Isolation in Heart of Darkness

                                     By: Joshua Marcon

 Summary of Heart of Darkness

When Charles Marlow agrees to captain a steamer up the Congo in search of the elusive ivory trader Mr Kurtz, it becomes a terrifying journey into both the unknown and his own subconscious. As he travels deeper and deeper into the dense jungle, he witnesses many inhuman creatures in which he can sense his own humanity in. He begins to sense the presence of this extraordinary and terrible man, and to question the horrifying realities of European imperialism and of human nature itself.

Here is a short video on the main plot line of Heart of Darkness:

(Sawyer)

Isolation in Heart of Darkness

Isolation can lead to a profoundly altered state of consciousness (McAndrew). The society in Heart of Darkness has been isolated away for so long that they are corrupt. It is in their nature to protect their home and will use their savage and prehistoric ways to keep it like that. Joseph Conrad uses the theme of isolation in Heart of Darkness to show the characters' and societies development. The Congolese are seen as being so isolated away that they are prehistoric and savage in their nature. Mr Kurtz is a highly gifted individual who rose to fame in the Congo because he is seen to be such a powerful being. The isolation from the wilderness causes Kurtz to go insane. Some believe it is a critique of the corrupting power of wilderness, while others believe it is a parable of humanity's weakness (Butcher).

Isolation in the civilization

The society at the time of Heart of Darkness has been corrupted by its isolation from the rest of the world. The Congolese have been using their prehistoric and savage ways for so long that they believe that their way is the only way. The society is so isolated that they are not seen as being societal humans. "No, they were not inhuman. Well, you know, that was the worst if it-this suspicion of their not being inhuman."(Conrad 44). The natives are not like the rest of society. Heart of Darkness shows the reader what isolation does to affect people. While Marlow and his expedition crew are boating through the Congo river, they get a first-hand welcome to savagery. "The prehistoric man was cursing us, praying to us, welcoming us-who could tell?" (Conrad 44). The Congolese are so isolated away from the world that they are portrayed to be inhuman and evil creatures.

Isolation causing madness

Heart of Darkness is a metaphor for a psychological exploration to the heart of human nature and the animal selves that lurk beneath our civilized veneers (Goddard). Heart of Darkness' character Kurtz is a perfect example of the animal that lurks beneath our civilized veneers. Kurtz was a powerful, famous, and elusive ivory trader. Kurtz came to the Congo because of the mass amounts of ivory. Using modernized European weapons, he was a powerful individual being in the Congo. Kurtz is the classical archetypal character "evil genius" he is a highly gifted individual who is corrupted by his own isolated mind. The natives began to worship him because of his power. Kurtz quickly became insane due to the isolation in the Congo's wilderness. "he had withered; it had taken, loved him, embraced him, got into his veins, consumed his flesh, and sealed his soul to its own by inconceivable ceremonies of some devilish initiation." Kurtz had become mad due to the society's isolation consuming him into his own darkness. "stare with that wide and immense stare embracing, condemning, loathing all the universe. I seemed to hear the whispered cry, 'The horror! The horror!'" (Conrad 96). Kurtz has been isolated away from society for so long that he had become mad with power. Kurtz is a powerful man who has been corrupted by his own isolation and eagerness for power and fame.

Works Cited

Butcher, Tim. “Book of a lifetime: Heart of Darkness, By Joseph Conrad” Independent. 25 Jan

2008. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/book-of-a-lifetime-heart-of-darkness-by-joseph-conrad-773538.html

Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. 1899

Goddard, Lisa. “Conrad and the Critics: Responses to Heart of Darkness” Athabasca                       University.2012. 

           https://landing.athabascau.ca/blog/view/136720/conrad-and-the-critics-responses-                 to-heart-of-darkness

McAndrew, Frank T. “The Perils of Social Isolation” Psychology Today. 12 Nov 2016.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/out-the-ooze/201611/the-perils-social-isolation

Sawyer, Jenny. "Heart of Darkness | Summary/Overview | 60Second Recap"                         YouTube. 29 May 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cyKyoW3mgw

Images used :

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