Sophisticated Savages
Heart of Darkness, completed in 1902 by Joseph Conrad, conveys the horrors of imperialism to a misled European audience. Throughout the novel, it becomes clear that Conrad is attempting to condemn European imperialistic practices of the late nineteenth century. Conrad uses advance diction and his style is distinctly fluent and expressive, and this mostly as a result of his target audience. The sophisticated European population was intended to read his account, as Conrad attempted to disprove the savage and barbaric perception of the Africans and to prove that it was in fact the European colonizers who were barbaric. The novel was inspired by Joseph Conrad’s voyage to the Congo, however the novel is told by Marlowe. As Marlow describes his experiences, an anonymous passenger on the ship listens and narrates. Marlow is a representative of Western European thought, which includes an inferior view of the native Africans. It is important to consider that Marlow is an idealist and a free-thinking man who proves himself able to think independently. His thought process would have been completely unconventional in the nineteenth century, as Marlow believed that blacks are indeed human but it is Belgian imperialism that brings them down to sub-human levels. Marlow is highly skeptical of Belgian practices in the Congo, which causes him a great amount of conflict throughout the novel.
The hypocrisy of Belgian imperialism is the prime theme of the novel, and through this hypocrisy, we can truly see the horrors of European imperialism. During King Leopold II’s reign, Belgium, like many other European countries, needed a means to fund its industrial practices. The Congo’s resources, which included ivory and human slaves, offered a chance to further European industrialization (Hochschild 14). To the public, King Leopold II presented himself as a philanthropist. Inhabitants of the Congo had learned to live in peace with the natural habitant of the region (Hochschild 73) and this was a completely foreign concept to the Europeans who only looked to exploit the natural resources. Belgians believed King Leopold II to be “civilizing” the natives, acquainting them with Christian believes and ridding them of their Arab enslavers (Hochschild 27), but as Belgium gained more influence in the region, their intent of pillaging the Congolese people and their resources became apparent. Heart of Darkness examines the true intent behind Belgium’s veil in Europe. The Company, which is a Belgian trade organization, employs ambitious men who greedily strive for wealth and recognition. As Marlow travels from the Outer Station to the Inner Station, he comes into contact with Company employees who introduce themselves as “tradesmen” but Marlow makes it clear that they have no intent on making “end of coin by trade"(Conrad 15). Trade with natives would involve a relationship that is mutually beneficial for both parties; however the oppressive treatment of the natives highlights a relationship that is clearly detrimental to the natives. As Belgium veiled its true actions in the Congo, King Leopold II was free to do anything necessary to gain as many natural resources from the Congo as he could. Kurtz, who is the Inner Station chief, represents the antithesis of European dissimulation and conduct. He openly admits to brutalizing the natives and establishes himself as a god among them. His lack of subtlety in his suppression of the natives leads to his own demise, and this speaks to overall effectiveness of Europe’s dissemination.
Race issues and the perception of race within the novel play an important role in showing the ill-treatment of the Congolese people. However, there are a variety of different views of the Africans within Heart of Darkness, and by comparing these views; we can find a concrete view of just how much racial motivations behind imperialism negatively affected the Congo. The members of the Company and other Belgians view the Africans as inferior beings who are only useful as possessions. However, since we are almost entirely subjected to Marlow’s point of view, he often presents the Africans in a positive manner in comparison to the Company members. Marlow spoke of the Company members as people who “aggravated murder on a great scale” (Conrad 14) and spoke of the “savages” as being able to practice restraint, even during times where they could have easily outnumbered their white colonizers. Marlow is even able to empathize with Africans, finding a sense of “remote kinship” with them (Conrad 9). As Marlow exposure to the natives increases, he even begins to question the morality of humanity, and this in itself can be seen as a critique against European imperialism. Africans have been so badly mistreated that a white man can find common ground between himself and a “savage.” Going even further, upon seeing a dying Congolese man, Marlow comments that they “were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now-nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom”(Conrad 26). Marlow does indeed see the African man as sub-human, but this is only as a result of imperialistic practices that have stripped him of his humanity. Here, we can see the horrors of imperialism through the presentation of a slave that is severely overworked, and many other Africans suffered the same fate.
