Heart Of Darkness: A Modernist Novel

"Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad is a novella that explores the darkness within humanity, colonialism, and the ambiguous nature of good and evil.

The story is narrated by Charles Marlow, a seaman, who recounts his journey into the African Congo as an agent for a Belgian trading company. Marlow is tasked with retrieving Kurtz, a highly respected yet enigmatic ivory trader, who has established himself as a god-like figure among the indigenous people.

As Marlow travels deeper into the jungle, he encounters the brutal reality of colonial exploitation and the dehumanizing effects of power and greed. The further he goes, the more he realizes the moral and psychological disintegration that the environment brings upon people.

When Marlow finally reaches Kurtz, he finds a man who has succumbed to the darkest aspects of human nature. Kurtz’s famous last words, “The horror! The horror!”, encapsulate his realization of the evil he has embraced. The novella ends with Marlow returning to Europe, carrying Kurtz's legacy and confronting the lies that society tells itself about civilization and savagery.

"Heart of Darkness" is a complex narrative that critiques imperialism and explores the thin veneer of civilization that separates humanity from savagery.

Aspects About Its Genre

• The modern fiction corresponding collonial literature
• Adventure tale
• Two narratives= An anonymous passanger who listens Marlow's story, Marlow himself
• Story within story
• The use of Stream of Consciousness technique
• The hypocrisy of imperialism is the main theme= The absurdity of evil, the madness as a result of imperialism