Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a novel set in late 19th century Africa exploring human nature and its resistance to the evils inside each man. The story follows Marlow on his journey through the Congo. During the late 19th century, the Congo was imperialized by Europeans. Marlow is working for “the Company,” a European agency that oppresses and kills the native population for valuable ivory. Throughout this journey, the perspective of the genocide is from a European. This leads to many different derogatory terms or sayings that people may find offensive. Conrad’s use of characterization and setting paint the image of an incredibly racist novel, however, inherently Heart of Darkness is not racist, but rather uses race as a driving
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Set in the Congo during the late 19th century, the Europeans have an insatiable greed towards ivory, worshipping it at a godlike level. Throughout the story, the characters travel deeper and deeper into the heart of the African wilderness. Along the way, they see many instances of European oppression during the story’s quest with Marlow. The novel is a “product of its times” and explains why Conrad specifically picked the Congo (Conrad, xv). Conrad was alive during the time period of the story. Since the Congo was a hotbed of activity during the era the book was written, it is easy to see why Conrad would pick the location. However on a deeper level, the Congo has many features that enhance Conrad’s message. Firstly, the Congo is not portrayed as a part of civilization, but instead as a completely lawless area where men are free to do nearly everything they please. In the Congo, there also existed a clash amongst cultures. This confrontation exists in the European belief that Africans are sub-human. This confrontation between ideologies is the primary reason the setting is set in the Congo. This confrontation between the two races allows Conrad to use the hate felt between the two to further his story and the meaning he is trying to
Set in the Congo during the late 19th century, the Europeans have an insatiable greed towards ivory, worshipping it at a godlike level. Throughout the story, the characters travel deeper and deeper into the heart of the African wilderness. Along the way, they see many instances of European oppression during the story’s quest with Marlow. The novel is a “product of its times” and explains why Conrad specifically picked the Congo (Conrad, xv). Conrad was alive during the time period of the story. Since the Congo was a hotbed of activity during the era the book was written, it is easy to see why Conrad would pick the location. However on a deeper level, the Congo has many features that enhance Conrad’s message. Firstly, the Congo is not portrayed as a part of civilization, but instead as a completely lawless area where men are free to do nearly everything they please. In the Congo, there also existed a clash amongst cultures. This confrontation exists in the European belief that Africans are sub-human. This confrontation between ideologies is the primary reason the setting is set in the Congo. This confrontation between the two races allows Conrad to use the hate felt between the two to further his story and the meaning he is trying to