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The journey in Heart of Darkness traverses not only unpredictable waters spanning our physical world, but also the paradoxical ocean which exists in the heart of man and all of mankind. Through Marlow's somewhat fanatical eyes and his inner feelings we view the mystery that is humanity, and the blurred line between light and dark. It is a voyage into the deepest recesses of the human heart and mind, leading to epiphany, enlightenment, and finally spiraling downwards into the crevices of a hell existing within each and every one of us. Ian Watt writes: What makes reading Heat of Darkness so unforgettable is surely the harrowing power with which Conrad convinces us of the essential reality of everything Marlow sees and feels at each stage of the journey. Although through Marlow Conrad depicts a journey into the Congo, Watt is right about one thing. Conrad's use of symbolism and wordplay divulge effects at every stage of the journey which forever captivate his readers.
The Heart of Darkness as an entirety is one immense metaphor, whose numerous annexes can be either convoluted or self-evident. Almost every action, object, and character in Conrad's book has a deeper, more relevant meaning behind it, serving as a powerful nudge to bring the reader ever closer to the conclusion that the voyage is indeed an inward one. The first major indication of this is the posture of Marlow as he recounts his journey into the Congo. According to the narrator, "he had the pose of a Buddha preaching in European clothes and without a lotus-flower. " (112) This lotus position is one typically used for meditation, which is in fact defined as a spiritual journey promoted by a lucidity of thought. Successful meditation leads to a more discerning understanding of human nature and allows one to contemplate the innermost workings of the mind. Therefore Marlow's stance capitalizes on his true destination, insinuating from the very first pages that his journey is actually within himself.
This type of deeper meaning and allusion to such things a meditation is a prime example of Conrad's ability to evoke power and emotion into ever aspect of the journey. From the start of Marlow's tale there are a myriad of symbols relating to the places of the subconscious, and the journey intended to discover them. This again is a trademark of Conrad's writing. For instance, Marlow is lead to a room by two silent women spinning black wool (The women represent the Fates of Greek mythology, who spin a skein of wool which symbolizes a person's life. The fact that these women's thread is black creates an ominous sense of foreboding. ). There his attention is drawn to a map and he finds himself enthralled by a large river coursing through the heart of Africa.
He notices that the river resembled a snake, and that it was fascinating. For some odd reason, this long, sinuous river tempted him, despite its reptilian connotations, which already alerts the reader to danger ahead. The river is akin to the serpent in the biblical story of Adam and Eve, offering the unwitting pair a forbidden fruit - wisdom, and a dark knowledge of oneself. Conrad uses this reference to a biblical story to further inspire his readers to look for deeper meaning. Another tactic Conrad uses to convince his readers of everything Marlow sees and feels is through symbolic combinations. Throughout the journey, there are repeated references to both life and death.
Uncannily, these two are always intertwined. For example, there is a theme of bones which is constantly recurring in Marlow's story. The Swede mentions a man who died, and whose skeleton was left sprawled on the ground until the grasses began to grow up through his ribcage. The grass represents life, and of course, the skeleton represents death. These two are woven together. Also, there is Kurtz's obsession with ivory (dental bone), and according to Marlow he has the appearance of the object of his fixation.
From Marlow's description, Kurtz bears a skeletal resemblance even when he is alive. Conrad's frequent symbolic combinations of life and death is probably one of his numerous parallels to light and dark, echoing the fact that the two must exist simultaneously - there cannot be one without the other. This is only one of the many aspects of Conrad's writing that captivate his readers. Through powerful comparison Conrad paints his elaborate points achieving an effect that literally bring his readers inside the head of Marlow. One example of Conrad's comparison is the barrier segregating civilization from savagery. In Africa, Marlow repeatedly encounters natives, and his crew is comprised of twenty cannibals.
As they progress deeper into the heart of the forest, we can take note that black people are dehumanized. They are perpetually referred to in anomalistic terms, and are treated as such. However, it is these "savages" who survive and thrive in the heart of darkness, and whose ways eventually engulf Kurtz. There is also the indication here that technology, civilization, and refinement have been rendered useless. For instance, Marlow encounters a graveyard of "dead" machinery, rusted over and obsolete. Also, his vessel sinks to the bottom of the river, forcing him to remain at one of the stations for a long period of time.
Every character thought to be at the pinnacle of cultivation and etiquette either dies or becomes corrupted by his surroundings (Kurtz, Fresleven). It is apparent that civilization is utterly futile in such surroundings. These comparisons and events along the journey are all part of the effort by Conrad to achieve the harrowing power Watt spoke of. Besides convincing the reader of Marlow's every action through comparison word-play and symbolism, Conrad also develops the deeper meaning of his story through the other characters and Marlow's encounters with them.
Kurtz serves as a prime example of a civilized gentleman who capitulates to his barbaric side due to his environment. Regardless of the respect and admiration showered upon him by his peers, not to mention the jealousy, he was at heart a hollow man, consumed by his greed for ivory. This is why he gave in so readily to his primitive instincts, partaking in the horrendous rituals of the natives, and letting his dark essence become the hub of his actions. Kurtz is also symbolic of the evil within our society, for people saw him as the "emissary of science and progress. " He represents the person found deep within the recesses of our subconscious, the core of darkness ever-present beneath the delicate layers of refinement and civility. "One evening coming in with a candle I was startled to hear him say a little tremulously, 'I am lying here in the dark waiting for death. ' The light was within a foot of his eyes. " (164) In this quote we can see that, symbolically, Kurtz is so overcome by darkness that he is blind to light. This is also embodied in an oil painting done by Kurtz, depicting a blindfolded woman surrounded by darkness but carrying a torch which casts a sinister light over her face. The blindfolded woman can be taken as a common Western symbol of justice and liberty, things that man has created to differentiate himself from the beasts and savages.
The fact that the woman is enshrouded in darkness with only insufficient torchlight to guide her says a lot about the nature of our society. Conrad uses Kurtz and Marlow's interaction with him to develop so many significant points and answer many questions for Marlow. His development of the character of Kurtz is a key part of achieving the ultimate effect of the book. The culmination of Marlow's journey leads into the heart of darkness, or in a more worldly sense, Hell. With every step further into the darkness through Marlow Conrad depicts the true Heart of Darkness. Heart of Darkness fosters the allusion that hell is within us; it is the evil existing deep inside our souls.
Marlow visits this place when he finally encounters Kurtz, and his innocent morals are challenged. He views firsthand the inhumanity man is capable of, and the journey begins to take on all the properties of a nightmare. Here Conrad delivers a powerful effect as Kurtz's days are numbered. When Kurtz himself is lying on his deathbed, he sees into his own heart, looks his personal hell in full view, and utters things which give Marlow a grim revelation as to what lies within that black abyss. Kurtz's final words, as he ends his voyage into his bitter core, are "The horror, the horror!" referring to what he sees inside himself. The journey Marlow undertakes is seemingly in our own world, something which we reside in yet know so little about.
We delude ourselves into believing that we can tame and subdue our inner desires, and that we will readily succumb to the good of the world. However, this is easier said then done as shown in this story. Conrad's world is an embodiment of humanity, its ocean is its heart, and its impenetrable forest is its mind. Conrad convinces us of the essential reality of everything Marlow sees and feels at each stage of the journey using powerful tactics of writing. Through Marlow's epiphany it is revealed that at the mouth of every river, at the core of every grove, subsists a perpetual darkness encased in light. Through Marlow Conrad achieves an unforgettable read that affects his readers all the way down to the core of their heart.
It is very evident after reading this book that Mr. Watt spoke truth when he said it was the harrowing power with which Conrad convinces us that truly makes this book special.
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