Heart of Darkness

Realism differed from Romanticism in many ways including the focus on attention to

detail, the use of transparent, distinctly less flowery language, increased verisimilitude, and a

harsher critique of society which displayed the darkness of the world in lieu of designing a more

refined or perfected reality to show the ready. In many ways the transition between Realism and

Romanticism had a loss of subtlety, in which the authors chose to direct the reader towards the

issue rather then let them discern what was keeping them from the pictured utopia.

Heart of Darkness fits the era of Realism perfectly, it uses more straightforward dialogue

and descriptions to limit varied interpretations as well as giving a much more honest look into

the thoughts and emotions of the narrator. Heart of Darkness also focuses on the details which

pertain to the books message rather than extrapolating ad infinitum and ad nauseam on every

background detail to make a work seem more intelligent or more poetic in nature. Heart of

Darkness is also a bleak and dark criticism of the society in which it was written used to

highlight some of the injustices occurring in the world at the time it was written as well as show

to hypocrisy of calling others savages while the so call civilized peoples of the world committed

more and worse atrocities than any natives.

One lesser noticed but equally important commentary found in Heart of Darkness is the

concept of society’s noble lies and the dark truths that they often hide. Marlow claims to detest

the “taint of death” and “flavor of mortality” found in lies. Conrad also compares the Company

headquarters to a whited sepulcher which is a reference to the biblical book of Matthew which

says "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers,

which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all
uncleanness." This comparison hints at the horrors to come later as the Company’s claims of

civilizing and enlightening while spreading horror and death.

Yet at the end of the story he lies to Kurtz fiancée and tears out the darkest pages of

Kurtz’s work because the preservation of the noble lie he represented was more important than

the truth of who he was and what he had actually done or believed at the time of his death.

Allowing this noble lie to exist enable the advancement of the philanthropic ideas he once

advocated and preserves the loving memory those close to him held.

Joseph Conrad may have chosen to begin Heart of Darkness as a recollection because it

symbolized an inward journey as much as an outward explorative adventure. However, it is

equally likely that he chose to write it this way because he had actually sailed up the Congo river

and witnessed many of the atrocities he would later write about. So for him it was actually akin

to looking back on his former experiences.

Kurtz is described to Marlow as a great man and initially acts as a symbol of the idea of

white civility come to educate and elevate the savages of the world. He is believed to be a

positive symbol of imperialism, uplifting the “lesser” races. Upon meeting Kurtz, Marlow comes

to see the barbarism within him which blurs the line between civil and savage. His insistence on

everything and the blatant and unashamed murdering of others acting as dark reminders of the

truths hidden behind any constructed rationalizations of imperialism. In these revelations and

comparisons as well as the veiled belief that Kurtz is a humanitarian, make him not only a

symbol of the colonists but all who benefit from the horrors of imperialism, and more pointedly

he is made into a stand in for King Leopold II of Belgium who was responsible for the horrors of

the Congo free state under the guise of civilizing and converting them. Heart of Darkness not

only highlights the real-world issues that occurred in the Congo but also shows the inherent
darkness that lives within all mankind and showcases how the trappings of civility and society

only serve to disguise the darkness not replace it.

The horror represents several things important to both the narrative and message of the

novella. It partially refers to Kurtz’s reflection on his own actions and the horrors he has

committed just as it partially refers to the horrors he has witnessed committed by others. It

represents the horrors of the wilds and the horrors of imperialism. Moreover, it represents the

bestial horror within man and the unspeakable horros we are capable of visiting upon each other

and simply justify or explain away to suit our need but must ultimately face in the end, just as

Kurtz did.