If Kurtz had died with the Intended’s literal name on his lips rather than, “the horror, the horror” (Conrad 69), conclusions about Heart of Darkness would be vastly different. In the event that this had happened, Kurtz’s journey to Africa would have been for nothing because he would not have gained the self-knowledge that is required of that of a mythic hero. The Intended considers being Kurtz’s last thought before his death to be a triumph, displaying the shallowness and ignorance of the women of European civilization’s blissful unawareness. Individuals hold the potential to uncover lies that hide the truth about civilization, however, a close examination of these truths undermines and invites an inevitable collapse of civilization.
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Kurtz, “an exceptional man, of the greatest importance to the Company” (Conrad 22), has a near perfect opportunity to become a mythic hero. He has been given the quest of a lifetime that meets all criteria for a mythic hero’s journey as outlined in How to Read Literature Like a Professor: a quest-er (or potential mythic hero,) a destination, a stated purpose, challenges, and a newly realized purpose (usually metaphorical) for going to the destination in the first place. Although Kurtz goes to Africa as one of Europe’s most promising and intelligent gentlemen, he is led astray by overpowering greed and lack of willpower. However, at the end of his life he is given one final chance to prove that he has made at least some improvement in his character. Kurtz goes on to spend his final breath on the words, “the horror, the horror” (Conrad 69), which has been widely debated between whether they signify the horror of European society as a whole or the horror of his fiance back home, otherwise known as the Intended. If he meant these words in a sense of his resentment for his fiance rather than a realization of how despicable European civilization is, he would not have discovered self-knowledge but rather would have confirmed his unchangeable status of a “civilized” drone, eternally molded by the corrupt hands of what is known as European
Kurtz, “an exceptional man, of the greatest importance to the Company” (Conrad 22), has a near perfect opportunity to become a mythic hero. He has been given the quest of a lifetime that meets all criteria for a mythic hero’s journey as outlined in How to Read Literature Like a Professor: a quest-er (or potential mythic hero,) a destination, a stated purpose, challenges, and a newly realized purpose (usually metaphorical) for going to the destination in the first place. Although Kurtz goes to Africa as one of Europe’s most promising and intelligent gentlemen, he is led astray by overpowering greed and lack of willpower. However, at the end of his life he is given one final chance to prove that he has made at least some improvement in his character. Kurtz goes on to spend his final breath on the words, “the horror, the horror” (Conrad 69), which has been widely debated between whether they signify the horror of European society as a whole or the horror of his fiance back home, otherwise known as the Intended. If he meant these words in a sense of his resentment for his fiance rather than a realization of how despicable European civilization is, he would not have discovered self-knowledge but rather would have confirmed his unchangeable status of a “civilized” drone, eternally molded by the corrupt hands of what is known as European