Heart of Darkness

Intro:

Heart of Darkness is Joseph Conrad's most famous work, and written during the height of European imperialism in Africa, it has become a foundational work on the subject of colonialism. During his years as a sailor Conrad travelled up the river Congo on a steamship which provided him with the outline for this novella.

Racism:

Very early in the novella we are made aware that Marlow is not like the others – he is a full time sailor - unlike the others on the boat who are businessmen - his appearance is that of a yellowish complexion and sunken eyes. This suggests that his attitude may also differ from that of the others. This is very true in regard to colonialism. As his attitude towards the natives shows he is ambivalent towards the colonial ideology but he is very much against the colonial practises – the way the colonialists exploit and abuse the land and its people.

It is very difficult to determine whether Marlow was a racist. He was most certainly a product of his time and his attitude towards the natives was stereotypical and even condescending. He dehumanises the natives in his description of them; referring to them as 'creatures' with 'tails, using animal analogies (he referred to the fireman as a dog – walking on his 'hind' legs – undergoing 'training') and using terms such as 'nigger' and 'savage'. He felt that the natives were inferior to the white European and was very offended when the manager at the Central Station allowed his 'boy' – and overfed negro from the coast – 'to treat white men, just under his eyes, with provoking insolence'. This feeling of white superiority was typical of this era and despite the fact that Marlow shares this attitude with most of the other European characters he still seems to have a sympathy and 'connection' that they do not. He finds the fact that they refer to the natives as 'enemies' ridiculous and when he sees them dying under the trees at the first station he claims that 'they were not enemies,...