Heart of Darkness is a novella written by Joseph Conrad. It is widely regarded as a significant work of English literature and part of the Western canon. The story tells of Charles Marlow, an Englishman who took a foreign assignment from a Belgian trading company as a ferry-boat captain in Africa. Heart of Darkness exposes the myth behind colonization while exploring the three levels of darkness that the protagonist, Marlow, encounters–the darkness of the Congo wilderness, the darkness of the European’s cruel treatment of the natives, and the unfathomable darkness within every human being for committing heinous acts of evil. Although Conrad does not give the name of the river, at the time of writing the Congo Free State, the location of the large and important Congo River, was a private colony of Belgium’s King Leopold II. Marlow is employed to transport ivory downriver. However, his more pressing assignment is to return Kurtz, another ivory trader, to civilization, in a cover-up. Kurtz has a reputation throughout the region. This symbolic story is a story within a story or frame narrative. It follows Marlow as he recounts from dusk through to late night, to a group of men aboard a ship anchored in the Thames Estuary his Congolese adventure. The passage of time and the darkening sky during the fictitious narrative-within-the-narrative parallel the atmosphere of the story.
Heart of Darkness
$3.00
- Publisher : Tribeca Books; Edition Unstated (October 28, 2010)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 172 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1936594145
- ISBN-13 : 978-1936594146
- Author : Joseph Conrad
kiran (verified owner) –
Heart of Darkness is a definite read for college students studying literature like myself. I also see it capturing the attention of those studying history, but I only see minds matured over the easily-distracted age of fifteen making the most of this experience. Published in 1899 by Joseph Conrad, who was already known for his seafaring career which included travels to Africa, this realistic novel makes for an interesting conversation starter when peeking out of my satchel and therefore well-deserving of 4.9 stars!
Decker (verified owner) –
I had seen this title and Conrad’s name coined constantly through other mediums before I actually decided to read this. I wasn’t really pressed on until I came across a lecture by Chinua Achebe, an African author, who claimed that Heart of Darkness and Conrad were racist. Nothing like some controversy to inadvertently give attention to what your actually protesting eh? His views on Conrad though reminded me of my own on Mark Twain though. I don’t like Twain, I think he was a racist despite being hailed constantly by English teachers I’ve known. I would have thought the same if I hadn’t come across his views on American Indians. He called us “scum of the earth” and other things. Statements he never retracted apparently. It didn’t stop me from reading Twain which I have done but It didn’t impress me. So I can actually somewhat understand Achebe’s qualms but there turned out to be more to the Heart of Darkness than he would have some believe.
Chris Jiongo (verified owner) –
Awesome story, great writing, and many things to contemplate based on the topics addressed. Just love Conrad’s books so I’m biased. Excellent book.