What kind of character is Marlow in heart of Darkness?
Marlow Character Analysis. Heart of Darkness is mostly made up of his story about his journey into the Belgian Congo. Marlow is a seaman through and through, and has seen the world many times over. Perhaps because of his journeys, perhaps because of the temperament he was born with, he is philosophical, passionate, and insightful.
Are Marlow and Kurtz best friends in heart of Darkness?
Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a story about the adventures of Marlow, the story’s protagonist, on the Congo River where he meets Kurtz, an agent that works for the Company, providing them with ivory supplies. Although Marlow and Kurtz are not by any means “best friends” Their relationship is highlighted in the novella.
How is symbolism used in heart of Darkness?
Symbolism operates throughout Heart of Darkness to create an ethical context for the work. The symbol of darkness opens the novella, when Marlow is on the yacht on the Thames: "And this also," he says, speaking of England, "has been one of the dark places on earth."
What does Marlow believe about the meaning of an episode?
As the Narrator describes him: "to him the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze." The one thing Marlow does seem to believe in as a source of simple moral worth is hard work.
Why is Marlow important in Heart of Darkness?
Marlow is the protagonist, or main character, of Heart Of Darkness, which is a somewhat fictionalized account of Joseph Conrad's own experiences traveling the Congo. Marlow is fundamentally changed by what he sees and understands as a result. All this makes him well worth a closer examination.
What is Marlow's Heart of Darkness?
Heart of Darkness (1899) is a novella by Polish-English novelist Joseph Conrad in which the sailor Charles Marlow tells his listeners the story of his assignment as steamer captain for a Belgian company in the African interior.
What is the symbolism in Heart of Darkness?
The colors black and white and the buzzing flies are three major symbols used in Heart of Darkness. The color black symbolizes death and the evilness of the Congo River, but it also is used to symbolize good when referring to the black-skinned people.
What does darkness symbolize in Heart of Darkness?
Darkness: One of the most pervasive symbols is darkness. From the title to the descriptions of Africa, darkness represents not just evil but the emptiness that comes with the imperial takeover of Africa. Early in his travels, Marlow encounters two women knitting black wool.
Why is Marlow obsessed with Kurtz?
Marlow pursues Kurtz because of the mystery surrounding him and the hype that surrounds even the mention of his name. Throughout the time that Marlow hasn't met Kurtz, he develops an extreme desire to meet this man.
What does Marlow recognize at the end of Heart of Darkness?
Kurtz and Marlow acknowledge the darkness, the former as he is dying, the latter as he reflects retrospectively on the meaning of Kurtz's final words.
What does Marlow symbolize?
Another major figure of the novel is Marlow. He has a symbolic role in the novel. He symbolizes the spirit of adventure and a love of knowledge. He stands for the thoughtful observer of human life and a student of human nature.
What is the most important symbol in Heart of Darkness?
Congo River: “What does the Congo River Symbolize in Heart of Darkness?” It is the most important symbol of the novel so far as descriptive essay writing is concerned. It plays the role of a divider and separates Marlowe from the evil and cunning tricks of Kurtz.
What does black wool symbolize?
Second, the two women knitting black wool suggest the Fates of Greek mythology; like these goddesses, the Company is "knitting" the destiny of the Africans, represented by the black wool. The Company, therefore, plays God with the lives of the Africans, deciding who in the Congo will live or die.
What does the snake symbolize in Heart of Darkness?
Snakes are often thought of as temptation and evil. The men on Marlow's boat faced many of these temptations while traveling to meet Mr. Kurtz, a wealthy businessman who needs to transport his goods. One of the main temptations faced by the crew is cannibalism.
Why is Zaire called the Heart of Darkness?
The trees in this area grow very tall and form a canopy, thus preventing the sunlight from reaching the ground. Therefore, DR Congo is also called the 'Heart of Darkness'.
How is Marlow a hero in Heart of Darkness?
Marlow is a complicated man who anticipates the figures of high modernism while also reflecting his Victorian predecessors. Marlow is in many ways a traditional hero: tough, honest, an independent thinker, a capable man.
How does the aunt View Marlow's mission?