Imperialism not only had adverse effects on the Congo and its people, but also on the traders who were sent there. All Company employees, upon leaving Europe, began to go mad and lost their grip on morality. Madness stricken the pilgrims, and this perpetuated by imperialism. As the Company moves deeper into the Congo, it is hinted early on by Marlow that Kurtz, was a “poor chap” because he had made it deeper into the Congo than anyone else (Conrad 5). The degradation of Kurtz’ psyche is a key plot driver throughout the novel, however as Marlow travels down the Thames river, he sees many things that are incongruent and lacking in logic. In one example, he sees a man carrying water in bucket with a hole in it. In another example, Marlow meets a Russian trader who speaks in frenzied language. The Russian trader comments that Kurtz “enlarged his mind” however this is absurd as well considering The Russian’s depiction as a dim-witted man who speaks in disjointed sentences. In tandem with these instances, the Company employees become so obsessed with self-interest that all they speak of is ivory, so much so that Marlow says “you would think they were praying to it.” The pilgrims’ affinity to give in to darkness and greed is amplified by their obsession with gaining higher positions in the company, all of which is put into place by Belgian imperialism. The theme of madness and its association with the horrors of imperialism culminate with Kurtz. Kurtz is initially viewed by his colleagues as a man of great “promise” as well as a man possessing a “noble heart” (Conrad 8). Kurtz’ desire for ivory leads him extreme ends of insanity. When analyzing the Company employees, it is clear that imperialism drives many of them to point of madness.
The relationship between the natives and the European colonizers is a theme featured heavily in Heart of Darkness, but this is not the only conflict between white and black within the novel. In its essence, Heart of Darkness is a story of a civilization believed to be operating in the light venturing into a dark, primitive realm. The traditional view of light as a representation of goodness and purity is completely debunked and interchanged with the traditional view of darkness. These two ideas are indeed often interchanged, however it is still apparent that darkness is ever-present and covers everything from the jungles of the Congo to London, which Marlow calls “one of the dark places of the earth.”(Conrad 8). Given the omniscience of darkness, all light that enters the jungles of the Congo inevitably give way to darkness, and this stems from the idea that light always flows naturally into darkness. As the sun goes down in the novel, the actions of the tradesmen become increasingly nonsensical. The quest for white ivory even gives rise to some of darkest and most evil human actions. Even the joy associated with the brilliance of the sun is stripped away by presence of darkness (Conrad 55). With Marlow’s constant discussion of light and darkness, we can see that these two ideas become heavily symbolic. This can primarily be seen by Marlow description of Brussels contrasted by his depiction of the Congo. Marlow describes Brussels as the “Whited Sepulcher,” which operates as somewhat of an oxymoron. “Sepulcher” denotes a dead body and confinement, while “whited” would normally denote a protective force. This oxymoron describes the hypocritical nature behind Belgium supposed practices and their actual practices.
The European population back home read the story of Heart of Darkness, and Conrad’s first-hand account of the oppressive and exploitative actions of the Belgian colonizers surely shook the foundations of dissimulation in Europe. The horrors of imperialism conveyed by Joseph Conrad were not simply limited to the horrors the natives experienced. He includes descriptions of Europeans losing their minds in pursuit of commission and the Europeans enter the darkness of the Congo, it soon becomes impossible to discern between the light and the dark. Similarly, the line that separated the “savages” and the colonizers becomes just as blurred.
The hypocrisy of Belgian imperialism is the prime theme of the novel, and through this hypocrisy, we can truly see the horrors of European imperialism. During King Leopold II’s reign, Belgium, like many other European countries, needed a means to fund its industrial practices. The Congo’s resources, which included ivory and human slaves, offered a chance to further European industrialization (Hochschild 14). To the public, King Leopold II presented himself as a philanthropist. Inhabitants of the Congo had learned to live in peace with the natural habitant of the region (Hochschild 73) and this was a completely foreign concept to the Europeans who only looked to exploit the natural resources. Belgians believed King Leopold II to be “civilizing” the natives, acquainting them with Christian believes and ridding them of their Arab enslavers (Hochschild 27), but as Belgium gained more influence in the region, their intent of pillaging the Congolese people and their resources became apparent. Heart of Darkness examines the true intent behind Belgium’s veil in Europe. The Company, which is a Belgian trade organization, employs ambitious men who greedily strive for wealth and recognition. As Marlow travels from the Outer Station to the Inner Station, he comes into contact with Company employees who introduce themselves as “tradesmen” but Marlow makes it clear that they have no intent on making “end of coin by trade"(Conrad 15). Trade with natives would involve a relationship that is mutually beneficial for both parties; however the oppressive treatment of the natives highlights a relationship that is clearly detrimental to the natives. As Belgium veiled its true actions in the Congo, King Leopold II was free to do anything necessary to gain as many natural resources from the Congo as he could. Kurtz, who is the Inner Station chief, represents the antithesis of European dissimulation and conduct. He openly admits to brutalizing the natives and establishes himself as a god among them. His lack of subtlety in his suppression of the natives leads to his own demise, and this speaks to overall effectiveness of Europe’s dissemination.
