“Heart of Darkness” was published in 1899 and written by Joseph Conrad. The story is set in the late 19th century when colonialism was at its height. It is considered a remarkable critique of imperialism and the effects of colonization on both the colonized and the colonizer. It also sheds light on the complexities of human mental conditions and the clash between civilization and barbarism. “A Heart of Darkness” contains themes that have resonated throughout the twentieth century and continue to influence modern literature and culture to this day.
The story takes us on a journey with Charles Marlow, a seaman, and adventurer who is narrating to his friends a story about his time as a steamboat captain in the Congo Free State in the late 19th century. He serves as the narrator for the journey deep inside Africa. Marlow is given the task of finding and bringing back a rogue ivory trader named Kurtz, who has gained quite the influence because of his mysterious, almost god-like status among the native people.
The story begins with Marlow describing his childhood dream of exploring Africa. He then talks about how he gets a job with the Company, a European trading organization, and is sent to the Congo as a steamboat captain to retrieve ivory. As the journey progresses, Marlow witnesses the European colonizers' brutal and inhumane treatment of the Congolese people and the corrupt nature of the ivory trade. He begins to get affected and becomes increasingly unsettled by the brutality and cruelty of the colonial enterprise.
As he travels into the jungle, it grows deeper and darker and so does his obsession with the idea of meeting Kurtz, who he sees as a symbol of the potential for greatness and depravity in humanity. When Marlow finally reaches Kurtz's trading post, he discovers that Kurtz has gone into a state of near-total degradation and has abandoned all moral principles in his quest for ivory and personal glory. He also discovers that Kurtz is being worshipped as a deity by the native people and has started collecting human heads as trophies and that he has been using the native people as his army.
As Kurtz's health continues to deteriorate, Marlow struggles with the moral implications and consequences of his actions and those of his fellow colonizers. He ultimately decides to take Kurtz back to civilization, but unfortunately, Kurtz is unable to make the journey. Before he dies, Kurtz utters his famous last words: “The horror! The horror!” Marlow returns to Europe and attempts to come to terms with what he has witnessed in Africa, struggling to reconcile civilization's ideals with colonialism's harsh realities.
The story ends with Marlow returning to Europe and reflecting on his experience, questioning the nature of humanity and the role of colonialism in shaping the world. The novel is often seen as a critique of European imperialism and has been the subject of much debate over its treatment of race, gender, and colonialism. It is also celebrated for its complex narrative structure and powerful use of language, which has made it a seminal work in the literary canon.