The paper is about Heart of Darkness written by Joseph Conrad. In the Heart of Darkness, Joseph is sharing the experience of a man that has identified through the acts, behaviors and deeds that he do with others. Also he refer efforts by all man with Congo. 1899 was the year of publishing the Heart of Darkness by Conrad. He explains with the words that he has experience throughout his career. This story is a journey of a person who is moving on a path to search himself and face the reality of the newest truth. The person highlighted is Marlow by naming it as, Marlow’s Mythical Journey (Calleja).
After reading the novel, a reader can easily identify the journey towards Congo River in search of another white person named as Kurtz. Marlow and Kurtz have different thinking pattern that is why one is safe and other has to face the death. As Marlow thoughts were more towards self-knowledge that has defined as mystery of existence. Whereas, Kurtz thoughts have misconducted by others that has taken him out of what his heart limitation were about. Due to this, he end up with madness and death as a gesture of punishment (Calleja).
However, the criticism over the novel says that Heart of Darkness is more about the journey of Marlow as it focuses more on Marlow’s consciousness as compared to Kurtz journey. When the reader understand the perspective behind this novel that divert towards aesthetic aspects i.e. more about the sensible language and soothing atmosphere it creates in the mind of the readers. However, an aspect of racism has ignored completely. But, the meaning depicting the word race is thinking more naturally so they have closed their eyes to portray it. According to a research paper that has mentioned about Conrad who had called as racist by Achebe in 1977 (Calleja).
Further, the criticism followed by saying that a person who do not define human race should not refer as a great work in the subject of Art. There is a bigger perspective behind this criticism that started in the mid-60s after the independence of European colonies. Afterwards, the European independence has led fire and African started a strong movement in establishing African identity based on African point of view. To unify the Native Africans Achebe played a part in this Pan-Africanism movement. Being a writer, Achebe believe that this is his duty to play his role to promote African Identity (Watts).
Moreover, Achebe was one of a person who has named as evil imperialism depicter and can’t provide an alternative view said by Conrad in 1993. A great complexity has seen in the Conrad novel “Heart of Darkness” that has given an urge to body of criticism. However, many other criticism portrays, this novella as one of the most valuable and incisive novel of all time in the subject of Art (Watts).
Further, the word Darkness has referred to the mysterious life and its presence in the heart of a man. The novel explains how Kurtz listens to the movement of man’s efforts in the jungle in which recognition by Marlow and refuses to listen after Kurtz becoming Mad. Also, Marlow’s painting describes about the devilish approach through a sketch of sinister. Affinity is the word defining Marlow’s feeling against earlier dismissal and emissary of science as well as its progress. By reading the novel, one can easily understand the curiosity behind Marlow thinking pattern that was only to know about Kurtz and he labelled Kurtz as one of the prototype (Svensson).
Marlow thinks that Kurtz is a prototype because he is the only one that can tell things about Marlow, which he is unaware by himself. The bonding between his thoughts and feelings for Kurtz was unending and lead Marlow to the path that he is unaware about its positivity and negativity towards the attitude and behavior (Svensson).
In spite of knowing the horror behind Kurtz reality, Marlow doesn’t want to think less about the genuineness and authenticity present in Kurtz. As, Marlow has a big inspiration from Kurtz and he admires him to follow by knowing the life of Kurtz. Moreover, knowing the Kurtz brutal activity and barbarous acts doesn’t change the perception of Marlow against the life of Kurtz and he remain an inspiration for Marlow’s life (Watts).
After reading and analyzing the novel “Heart of Darkness”, a researcher can easily assess the level of inspiration and admiration towards someone personality can become so high that he become least bother of what criminal, brutal or slavery he is doing and practicing in his daily life. Marlow feeling for Kurtz in spite of knowing him completely he can’t stop him by admiring Kurtz and giving him a name of prototype who knows a lot about person’s personality that is hidden from him. As, he claim about himself that hidden things can only be known to him once he meet Kurtz and ask him about his unaware thoughts (Svensson).
Work Cited
Watts, Cedric. 'Heart Of Darkness'. Bloom’s Modern Critical Interpretations: Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness--New Edition (2008): 19--36.
Calleja, Mar\'\ia Antonia Alvarez. 'JOSEPH CONRAD’S HEART OF DARKNESS AS A JOURNEY IN QUEST OF THE SELF'. Odisea: Revista de estudios ingleses 4 (2003): 7--16.
Svensson, Morgan. 'Critical Responses To Joseph Conrad’S Heart Of Darkness'. (2010): n. pag.
