In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad explores the evilness that imperialism breeds by believing that one’s ideas, culture, and religion are superior of that of another. Not only does Conrad criticize the concept of imperialism by questioning the intentions behind imperialism to justify the murder, rape, and pillaging that actually ensues in the imperialistic process that's goal is actually to rob the native Congo of natural resources, namely ivory and make a great deal of money doing so, all the while developing a god-like complex that the white man has come to “civilize” a degenerate culture of natives. I have chosen Kurtz, Marlow, and Kurtz’s fiancée with corresponding images to exemplify how Conrad critiques the imperialist ideology.
I have …show more content…
Kurtz’s fiancee shows a different mindset of how people of England had no knowledge of the horrors imperialistuc endeavors had caused. The teacup is an example of a fragile item, also porcelain, which teacups are made of, could have been found in the imperialist conquest of China. I used the teacup to exhibit that those in the Imperialist countries, such as Kurtz’s fiancee reaped the benefits of what resources their men pillaged in foreign lands, while justifying such riches with the act of civilizing native peoples, a more fragile, self-riteous and naive outlook. She lived in a world that is high class compared to the Congo and could have never seen what Kurtz had done because she was so far away from where this imperialist force had been taking place. I believe that the teacup demonstrates how the god-like people's families of imperialist countries live compared to the people that they rule. “It had been more than a year since his [Kurtz] death, more than a year since the news came; she seemed as though she would remember and mourn for ever” ( conrad 121). It shows how much she loved and cared for Kurtz when she didn't get to see the true version of him and that she is fragile. Another example is when Marlow goes on to describe her demeanor: “She carried her sorrowful head as though she were proud of that sorrow, as though she would say, I---I alone know how to mourn for him as he deserves” ( conrad 122). She doesn't truly know what he deserved, because she doesn't know that he had a mistress. She relates to the theme because she was not there to experience the terrible crimes that happened in Congo, just like everyone else in the world when they don't acknowledge the bad that their country or leader is doing to others. The population’s of these countries are like the fragility of a teacup: first-world nation’s true agendas would shatter the naive and wealthy counterparts reaping every benefit of such horrific
I have …show more content…
Kurtz’s fiancee shows a different mindset of how people of England had no knowledge of the horrors imperialistuc endeavors had caused. The teacup is an example of a fragile item, also porcelain, which teacups are made of, could have been found in the imperialist conquest of China. I used the teacup to exhibit that those in the Imperialist countries, such as Kurtz’s fiancee reaped the benefits of what resources their men pillaged in foreign lands, while justifying such riches with the act of civilizing native peoples, a more fragile, self-riteous and naive outlook. She lived in a world that is high class compared to the Congo and could have never seen what Kurtz had done because she was so far away from where this imperialist force had been taking place. I believe that the teacup demonstrates how the god-like people's families of imperialist countries live compared to the people that they rule. “It had been more than a year since his [Kurtz] death, more than a year since the news came; she seemed as though she would remember and mourn for ever” ( conrad 121). It shows how much she loved and cared for Kurtz when she didn't get to see the true version of him and that she is fragile. Another example is when Marlow goes on to describe her demeanor: “She carried her sorrowful head as though she were proud of that sorrow, as though she would say, I---I alone know how to mourn for him as he deserves” ( conrad 122). She doesn't truly know what he deserved, because she doesn't know that he had a mistress. She relates to the theme because she was not there to experience the terrible crimes that happened in Congo, just like everyone else in the world when they don't acknowledge the bad that their country or leader is doing to others. The population’s of these countries are like the fragility of a teacup: first-world nation’s true agendas would shatter the naive and wealthy counterparts reaping every benefit of such horrific