Marlow's aunt does express a naïvely idealistic view of the Company's mission, and Marlow is thus right to fault her for being “out of touch with truth.” However, he phrases his criticism so as to make it applicable to all women, suggesting that women do not even live in the same world as men and that they must be ...
Is Marlow the narrator in Heart of Darkness?
Marlow is the primary narrator and point of view of Heart of Darkness, even though he isn't the only one.
What is the heart of darkness about?
Heart of Darkness is mostly made up of his story about his journey into the Belgian Congo. Marlow is a seaman through and through, and has seen the world many times over. Perhaps because of his journeys, perhaps because of the temperament he was born with, he is philosophical, passionate, and insightful. But Marlow is also extremely skeptical of ...
Why does Marlow cut short his story?
Suddenly, Marlow once again cuts short his story in order to address the men who are on... (full context) After a long silence, Marlow says that Kurtz wasn't dead, and launches into a series of thoughts about him.
How long does it take for Marlow to finish repairing the ship?
After three months of work, Marlow finishes repairing the ship. He immediately sets off upriver with the General Manager, a few... (full context)
How long did it take Marlow to get to Central Station?
A few days later Marlow joins a caravan headed the two hundred miles upriver to Central Station. After a fifteen-day... (full context)
Where does Marlow anchor the ship?
Eight miles from the Inner Station, the General Manager orders Marlow to anchor the ship in the middle of the river for the night. Marlow wants... (full context)
Where does Marlow get passage for thirty miles?
At the mouth of the Congo, Marlow gets passage for thirty miles from a small steamer piloted by a Swede. The Swede... (full context)
Where does Marlow travel?
Marlow travels to the unnamed European city where the Company has its headquarters. He describes the... (full context)
What are Marlow's qualities?
Marlow's chief qualities are his curiosity and skepticism. Never easily satisfied with others' seemingly innocent remarks such as those made by the Manager and Brickmaker, Marlow constantly attempts to sift through the obscurities of what others tell him (such as when his aunt speaks to him of "weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways"). However, Marlow is no crusader for Truth. He lies to Kurtz's Intended to save her from a broken heart and ultimately returns to Europe and his home, despite his having been convinced by the Company and Kurtz that civilization is, ultimately, a lie and an institution humans have created to channel their desires for power.
Why is Marlow a meditating Buddha?
The novel's narrator presents Marlow as "a meditating Buddha" because his experiences in the Congo have made him introspective and to a certain degree philosophic and wise. As a young man, Marlow wished to explore the "blank places" on the map because he longed for adventure; his journey up the Congo, however, proves to be much more ...
What is the purpose of Kurtz's lies?
He lies to Kurtz's Intended to save her from a broken heart and ultimately returns to Europe and his home , despite his having been convinced by the Company and Kurtz that civilization is, ultimately, a lie and an institution humans have created to channel their desires for power.
Women
Both Kurtz’s Intended and his African mistress function as blank slates upon which the values and the wealth of their respective societies can be displayed.
The River
The Congo River is the key to Africa for Europeans. It allows them access to the center of the continent without having to physically cross it; in other words, it allows the white man to remain always separate or outside. Africa is thus reduced to a series of two-dimensional scenes that flash by Marlow’s steamer as he travels upriver.
Why does Marlow see Kurtz as a hero?
Marlow sees Kurtz like a hero because of all his adventures and success in ivory collecting. Much of what Marlow’s picture of Kurtz is based on his conversations with the Russian trader. Apparently, the Russian trader has spent some time with Kurtz and has become his relative companion.
What does Marlow realize about Kurtz?
Marlow realizes that the things that Kurtz has done is brought about only because of Kurtz’s exposure to Africa. Marlow’s understanding of Kurtz lead him to see Kurt as an alter ego. And finally, the two main protagonists’ relationship does end even after Kurtz’s death.
Why does Marlow blame Africa for Kurtz's downfall?
Marlow blames Africa for causing the downfall of Kurtz and not directly blame Kurt for his actions. He claims that the Dark Continent has driven Kurtz into madness because he is unable to adapt fully to a world outside of modern civilization. Marlow’s Viewing of Kurtz as an Alter Ego.
