Set at the turn of the last century and consequently at the peak of imperialism, Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness, published in 1899, is to this day still one of the most critically and controversially treated works about English colonial history in Africa. The research concerning this novella has been carried out in many directions; it has been compared to Dante’s Inferno (Goonetilleke 2007, 12) and is said to have anticipated Freudian ideas of psychoanalysis (ibid. 14), it is discussed whether its main intention is to portray an image of Africa (as envisioned in Europe), the decay of European imperialism or - on a more individual level - the development and inner conflict of a subject, namely Marlow, the latter leading to the novella even being viewed as a Bildungsroman (Cahir 2004, 183). A further point of inquiry deals with the portrayal of Africa and Africans in Conrad’s work; here, Chinua Achebe’s essay has been of particular interest as he, firstly and most prominently, questions the legitimacy of Heart of Darkness being part of the literary canon and accuses Conrad of being a xenophobe (1988, 269) and a “thoroughgoing racist“ (ibid. 267). To him the novella is “offensive and deplorable“ and not worthy of being titled one of the greatest works in the English language (ibid. 268). While Achebe’s ideas have also met criticism, through their provocative nature they have nevertheless forced readers to address the issue of racism and imperialism in Heart of Darkness critically.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Postcolonial reception of Heart of Darkness
1.2 Guiding question
2. Ambivalences resulting from narrative aspects
2.1 Characteristics of narrative form
2.2 Marlow - an unreliable narrator?
3. Ambivalences through imagery
3.1 Symbolism in landscape portrayal
3.2 Visual and aural ambiguities
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliography
5.1 Primary Literature
5.2 Secondary Literature
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" to determine how the text portrays and evaluates imperialism. Moving beyond traditional character-based analyses, the research investigates whether the novella itself conveys an ambivalent stance toward colonial domination through its specific narrative form, structural fragmentation, and symbolic imagery.
- The role of narrative discourse and unreliability in shaping meaning.
- Symbolism within landscape portrayal and its critique of colonial impact.
- Sensory metaphors, specifically visual and aural ambiguities.
- The representation of imperialism as a self-dissolving or destructive system.
- The threshold status of the novella as a precursor to modern literature.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Characteristics of narrative form
The ambivalence of imperialism and the uncertainty of its aftermath in Heart of Darkness are already mirrored in the narrative form of the novella. Brooks emphasizes the importance of the structure by arguing that the novella must be read “as act of narration even more than as narrative or a story” (1984, 261). Marlow’s narrative is framed by the narration of the anonymous narrator on board of the Nellie, while Marlow himself retells the story of Kurtz. Yet speaking of a clear framing in the novella is misleading, as neither the first narrator’s nor Marlow’s narrative are logically structured and wholly concluded.
The typical framed story would, according to Brooks, “present a set of nested boxes, a set of brackets within brackets”, wherefore every narrative would enclose the following one (ibid. 351). In Heart of Darkness however, neither Kurtz’s narrative nor - as a result - Marlow’s or the first narrator’s fulfil this pattern, hence the respective frames remain open (ibid. 351). This can already be seen at the beginning of Marlow’s narration, as he interrupts the prior narrative of his fellow seaman: “’And this also,’ said Marlow suddenly, ‘has been one of the dark places of the earth’”1. Marlow’s first abrupt remark disrupts the clear frame of a first narrator introducing the narrative of a second narrator and leaves an impression of incoherence.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the critical reception of the novella, specifically regarding postcolonial interpretations and the author's portrayal of Africa, while establishing the paper's focus on narrative discourse.
2. Ambivalences resulting from narrative aspects: The author analyzes the structural fragmentation of the text and Marlow's function as a narrator to demonstrate how formal elements undermine a coherent imperialistic viewpoint.
3. Ambivalences through imagery: This chapter explores how landscape symbolism and the juxtaposition of sensory metaphors create contradictions that critique the destructive nature of European colonial missions.
4. Conclusion: The paper synthesizes the findings, confirming that the novella intentionally lacks an absolute truth, thereby forcing the reader to engage critically with the complexities and decay of imperial ideology.
5. Bibliography: This section provides a comprehensive list of primary and secondary sources used to support the literary analysis of the work.
Keywords
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, Imperialism, Colonialism, Ambivalence, Narrative Form, Unreliable Narrator, Imagery, Symbolism, Africa, Landscape, Modernism, Postcolonialism, Discourse, Sensory Metaphors
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the narrative discourse and symbolic imagery in Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" to show how the novella creates an ambivalent image of imperialism.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The main themes include the critical postcolonial reception of the work, the function of narrative framing, the reliability of narrators, and the symbolism of nature and sensory impressions in the colonial context.
What is the guiding research question?
The paper asks how imperialism and colonial domination are portrayed and evaluated within the text itself, rather than relying solely on the author's background or character motivations.
Which methodology is applied in this analysis?
The author employs a narratological approach, focusing on the discourse (how the story is told) and a symbolic analysis of imagery (visual and aural metaphors) to uncover textual ambiguities.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the "unreliable" narrative structure, the lack of clear framing, the symbolic portrayal of the African landscape as a reaction to European presence, and the contradictory use of light, dark, sound, and silence.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Ambivalence, Narrative Form, Unreliable Narrator, Imperialism, Symbolism, and Modernism.
How does the author interpret the frequent use of "dashes" in Marlow's narrative?
The author views these dashes as a stylistic tool that conveys Marlow's hesitation and struggles with articulation, which in turn diminishes the forcefulness of his account and casts doubt on the imperial mission.
Why is the "whited sepulchre" imagery significant in the context of the paper?
It is significant because it characterizes the European starting point of the colonial mission as inherently destructive and deathly, thereby negating the idea that Africa is merely a "foil" to Europe's magnificence.
Does the author conclude that the novella is purely anti-imperialist?
No, the author concludes that while a critical attitude is visible, the novella does not present a clear rejection of colonialism, likely due to the lack of an alternative model in the spirit of the time.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Silvia Gert (Autor:in), 2013, "Heart of Darkness" and the ambivalence of imperialism, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/268659
