King Leopold's Ghost

Slavery in America, and Bolivia. The Belgian Congo was a colony established in 1908, and owned by King Leopold II of Belgium. King Leopold like many others believed their duty was to civilize and protect, stated that he, “humbly volunteers for scientific…

2. Heart of Darkness Content and Themes Most simply described, “Heart of Darkness” is a novel about the experience of Marlow, a nomad with strong ties to Britain, as he travels throughout Africa and is especially involved with businesses with prominent ties to British imperialism (Kimmel 203). Marlow is somewhat difficult to describe, given his varied background and experiences. In some ways, he serves as a protagonist immune to the influences of cultures, although he, as a human, has of course…

Conrad’s Purpose of Heart of Darkness Since the publication of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in 1899, it has opened the world’s eyes to the evil disposition of humans, which is exactly Conrad’s intention. In fact Conrad once said that “the belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.” Heart of Darkness is a clear representation of those words. Conrad’s novel follows the character Charlie Marlow on his journey into the depths of…

Republic of the Congo which is located in South Africa. Congo was the third largest country on the continent of Africa. Then we are introduced to the origins of the Congo. The first citizens of the Congo were Portuguese settlers in 1483, but by 1879 King Leopold II of Belgium set up trading concessions and by 1908 The Belgian government officially took possession of the Congo. In the 1950s Congo became more advanced with river systems, railways, and airfields. At the time that was state of the…

Joseph Conrad’s techniques in “The Heart of Darkness” convey the experience of traveling up the Congo River. Specifically, the atmosphere and effects of the Congo are detailed through Conrad’s use of diction and imagery. Conrad’s diction emphasizes the complexity of the Congo’s atmosphere. As Marlow travels up the “silent” river he notes that the air is “heavy” and “sluggish.” The diction conveys a still atmosphere, emphasizing the idea that the Congo is stuck in (a primitive) time.…

Since the dawn of civilization, the need for stratification, hierarchy, and superiority has taken on numerous visages to establish the dominance of one group over another. Systems of feudalism, slavery, and colonialism have been employed throughout the world to fill this need, opening a Pandora’s Box of hatred, xenophobia, bigotry, and ignorance. These systems of stratification often benefitted their respective societies, but have posed questions to the value of life and moral concerns. The…

Even before the first physical exchange, a man’s reputation is often the initial impression one receives. Reputations can produce misconstrued conceptions that shape another’s attitude. They can seemingly make one man another’s superior. A man’s prestige can establish authority and greatness where the two may be equals in every other merit. Through the revealing characterization in his novel Heart of Darkness, Conrad suggests that reputation is the driving force of humanity. Prior to…

Everybody is mad in some way and each person has a method to their madness that helps them succeed. Aristotle said, “There is no great genius without some touch of madness”. Throughout many works of literature madness can be seen in many characters and is used as a catalyst to help move the plot along. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad explores the journey of Marlow, a steamboat captain, journey into the heart of Africa, and the changing of his objective to meeting Kurtz when almost everyone…

Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad in 1899, is the account of Charles Marlow’s journey along the Congo River into central Africa to retrieve Kurtz from the interior, where he is trapped and dying. Heart of Darkness looks into the immorality of imperialism and the Congo Free State and the harm caused by the careless exploitation of the native people. The Europeans that Marlow associates with in Africa are motivated by self-interest only and their morals are questionable. The consequences…

"Men! The only animal in the world to fear" (Lawrence). This quote by D.H. Lawrence makes a statement about the fact that man is capable of the most heinous and despicable acts. Though man is not an animal, he is inclined to be much more cruel than any other living thing. Humans have a moral guideline to live by, but throughout many generations, they have proved themselves to be less than civilized. By way of example, in his novel, Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad illustrates how man can truly…