Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness

     -Joseph Conrad

Chapter-1

          The story Heart of Darkness is about the journey which takes a very hard effort to reach to the destination. When the novel opens we see a group of people seating on the ship called Nellie waiting for the tide to the return suddenly. Marlow who is the protagonist of the novel remarks that this spot was once one of the dark place of the earth and when Romans visited this place it must have became very hard for them to survive on the place where there is no facilities and we also see that all the members of the group they just without uttering even a one single word mean. While all of them started memorizing the memories of the great sailors which includes the sailors like Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Framklim. Some of them came here for the hunt of the gold while some of them wanted to make their names by their achievements.

       When the sun sets down Marlow breaks. He silence and says that Britain was also one of the dark country of the earth though by profession Marlow was a sailor.

         He was also a wondered and he felt deeply interested and whatever he saw on the land after that Marlow explains how Britain was also a dark country. Around 9000 years ago when Romans come to Britain they thought that they will stay in country for long time but due to because of the lack of basic facilities like proper food, pure water they started their losing interest and there was nothing in Britain. At that time which Romans find interested in those days there were only-

    Marshes,

    Forests,

    Savages in Britain. 

   

       We also told that Romans had just one purpose in their mind and that was taking away things from the people who have different complexions by using brute force.

During his childhood Marlow use to like to look in the map. He use to spent hours in looking at the map of South Africa as well as Australia. We also knew that the continents. Which are unexplored in the map they were show as blank space and to a great surprise.

                        “Marlow feel that this unexplored continents are in visiting him to visit.”

       This unexplored continents increase in his curiosity besides those continents. Marlow’s great fascination towards one particular river, which was also on the map. Its look was like a huge snake that river was Congo.

                          “The river fascinated Marlow just as a snake fascinated a little              bird.”

      Thus, he always wanted to be the fresh water sailor but the issue was he was not able to find the was which could takes into a destination.

                           “Marlow wanted to get read of the idea which had taken a hold upon him and the idea was that he should go to the Congo.”

        Then story moves like one Belgian Trading Company run across the Congo. Afterward he comes to know that his aunt acquaintance by the Belgian Trading Company. Through the help of his aunt he can visit his destination place- Congo. He also got the chance to go there. In between his journey he got various experiences.

Some dark reality also came in front of him. After visiting such places his misconceptions about the Africa and the native people of Africa are removed. Before Marlow think that Africa is dark country, but why is it dark that he don’t know. Through his journey he comes to know the reality, with series of questions like:

        Is Africa a dark country?

        Are the (African people) responsible for darkness?

                              Or

        Are White people responsible for African darkness?

          First of all Marlow saw some people who are blasting rocks aimlessly. They are in chain. It is the Chain Gang of Criminals. Those who are not follow the orders of MASTER (White) they are punished like them. In reality they are not criminals and they die slowly because of starvation disease and because of their confusion state of mind. Marlow couldn’t saw such reality so he moves further.

          Companion of Marlow was one fate man. He interestingly ask to fate man that why he came here, and replied to that question fate man said that just to earn some money and for no any other reason. But Marlow curiously noticed that he wasn’t comfortable according to the atmosphere. After some times that fate man near to the death because of his sickness and all other white man are uninterested in humanity to help that Fate Man. Instead of that they are interested in making money nothing else.

          Marlow reached at central station and meet the manager. Through him he comes to know about Mr. Kurtz who having very good qualities and very famous person in trading company and also in African people. He saw one painting that made by Mr. Kurtz. One lady who was holding a torch in her hand maybe to spread some light in the darkness. From the talk of brick-maker Marlow come to know that painting was painted by Mr. Kurtz.

CHAPTER-2

Chapter-2 covers the things such as:

First:

                                         “Ivory” meant for the pilgrims of Africa.

           Marlow comes to know the reality of white man and Black African native people. It’s about the exploitation of black people. White people are doing nothing than becoming masters and giving orders.

                 For the pilgrims in Africa ‘ivory’ was not only the tusk of elephant but it meant more than that for them. Not only the pilgrims but also the natives of Africa. All of them were employees or where working as workers there. They had to carry the burden even if their body denies carrying. All of them wanted just one thing which was ivory. One day Marlow also heard some pilgrims shouting ivory…ivory… This ivory cannot be just mere the tusk of elephant but ivory meant or it represented the economic freedom and an escape from a life of being an employee. They all wanted freedom from such life because their life was more like “a hell”. And they all were frustrated of leading such life where they did not had any purpose accept doing the work which was been order to them from their master.  Here we also can apply the ivory which is there “in master slave relation”. These pilgrims were no more but slaves of their masters who had to complete the said task of their masters. That is the reason why almost all of them wanted nothing but ‘ivory’. Everyone of them where in search of ivory and they desperately wanted to get ivory as soon as possible and they were also ready to face all the hardship and they were ready to put maximum effort to get ivory. But for the great surprise not only Marlow but we the reader also to some extend cannot get the actual meaning that is lying in the word ivory is specially uttered by the pilgrims and the natives who were not able to find the way for that freedom.  

Second:

                                          Tribal people attack on Marlow’s boat.

        We came to know the reality of native people through Marlow’s journey. Now this incident added the dark reality of African native people- a TRIBE PEOPLE. They also want to be “FREE” from the white reign. They don’t like to follow the orders which were given by white man. They want to free themselves from the “DARK HEARTED WHITE PEOPLE”. Tribe people very brutally attacked on Marlow’s boat. There was psychological reason. Psychological reason is that they are very brutally treated by white people. So, they are always in “FEAR”. Why black always in fear that incident also covers in Chapter-3.

          So, they want to save themselves from white, that’s why they attack on white. Marlow save his life from that tribe people. By now Marlow had reach to the destination which was inner station. Marlow asked one white man the reason why the tribe people attacked his steamer. He replied that tribe people having good relationship with Mr. Kurtz. So, they think that maybe you are coming to take Mr. Kurtz away from this land. So, they attack on your boat.

Chapter-3

              In the third chapter we came to know that why Mr. Kurtz like by black people-tribe people. Marlow was very surprise seeing the dead human heads hanging on the wooden post. Marlow could not understand the reason behind that, and then the Russian explain that this heads are of men who rebelled against Mr. Kurtz. He also said that Mr. Kurtz never like anyone to go against him. This gave a very big shock to Marlow. This quality of Mr. Kurtz was totally unexpected for Marlow and after knowing this Marlow could not understand the tendency of Mr. Kurtz. His all conception changed into misconception. It is also indicates that tribe doesn’t want another white man to rule over them. If one is not suffered by black then what about the second.

         They are now tired to suffer another white man. It’s become the endless process for black people. Maybe that’s why they attacked on Marlow’s boat.

        Another perception is that maybe Mr. Kurtz was good person. He devoted by black people because his multiple abilities. He has also good nature. So, tribe people doesn’t want another white man because they aware about the sickness of Mr. Kurtz and they also aware about the thing is that all white are not good. Next maybe is not good for black that’s why they try to resist Marlow to come. It is indicates in his painting. Mr. Kurtz wants to do good for black people. He tries to remove darkness and wants to give light.

         At the end Mr. Kurtz died. The whole journey indicates the reality of the life of black people. They are controlled by white. They are considered as a:

                                               “BARBARIAN”

                                                      OR

                                                   “SAVAGE”

        As a reader we also journey with Marlow. White people exploited African country under the name of “CIVILIZATION”. So, here Joseph Conrad raised question that-

                      Who is dark by the heart? White or Black?

                      Who are barbarians? White or Black?