What is the relationship between Marlow and Kurtz?
Relationship of Marlow and Kurtz in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a story about the adventures of Marlow , the story’s protagonist, on the Congo River where he meets Kurtz, an agent that works for the Company, providing them with ivory supplies. Although Marlow and Kurtz are not by any means “best friends” ...
Why is Marlow biased?
It would not be surprising to hear Marlow be biased on passing judgment on Marlow’s actions. He is only second to the Russian trader for being an ultimate fan of Kurtz. Marlow states reasons for why his “idol” was not as successful as he thought he would be. Almost like the semi-crazed Russian trader, Marlow defends Kurtz even if he provides a sense of threat to him. Perhaps this is because of their agreement that they would keep the name of Kurtz clean, at least to those in Europe.
Why was Marlow curious about Kurtz?
Frankly, Marlow’s curiosity to Kurtz is because the rivets that he needed to build the ship would not come, and thus giving him more free time to think. “I had plenty of time for meditation, and now and then I would give some thought to Kurtz” (Conrad, 1898, p.68-69).
Was Kurtz a mystery?
Kurtz was a mystery for Marlow, he based his initial assessment of Kurtz just through what he hears from others, including eavesdropped testimonies about Kurtz. There is an instance when Marlow “overhears” a conversation between the manager and his uncle. Despite the slanderous claims that the manager says, Marlow was deeply intrigued by Kurtz. “I was then rather excited on the prospect of meeting Kurtz very soon” (Conrad, 1898, p.73). His excitement in meeting Kurtz is brought about by the latter’s success, especially in the pursuit of ivory. Marlow sees Kurtz like a hero because of all his adventures and success in ivory collecting.
What does Marlow say about the darkness?
Once Marlow's story is well under way, he says, "We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness" (Part 2, Section 2). There is literal darkness in the jungle and the waters of the river. But he also says that the suffering of the indigenous people and the evil in the hearts of the Company agents is a metaphoric darkness, a darkness of the unknown, of difference, and of blindness.
Why does symbolism work in Heart of Darkness?
Symbolism operates throughout Heart of Darkness to create an ethical context for the work.
What does Kurtz symbolize?
Kurtz, then, symbolizes the darkness of the colonizers' lost morality, but there is also a sense in which Kurtz is the victim of the darkness of the jungle. Marlow comments on "how many powers of darkness claimed him for their own" in trying to explain his descent into depravity.
What does ivory symbolize in Heart of Darkness?
Ivory symbolizes the greed of the Europeans. It is a consuming passion for them, the lure that draws them to Africa. It has become like a religion to them: "The word 'ivory' rang in the air," Marlow says when he is at the Outer Station. It "was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it." Ivory, which is white, is the one thing of value that the Europeans in Heart of Darkness find in dark Africa. But ivory is also equated with darkness and corruption. Marlow muses that Kurtz had been captivated by the wilderness, which had "taken him, loved him, embraced him, consumed his flesh" until he had lost all his hair, his bald head now looking like an "ivory ball." When Kurtz is on the verge of dying, just before he says his last words, Marlow notes his "ivory face." Ivory no longer has value; it is a thing of evil, which is what Kurtz became.
What is dark wool?
Dark Wool. The knitting of dark wool by two women at the Company office in Brussels reinforces the symbol of darkness in the novella. The women are the knitters of funeral shrouds, used in death, the ultimate darkness. It is fitting that the work in a city that always reminds Marlow of a "whited sepulchre," or tomb.
What is the most important metaphoric darkness?
The most important metaphoric darkness is that revealed in Kurtz 's heart and symbolized by the decapitated heads of native men displayed like decorative knobs on his fence posts . There, they are "black, dried, sunken, with closed eyelids.". These heads and the grisly fence stand as enduring symbols of Kurtz's depravity.
What does Marlow say about Kurtz?
Marlow muses that Kurtz had been captivated by the wilderness, which had "taken him, loved him, embraced him, consumed his flesh" until he had lost all his hair, his bald head now looking like an "ivory ball.". When Kurtz is on the verge of dying, just before he says his last words, Marlow notes his "ivory face.".
