Conrad And Achebe: Whether Heart of Darkness Belongs In The Classroom
The idea that Europeans were, evolutionarily speaking, miles ahead of Africans was also reflected in their cultural views. Conrad goes to extreme lengths to show that, not only is European society no more refined than Congolese society, it is in some ways more barbaric. Conrad repeatedly shows that the European’s hostile takeover of the African continent is by no means acceptable, and detrimental to all parties involved. An example supporting this can be found immediately upon Marlow’s arrival in Africa: standing near the Outer Station, Marlow observes a Congolese man with “a bit of white worsted round his neck” (Conrad 64), which he notes “it looked startling round his …show more content…
By going out of his way to question the purpose of this object “from beyond the seas”, explicitly asking “Was there any idea at all connected with it [the thread]?” (Conrad 64), we’re shown that Conrad questions the original motivations of imperialism and the end result. To further reinforce this imagery, Conrad also makes note of the Congolese man’s eyes, notably, that they have a “blind, white flicker” (Conrad 64) to them. With the horrible living conditions of a Congolese slave being marked by white string, and the whites of his eyes being described as blind, arguments that point towards Conrad’s racism begin to lose credence. Examples from the text such as these make a strong case for Conrad’s harsh stance …show more content…
This argument, similarly, is understandable at a face value. With a novella set in a foreign land, instead of focusing on the culture and social nuances, the reader is merely presented with a parade of seemingly omnipotent white characters? Once again, however, Achebe fails to take into account the way in which Europe is portrayed. Before even setting foot in the Congo, the reader is shown a bleak, grave, and altogether unpleasant origin for the protagonist. From the “two women knit[ing] black wool feverishly” (Conrad 55), an ominous allusion to the Greek Fates, to Brussels’ description as a “whited sepulcher” (Conrad 54), none of Conrad’s descriptions of Europe seem flattering. Furthermore, Conrad intentionally uses two allusions from various religions: the Christian book of Matthew is the source of the “whited sepulchers” whilst Greek mythologies lay claim to the Fates. While Achebe furiously condemns Conrad for using Africa as a mere “backdrop” (Achebe 5), for simply “reducing Africa to the role of props…[for] the dehumanization of Africa” (Cnorad 5), he has omitted the fact that Conrad has done the exact thing to Europe. Consider the Greek religious symbol and the Christian symbol: the Fates and the sepulchre. Marlow’s starting place: Belgium, which sent Christian missionaries into the Congo, is likened to a
The idea that Europeans were, evolutionarily speaking, miles ahead of Africans was also reflected in their cultural views. Conrad goes to extreme lengths to show that, not only is European society no more refined than Congolese society, it is in some ways more barbaric. Conrad repeatedly shows that the European’s hostile takeover of the African continent is by no means acceptable, and detrimental to all parties involved. An example supporting this can be found immediately upon Marlow’s arrival in Africa: standing near the Outer Station, Marlow observes a Congolese man with “a bit of white worsted round his neck” (Conrad 64), which he notes “it looked startling round his …show more content…
By going out of his way to question the purpose of this object “from beyond the seas”, explicitly asking “Was there any idea at all connected with it [the thread]?” (Conrad 64), we’re shown that Conrad questions the original motivations of imperialism and the end result. To further reinforce this imagery, Conrad also makes note of the Congolese man’s eyes, notably, that they have a “blind, white flicker” (Conrad 64) to them. With the horrible living conditions of a Congolese slave being marked by white string, and the whites of his eyes being described as blind, arguments that point towards Conrad’s racism begin to lose credence. Examples from the text such as these make a strong case for Conrad’s harsh stance …show more content…
This argument, similarly, is understandable at a face value. With a novella set in a foreign land, instead of focusing on the culture and social nuances, the reader is merely presented with a parade of seemingly omnipotent white characters? Once again, however, Achebe fails to take into account the way in which Europe is portrayed. Before even setting foot in the Congo, the reader is shown a bleak, grave, and altogether unpleasant origin for the protagonist. From the “two women knit[ing] black wool feverishly” (Conrad 55), an ominous allusion to the Greek Fates, to Brussels’ description as a “whited sepulcher” (Conrad 54), none of Conrad’s descriptions of Europe seem flattering. Furthermore, Conrad intentionally uses two allusions from various religions: the Christian book of Matthew is the source of the “whited sepulchers” whilst Greek mythologies lay claim to the Fates. While Achebe furiously condemns Conrad for using Africa as a mere “backdrop” (Achebe 5), for simply “reducing Africa to the role of props…[for] the dehumanization of Africa” (Cnorad 5), he has omitted the fact that Conrad has done the exact thing to Europe. Consider the Greek religious symbol and the Christian symbol: the Fates and the sepulchre. Marlow’s starting place: Belgium, which sent Christian missionaries into the Congo, is likened to a