad, who presents the main character, Marlow a guide to the reader to relate to the bigger picture of the history of imperialism of European nations in Africa. Thereby conceiving the insights of indirectly condemning the barbaric acts by European colonialists on their subjects. There are controversies over the story among scholars who differently view the pros and cons associated with the imperialism. Marlow is an intermediary figure between the activities of imperialists of a Belgian Company and Kurtz a supporting character. From his experiences, Marlow encounters personal conflicts with his inner-self as he gets entirely disappointed from his earlier anticipations in being part of the imperialism. Although Marlow has a fascination with the explorations Africa must offer, he seeks a name for himself and a fortune.

It has been argued that humans are mere products of their environment. In the era of imperialism, artists argued that the nations were breeding grounds for corruption and greed. To illustrate this, several artists, such as Joseph Conrad, utilized the victimized frontiers to display the injustices that were happening. Conrad’s Heart of Darkness uses the African environment’s wildness and symbolic darkness to demonstrate that imperialism’s lack of moral restraints will result in one’s environment exploiting the evils hidden in their heart.

At the Berlin Conference of 1884, King Leopold of Belgium was granted land, that would later be named the Congo, under the guidelines that it's intended purpose was to be used for advancement of the land such as international trade, missionaries, and education. That illusion of enlightenment was destroyed when the harsh realities of trade and greed sat in on the land and its inhabitants. No schools or churches were built within the land, the only promise kept by the King was for international

The theme of Heart of Darkness is imperialism, there are a many issues surrounding imperialism. Marlow travels from the Outer station to the Central station and eventually to inner station. He observed some cases of cruelty, torture and almost slavery. The Company’s workers describe what they do as ‘’trade’’ and their treatment of native Africans is just a part of a project called

and political motive. The school of thought says that economic power is the fuel behind all peoples motives. He also states that socioeconomic statuses in our society is what divides us into subgroups. This imperialistic way of thinking is is beneath the surface all throughout Joseph Conrad’s book, Heart of Darkness. The book is centered around a sailor named Marlow, who is sailing up the Congo river to transport ivory. Conrad shows the readers the exploitation of the natives by the Europeans for their ivory through the eyes of Marlow. The novel reaffirms Marxism through its ideas of imperialism.

In the novella ‘Heart Of Darkness’ Marlow is a sailor who is telling the story to four other sailors about his expedition to The Congo and everything that ensued after he went on the expedition. Imperialism and racism has a negative impact on Marlow and Kurtz in Joseph Conrad’s novella “Heart Of Darkness” which reveals the savagery of the practice of imperialism. One of the impacts that is shown is near the end when Kurtz comes down with jungle fever and starts to show the symptoms. When Kurtz dies his last words are “The horror! The horror” (Conrad 69). When Kurtz says this, he is feeling remorse for everything that he has done to the natives of the land and all that he had put them through.