Name: Fariha Younas Dar

Roll No. 202110001

Section: A

Course code: Eng608- 20th Century Novel

Department: English Language and Literature

Submitted to: Mam Sadia Abdul Qayyum

 Assignment no. 1

Topic: Critically evaluate the theme of imperialism in “Heart of Darkness” with

reference from the novel.

Imperialism is one of the most important topics in "Heart of Darkness." Imperialism is a

prohibited policy in which one power seeks to expand its influence and power beyond its borders.

Imperialists recognize that gaining power is difficult, therefore they penetrate other domains by

ostensibly bestowing blessings, allowing them to easily carry out their so-called imperialistic

plans.

Introduction:

The plot of this story centers on the author's (Conrad's) voyage to Africa by ship. However, in this

novel, the author does not recount the events directly, but rather uses a character named Marlow to

best depict his life and the situation in Africa. He exposes white men's crafty behavior, injustice,

cruelty, and love for ivory towards black people through Marlow. Not only that, but Marlow also

brings to light the oppression and abuse of power perpetrated against African-Americans. This

novel depicts white businessmen's lower mentality.

Imperialistic and merciless behavior:

When Marlow sees a group of mostly nude black individuals crawling around like ants and half a

dozen guys chained to one another and each wearing an iron collar around his neck, he sees the

wretchedness and despair of the Congolese people. He also notices black individuals cowering
beneath the trees, resting against the trunks and slowly dying. They aren't opponents or

criminals; they're just black figures that represent disease and hunger. Marlow feels as if he's

stepped into a bleak circle of hell. These images depict callousness and brutality toward unarmed

Indians.

1. Reference from book

“here was a touch of insanity in the proceeding, a sense of

lugubrious drollery in the sight; and it was not dissipated by

somebody on board assuring me earnestly there was a camp of—

”enemies!— (Greta’s Example- Page 7 Chapter 1)

They refer to them as "their adversaries," which is a form of imperialism. It depicts the rivalry

between Europe!—ans and indigenous peoples. As we can see, they refer to them as their enemies,

implying that they wish to take control of Charlie Marlow.

2. Reference from book

“As Marlow travels from the outer station to the central station

and finally up the river to the inner station, he encounters scenes of

torture, cruelty, and near slavery.’’ (Chapter 2 YAZET’S

EXAMPLE)

This example exemplifies racism and imperialism in the way Belgians treat locals in order to

force them to submit. Slavery is frequently associated with imperialism, and we can see how
individuals were treated as slaves here. They are treated in this manner so that they can realize

how strong the Belgians are.

3. Reference From Book

“Here was a touch of insanity in the proceeding, a sense of

lugubrious drollery in the sight; and it was not dissipated by some

body on board ensuring me earnestly there was a camp of

enemies” (Heart of Darkness: Part 1, page 8)

The air around the central environment appears to be filled with animosity, as it is dismayed and

frustrated.

5. Reference from Book:

“Near the same tree two more bundles of acute

angles sat with their legs down up’’. (Heart of

Darkness: Part 1, page 12)

"Acute Angle" depicts the application of external force in that region. The true face of

imperialism is revealed. All of these sights expose the white men's hypocrisy in attempting to

portray themselves as doing constructive work.

Marlow's experiences in Congo clearly demonstrate that the white men in that country failed to

carry out his orders. Rather than civilizing the people, they turned into exploiters. Their goal is

to obtain Ivory. The locals are unaware of the value of ivory, while white men want to harvest

it and ship it to Europe. The manager, the brick-maker, and many white agents, whom Marlow
refers to as "Faithless Pilgrims," are all obsessed with ivory. Mr. Kurtz's thoughts are equally

dominated by ivory, and he becomes infatuated with it. Mr. Kurtz is a greedy individual,

according to the central station manager, who prefers to collect more Ivory than the other

workers. And the Russian informs Marlow that Mr. Kurtz has threatened to kill him unless he

surrenders a small amount of ivory that he received as a gift from a native tribal chief. Ivory

represents the white men's avarice and commercial attitude in this scene.

Conclusion:

In a nutshell, Heart of Darkness depicts deception, fraud, robberies, murder, slave trade, and

cruelty perpetrated by white men in the Congo for the sole purpose of obtaining ivory.

Ivory represents greed, power, lust, and monetary gain in this context. White men give the

impression of oppression and aggressiveness, which are imperialism's pillars.

Conrad has sent a powerful message to both exploiters and exploited people by accurately

representing the empire.

THE END!