What Is Marlow's Opinion Of Kurtz Truthful

Marlow’s admiration of Kurtz stems from his belief that Kurtz is truthful. Kurtz, after all, was appalled because of the truth he knew; he spoke of “the horror” that he had witnessed and committed. The truth, then, becomes a significant theme in Marlow’s mind, in Kurtz’s character, and in Conrad’s writing. The truth controls Kurtz and represents what he is and what he has become. Kurtz’s last words expressed “the appalling face of a glimpsed truth.” As he dies, he sees “the horror” of all the atrocities he has committed, and at last becomes honest and truthful to himself. “The expression… had candour… conviction… revolt” (149). Marlow sees Kurtz’s last words as a realization of the truth that makes Kurtz revolted by his own actions. Kurtz’s final realization or admittance of his sins is, in Marlow’s eyes, a kind of atonement for what he has done. Marlow, then, still admires Kurtz despite his actions, because of the truth that Kurtz has known. In Marlow’s eyes, Kurtz has discovered the truth by “stepping over the edge,” while Marlow never could have, having “drawn …show more content…
Marlow finds this knowledge of the universe -- the truth of the world, in a sense -- relieving. Marlow often alludes to his feeling of fading reality: “the reality -- the reality, I tell you -- fades. The inner truth is hidden -- luckily, luckily. But I felt it all the same” (103). As Marlow ventures deep into Africa, reality becomes skewed and inner truth becomes difficult to find. Kurtz, in his last words, finally gives Marlow what he needs -- a raw, truthful statement about the real horror of what takes place in the heart of darkness, and a sense of self-certainty that Marlow is struggling to retain in the midst of the horror. Thus Marlow cannot tear himself away from Kurtz, or from Kurtz’s “expression” -- that is, his final words, which represent a judgment or summation of truth to