William Shakespeare once said “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin” (Shakespeare Act 3. Scene 3. Line 175). Every aspect of life on Earth is dictated by the natural realm. This concept rules in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. In the novella Conrad depicts the jungle as an all powerful force to be reckoned with. Heart of Darkness serves as a reminder of natures ultimate supremacy over man. The supremacy of nature in Heart of Darkness is established through Marlow’s language used to describe the journey through the Congo, the portrayal of man’s technologies as useless, the reoccurrence of disease, grass motifs, and a comparison of the jungle as the inferno. The novella focuses on a story told by a sailor named Marlow, by which
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Grass imagery occurs throughout the novel and serves “as a symbol of human decay and the earth’s astonishing biotic power.” (Glendening 142–43, 162). Marlow’s first experience in the “heart of darkness” is that of “grass growing through” the bones of Fresleven (Conrad 13). This image of grass, one of the weakest agents of nature, capable of growing through human bones even so tall as to hide the remains, demonstrates nature capabilities of breaking down humanity, and returning it to where it was conceived—to the ground. Man’s existence is based on his cognizance, and once his cognizance is stripped by nature, it continues to destroy him demonstrating the omnipotence of nature. Grass is later imagined as Marlow walks the streets of Brussels, where he sees “grass sprouting between the stones” (Conrad 14). The grass, according to Bowers, occurs “as if nature were starting to re-absorb the city”, which he later claims serves to “cast doubt on the idea of Europe as a realm where nature has been permanently tamed to work in harmony with humanity.” (Bowers 104). This doubt leads the reader to attribute more power to nature, than to civilization and mankind. Later in the novella the Inner Station is described as “half buried by tall grass’ (Conrad 88), which again alludes to natures capabilities to “re-absorb” civilization, reestablishing natures authority. Bowers goes on to describe the scene by which Kurtz is found crawling through the “grass” (Conrad 109). He suggests that “It is no accident that Kurtz, who epitomizes human failure to tame the wild, is especially linked with grass imagery.” (Bowers 104). By associating Kurtz with grass Conrad establishes that it was by the jungle that Kurtz went mad, and it is by the jungle that man will lose its
Grass imagery occurs throughout the novel and serves “as a symbol of human decay and the earth’s astonishing biotic power.” (Glendening 142–43, 162). Marlow’s first experience in the “heart of darkness” is that of “grass growing through” the bones of Fresleven (Conrad 13). This image of grass, one of the weakest agents of nature, capable of growing through human bones even so tall as to hide the remains, demonstrates nature capabilities of breaking down humanity, and returning it to where it was conceived—to the ground. Man’s existence is based on his cognizance, and once his cognizance is stripped by nature, it continues to destroy him demonstrating the omnipotence of nature. Grass is later imagined as Marlow walks the streets of Brussels, where he sees “grass sprouting between the stones” (Conrad 14). The grass, according to Bowers, occurs “as if nature were starting to re-absorb the city”, which he later claims serves to “cast doubt on the idea of Europe as a realm where nature has been permanently tamed to work in harmony with humanity.” (Bowers 104). This doubt leads the reader to attribute more power to nature, than to civilization and mankind. Later in the novella the Inner Station is described as “half buried by tall grass’ (Conrad 88), which again alludes to natures capabilities to “re-absorb” civilization, reestablishing natures authority. Bowers goes on to describe the scene by which Kurtz is found crawling through the “grass” (Conrad 109). He suggests that “It is no accident that Kurtz, who epitomizes human failure to tame the wild, is especially linked with grass imagery.” (Bowers 104). By associating Kurtz with grass Conrad establishes that it was by the jungle that Kurtz went mad, and it is by the jungle that man will lose its