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Heart of Darkness and the Secret SharerHeart of Darkness and the Secret SharerJoseph Conrad
 

Heart of Darkness and the Secret Sharer

by Joseph Conrad

A masterpiece of twentieth-century writing, Heart of Darkness (1902) exposes the tenuous fabric that holds "civilization" together and the brutal horror at the center of European colonialism. Conrad's crowning achievement recounts Marlow's physical and psychological journey deep into the heart of the Belgian Congo in search of the mysterious trader Kurtz.
Joyce Carol Oates on Joseph... (read more)

Top tags: fiction,  classic,  africa,  colonialism,  literature (all tags)

Discussions

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  • FU MANCHU

    fu manchu said:

    “Fah Lo Suee know what heart of darkness is, Thames river gathering shade as night fall on swirling watrers, there no mystery in that readers, it like it!”

    posted Thursday, July 17 2008
  • ophelia

    ophelia said:

    “Thank you for your answer anjanamrao.

    I have read your posting several times, and I must say I'm still unconvinced by the link you make between "Heart of Darkness" and buddhism-- though, being a Westener and an atheist, my being reluctant here is probably just to be expected.
    However, some of the things you write about Roman conquerors of Britain and the fascination of abomination have set me thinking and I'll go back to that passage in the book.
    ”

    posted Tuesday, February 5 2008
  • mehdi

    mehdi said:

    “I read this book thrice and every time it gives the same exitement . its a wonderful book about Africans how english exploits the resources of undevelop countries in the name of development. the technique of frame work story and the use of symbolism that is also marvelous”

    posted Monday, January 21 2008
  • anjanamrao

    anjanamrao said:

    “It stresses non-violence preached in Budhism..”

    posted Friday, December 14 2007
  • uplandpoet

    uplandpoet said:

    “appleblossom, i am afraid that is pretty much what Conrad implies, and while i love all his stories, especially Lord Jim and Heart of Darkness, it is not the "savages" corrupting the English. THe Europeans had a tremendous history, and sadly America followed suite, of visiting horrors upon native subjected peoples that proved the real savages of the world include the "civilised white christians" as much as any other group in the world.”

    posted Thursday, November 1 2007
  • atena g

    atena g said:

    “what do you think about idendity in heart of darkness?”

    posted Thursday, November 1 2007
  • Peach

    peach said:

    “I don't really dislike Conrad, although his short stories like *Youth* seemed so lacking to me and I never really loved this book either. I do know that most people either hate it or love it, I'm just not one of them. ^_^

    And, I think you might be the first person to ever have said to me that they don't like T. S. Eliot! =O”

    posted Tuesday, July 17 2007
  • uplandpoet

    uplandpoet said:

    “Peach: Not that I want to start a fight about a book, I understand every popular writer has his/her fans and critics, but i love the whole book. I think the slow start is helpful in getting the European mind ready for the journey. As to T. S. Eliot, as a poet, I am offended that he is considered fit for publication, though I know I am in the minority:)
    Anthony”

    posted Tuesday, July 17 2007
  • uplandpoet

    uplandpoet said:

    “I reccommend reading A Bend in the River by VS Naipul, after reading this and Lord Jim, it is interesting to see how things have changed and things have remained the same. I am sure there is a better newer book that looks at today's Heart of Africa.
    Anthony”

    posted Tuesday, July 17 2007
  • Peach

    peach said:

    “I don't think what we would perceive as racist attitudes toward really mar Conrad's work much, since he was a product of his time. I do think there are a lot of contradictory ideas about race and colonialism present in this book that are difficult to disentangle.

    Conrad goes to lengths to point out that Kurtz was no particular nationality, and that "all Europe went into the making of Kurtz." And so in some sense it does seem to be a universal indictment of European colonialism. The names of the places that Marlow visits are similarly changed to make this seem like a universal story, so much so that the quote given for this book (by Joyce Carol Oates) calls it "a parable." Historically, though, the location of the story was well-known to Conrad's readers: the Congo Free State, a particularly brutal example of European colonialism.

    The trouble with treating this book just as a parable or an overall criticism of European colonialism is that Conrad specifically exempts English colonialism. He does say that one of Kurtz' parents may have been half-English (not to mention the fact that Marlow has this sympathy for Kurtz), so I suppose he was ambivalent about it. However, Marlow says that the English were separated from the other colonial powers by an elusive “idea,” presumably English liberalism. The message seems to be a racist one: Certain types of imperialism might be ok, even if others are not.

    There are a lot of explanations for why Conrad thought that English colonialism might be acceptable, including issues related to his audience and his own psychology, but the underlying message is a difficult one to explain away without a lot of explanation of his life and historical situation.

    That was my incredibly long way of saying: I don’t think it makes it a bad book, but I can see why people have a problem with it. =P”

    posted Monday, July 16 2007
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