Point 1: The Horror, The Horror:

The above-mentioned words are spoken by Kurtz in Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness.
Kurtz was seriously ill; thus, Marlow persuades him to return to England (by steamer) as he wants
Kurtz to be free from the natives of Congo. During his period of illness, he develops strong
relationship with Marlow. He handed a packet of papers to Marlow and asks to keep them safely.
Then Mr. Kurtz speaks of death, as if he had become aware that his end was approaching. One
evening, Marlow noticed an expression of mingled pride, power, terror and despair on Mr. Kurtz's
face. Many passions were struggling with one another in his soul when he cried out these words
and dies.

The horror! The horror!

It appears that just before his death Kurtz pronounces a judgement upon the life, actions,
adventures, humankind and imperialism which his soul has gone through on this earth. He also
points out his fate which looks profoundly affected by the events he faces during his escapade to
the Congo. These words signify that there was something horrible about Mr. Kurtz's dying vision
of his earthly existence. Darkness prevails when he dies; symbolizing that his actions were evil.
Evidently, while dying, Mr. Kurtz has become keenly aware of the evil which he has been
committing during his stay among the savages, and of the diabolical deeds which he had been
performing in collaboration with the savages. Thus, Kurtz becomes fully conscious in his last time
that there was hardly anything for him to be proud of in his whole life. Therefore, Conrad wants to
bring forth us Kurtz as a symbol of hypocrisy, of the white man's claims of civilizing the African
savages. The writer shows the degradation of Kurtz who a highly civilized product of Europe
becomes a demonic person.

Point 2: Exterminate all the Brutes:

Kurtz was exploiting African people and their natural resources such as ivory by the use
of his power. He failed with his idea to civilize the backward and savages and he himself
became a savage in their company. He was satisfying his desires limitlessly. Even in his
primary, when he supported the idea that white men should civilize the savages and
provide the seventeen pages report, he wrote the words:
“Exterminate All the Brutes.”
It shows his brutality, inhumanity and viciousness.

Point 3: The photograph of intended:

This photograph shows us even though Kurtz intended had eyes, still she was blind by
the love of Kurtz and could see how was he exploiting the people of Africa, she only
thought he was civilizing and doing good there in order to benefit the savages, rather he
exploited and destroyed them and himself became a savage.