Skip to main content

Heart of Darkness [Novella] by Joseph Conrad

Hello Readers,

Here I'm sharing another favourite text which I've learned in BA.
'Heart of Darkness' is the novella by Joseph Conrad.


◆ About Author :- 

 'Heart of Darkness' is a novella written by Joseph Conrad- who was a polish-British writer. To know more about author...Click here...

◆ Introduction :-

 "Heart of Darkness" - this novella is originally published in 'Blackwood's Magazine' in a 3 parts serial story. This novella is variously published.

This novella is about African black people who treated as slave by white people for work. This is a story of two main characters named Kurtz and Marlow. Kurtz is a godly figure for black people and Marlow came to Kurtz after hearing much about him & his nature.

◆ Heart of Darkness :- 

 "Heart of Darkness" explores the issues surrounding Imperialism in complicated way.

 As Marlow travels from the other station to the Central station and finally up the river to the Inner station. He encounters scenes of torture, cruelty &  slavery. At the very least, the incidental scenery of the book offers a harsh picture of Colonial enterprize. The impetus behind Marlow's adventures too, has to do with the hypocrisy inherent in the rhetoric used to justify Imperialism. The men who work for the company describe what they do as - "trade" & their treatment of native Africans is a part of a benevolent project of ''civilization" Kurtz. On the other hand is open about the fact that he doesn't trade but rather takes ivary by force, & he describes his own treatment of the natives with the words 'suppression' & 'extermination' : he doesn't hide the fact that he rules through violence & intimidation. His perverse honesty leads to his downfall, as his success threatens to expose the evil practices behind European activity in Africa.

However, for Marlow as much as Kurtz or for the company. Africans in this book are mostly objects. Marlow refers to his helmsman as a piece of machinery and Kurtz's African mistress is at best a piece of statutory.

Madness is closely linked to Imperialism in this book.

Africa is responsible for mental disintigration as well as physical illness. Madness has 2 primary functions, 1st , it serves as an ironic device to engage the reader's sympathies. Kurtz , Marlow is told from the beginning is mad. However, as Marlow , and the reader, begin to form a more complete picture of Kurtz. It becomes that his madness is only relative, is difficult to define.

◆ Conclusion :- 

  This novella is unusual that the author does not name most of the characters in his book, other than assigning then titles that describe their larger organizational goals. It's not quite an allegory while he does allow then some individual characteristics of speech and dress, but they are for the most part standing for larger groups.

Thank you.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Archetypes of Literature.... Northrop Frye

Northrop Frye, in full Herman Northrop Frye, Canadian educator and critic who wrote much on "Canadian Literature" and culture and became best known as one of the most important literary theorists of the 20th century. 1.What is Archetypal Criticism? What does the Archetypal critic do? In literary Criticism the term " archetype" denotes recurrent narratives designs, patterns of actions, character- type, themes & images which are identifiable in a wide variety of works of literature, as well as in myths, dreams and even social rituals. Such recurrent items are held to be the result of elemental & universal forms or patterns in the human psyche, whose effective embodiment in a literary work evokes a profound response from the attentive reader, because he or she shares the psychic archetypes expressed by the author. 2.What is Frye trying to prove by giving an analogy of "Physics to Nature" & "Criticism to Literature"? Northrop...
4 comments
Read more

Poem : The Old Woman by Joseph Campbell

Hello Readers, Here I'm sharing one poem named "The Old Woman" written by Joseph Campbell. ● About Author :- Joseph Campbell was an American mythologist writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology & comparative religion. His work is vast , covering many aspects of the human experience. ● Poem : The Old Woman :- "The Old Woman" by Joseph Campbell is a poem projecting life of woman who is at the hand of her life with fulfilling all her roles of her life. Devided into 3 stanzas. This poem is a gem of simplicity. Note the three lovely comparisons. It is easy to see beauty in young woman , but it needs understanding & imangination to see the beauty of old age. Here the poet skillfully represents her beauty by comparing with nature elements. A very important figures of speech that is simile perfectly works here.    In the very 1st stanza ,  the poet talks about her beauty which is as pure as a candle at a holy-plac...
Post a Comment
Read more

Symbols and Codes in the Novel "The Da Vinci Code".

Name: Vidhya Pandya Semester: MA – 4 Roll No: 30 Paper No:-13 The New Literature Enrolment No: 2069108420190031 Email id: vidhupandya10497@gmail.com Year: 2018 -20 Submitted to: Department of English , Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. Assignment Topic : Symbols and Codes in the novel “ Da Vinci Code”. Words : 1698 ◆ Introduction :- "Nothing kills better than Religion."                                   - Dan Brown. The novel “ Da Vinci Code” which is written by the American Author DanBrown and he also best known for his thriller novels and mysteriousnovels. The novel “ Da Vinci Code” is a 2003 mystery thriller novelby Dan Brown. This is Brown's Second Novel include character RobertLangdon.  The story unfolds around the major characters – Symbologist Robert Langdon and Cryptologist Sophie Neveu. The title links the symbolic significance of artistic works, ...
Post a Comment
Read more