Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness - Essay Example

Introduction Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness explores the hypocrisy associated with the justifications for European imperialism. Often heralded as a means of civilizing the darker crevices of the world, Conrad presents a portrait of oppression, cruelty and complete annihilation of distant civilizations. Conrad conveys this message by tracing the journey of his main character Marlow as he makes his way up and down the Congo River. Conrad’s approach to European imperialism is an accurate account of the European colonialism. History dictates that European imperialism was fuelled by a desire to attain power, a power that ultimately corrupts. Historical Context of Heart of Darkness Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is partially autobiographical in that it depicts an actual six month journey by Joseph Conrad up the Congo River where he commandeered a steamboat following the death of the Captain in 1890.1 Conrad himself is quoted as having said: "Heart of Darkness is experience...pushed a little (and only very little) beyond the actual facts of the case."2 This experience is relayed via Conrad’s protagonist Marlow who shares his observations and experiences in such a way as to provide both a historical and philosophical view of European colonialism. Although European colonialism can be traced back to the 13th century the colonizing of Africa began in Africa in earnest around the mid to late 19th century.3 With the transformation from the Victorian era to the industrial era, European politics represented colonial exploits as a means of expanding trade, spreading religion and civilizing backward nations.4 Many historians however have countered this theory by offering views that the advances in modern technology that followed the industrial revolution, particularly the advent of the steamboat, made it possible for Europeans to travel to Africa exploiting the land for raw materials and natives for labour.5 In his book, Tools of Empire, Daniel Headrick explains that: “The goal and result of imperialism was the creation of colonies politically submissive and economically profitable to their European metropoles.”6 Conrad’s Heart of Darkness takes an approach which is vastly similar to Headrick’s theory of European imperialism. In the final analysis European imperialism was no more than a manifestation of a desire for expansion brought on by the greed associated with industrial growth. In the interim this desire gave way to corrupt power and corrupt rule at the expense of the natives and their civilization. European Imperialism as Demonstrated by Conrad in Heart of Darkness Marlow represents the trusting European who has no reason to doubt that the African conquest is no more than a quest to enlighten and improve upon the quality of life of the uncivilized African. During the journey along the Congo however, Marlow slowly comes to the realization that a combination of greed and disease contributes to a demoralizing conquest. One that is characterized by torture and exploitation of African natives for what appears to be one aim, economic growth. The welfare of the native is the farthest thing from the European Colonists’ mind. Krutz for example has represented his exploration and settlement in Africa as a noble cause, one which is purely for the benefit of the African. David Lynn explains however that: "In the wilderness Kurtzs integrity collapses; only the extremes of appetite and intellect, of savagery and idealism survive"7 In other words Krutz, the iealistic European whose justifications for taking his company to Africa become quesionable once he is there. The underlying message is that the European justifications for exploiting Africa become compromised in actuality. Conrad even goes so far as to convey this message symbolially. For examply he uses a work of ark to highlight the hypocricy of European justifications for occupying justice. Krutz’s painting is described as: “...representing a woman draped and blindfolded carrying a lighted torch. The background was sombre – almost black. The movement of the woman was stately, and the effect of the torchlight on the face was sinister.”8 The underlying message is not lost on the reader. Implicitly the African justice was one thing entirely, but its manifest implications for the exploitation of the African is one thing. In the painting the blindfolded woman represents the deceptive justifications and the sombre background together with the sinister effect of the torchlight represents the cruelty and exploitation that actually took place. Perhaps a more disturbing aspect of the European justification for civilizing Africans was the concept that the Africans were less than human. Through Marlow, Conrad emphasises the fallacy of this conception who observes: “It was unearthly, and the men were—No, they were not inhuman. Well, you know, that was the worst of it—the suspicion of their not being inhuman. It would come slowly to one. They howled and leaped, and spun, and made horrid faces; but what thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity—like yours—the thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar. Ugly. Yes, it was ugly enough; but if you were man enough you would admit to yourself that there was in you just the faintest trace of a response to the terrible frankness of that noise, a dim suspicion of there being a meaning in it which you—you so remote from the night of first ages—could comprehend. And why not?” 9 Through this observation Conrad allows Marlow to come to the realization that although different, the African was not devoid humanity. The hypocrisy of European justifications for colonizing Africa is therefore unveiled. The African was different, but human and rather than requiring Westernization, they merely required understanding. Implicit in this excerpt is the dangers associated with stereotyping. In other words the African natives as represented by European imperialists were no less human than those who depicted their differences as primitive and bordering on animal like. In the final analysis the African were no less human than the European and Marlow comes to this realization following his own experience and as such is able to distinguish false characterization from actuality. Those who work for the Kurtz’s company hide behind the enigma of hypocrisy convincing themselves that they perform as they do for trade and for the improvement of the African civilization. Kurtz, however, who has represented a vastly similar position in Europe drops his facade in Africa, and owns up to his treatment of the African. He admits to exploitation and suppression. But his frankness gives way to further hypocrisy as his free admissions compromise the stated European mission and as a result his life becomes endangered.10 Conclusion Conrad’s Heart of Darkness exposes the justification of European imperialism as false and hypocritical. As the novel progresses the reader comes to the realization that improving the lives of the African native by Westernization is no more than a mere facade predicated solely on a desire to enrichment and empowerment of the European Empire. Facilitated by industrialization, the exploitations take on a corrupt persona in the sense that the European can navigate Africa more freely and more quickly. More importantly they are able to control the African more effectively with their new machinery and weapons. In the process they suppress not only the Africans but the truth about their own motives for occupying Africa. Bibliography Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. London: Dover Publications, 1990 Headrick, Daniel. The Tools of Empire – Technology and European Imperialism in the Nineteenth Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981 Hochschild, Adam. King Leopolds Ghost. New York: Mariner Books, 1999. Lynn, David. Heart of Darkness: Marlow’s Heoric Cry. The Hero’s Tale. Narrators in the Early Modern Novel. London: Macmillan, 1989 Pakenham, Thomas. The Scramble for Africa: White Man’s Conquest of the Dark Continent From 1876-1912. New York: Avon Books Read More