Race issues and the perception of race within the novel play an important role in showing the ill-treatment of the Congolese people. However, there are a variety of different views of the Africans within Heart of Darkness, and by comparing these views; we can find a concrete view of just how much racial motivations behind imperialism negatively affected the Congo. The members of the Company and other Belgians view the Africans as inferior beings who are only useful as possessions. However, since we are almost entirely subjected to Marlow’s point of view, he often presents the Africans in a positive manner in comparison to the Company members. Marlow spoke of the Company members as people who “aggravated murder on a great scale” (Conrad 14) and spoke of the “savages” as being able to practice restraint, even during times where they could have easily outnumbered their white colonizers. Marlow is even able to empathize with Africans, finding a sense of “remote kinship” with them (Conrad 9). As Marlow exposure to the natives increases, he even begins to question the morality of humanity, and this in itself can be seen as a critique against European imperialism. Africans have been so badly mistreated that a white man can find common ground between himself and a “savage.” Going even further, upon seeing a dying Congolese man, Marlow comments that they “were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now-nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom”(Conrad 26). Marlow does indeed see the African man as sub-human, but this is only as a result of imperialistic practices that have stripped him of his humanity. Here, we can see the horrors of imperialism through the presentation of a slave that is severely overworked, and many other Africans suffered the same fate.
Imperialism not only had adverse effects on the Congo and its people, but also on the traders who were sent there. All Company employees, upon leaving Europe, began to go mad and lost their grip on morality. Madness stricken the pilgrims, and this perpetuated by imperialism. As the Company moves deeper into the Congo, it is hinted early on by Marlow that Kurtz, was a “poor chap” because he had made it deeper into the Congo than anyone else (Conrad 5). The degradation of Kurtz’ psyche is a key plot driver throughout the novel, however as Marlow travels down the Thames river, he sees many things that are incongruent and lacking in logic. In one example, he sees a man carrying water in bucket with a hole in it. In another example, Marlow meets a Russian trader who speaks in frenzied language. The Russian trader comments that Kurtz “enlarged his mind” however this is absurd as well considering The Russian’s depiction as a dim-witted man who speaks in disjointed sentences. In tandem with these instances, the Company employees become so obsessed with self-interest that all they speak of is ivory, so much so that Marlow says “you would think they were praying to it.” The pilgrims’ affinity to give in to darkness and greed is amplified by their obsession with gaining higher positions in the company, all of which is put into place by Belgian imperialism. The theme of madness and its association with the horrors of imperialism culminate with Kurtz. Kurtz is initially viewed by his colleagues as a man of great “promise” as well as a man possessing a “noble heart” (Conrad 8). Kurtz’ desire for ivory leads him extreme ends of insanity. When analyzing the Company employees, it is clear that imperialism drives many of them to point of madness.
The relationship between the natives and the European colonizers is a theme featured heavily in Heart of Darkness, but this is not the only conflict between white and black within the novel. In its essence, Heart of Darkness is a story of a civilization believed to be operating in the light venturing into a dark, primitive realm. The traditional view of light as a representation of goodness and purity is completely debunked and interchanged with the traditional view of darkness. These two ideas are indeed often interchanged, however it is still apparent that darkness is ever-present and covers everything from the jungles of the Congo to London, which Marlow calls “one of the dark places of the earth.”(Conrad 8). Given the omniscience of darkness, all light that enters the jungles of the Congo inevitably give way to darkness, and this stems from the idea that light always flows naturally into darkness. As the sun goes down in the novel, the actions of the tradesmen become increasingly nonsensical. The quest for white ivory even gives rise to some of darkest and most evil human actions. Even the joy associated with the brilliance of the sun is stripped away by presence of darkness (Conrad 55). With Marlow’s constant discussion of light and darkness, we can see that these two ideas become heavily symbolic. This can primarily be seen by Marlow description of Brussels contrasted by his depiction of the Congo. Marlow describes Brussels as the “Whited Sepulcher,” which operates as somewhat of an oxymoron. “Sepulcher” denotes a dead body and confinement, while “whited” would normally denote a protective force. This oxymoron describes the hypocritical nature behind Belgium supposed practices and their actual practices.
The European population back home read the story of Heart of Darkness, and Conrad’s first-hand account of the oppressive and exploitative actions of the Belgian colonizers surely shook the foundations of dissimulation in Europe. The horrors of imperialism conveyed by Joseph Conrad were not simply limited to the horrors the natives experienced. He includes descriptions of Europeans losing their minds in pursuit of commission and the Europeans enter the darkness of the Congo, it soon becomes impossible to discern between the light and the dark. Similarly, the line that separated the “savages” and the colonizers becomes just as blurred.
Primary Source: Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a novella written in 1898 and and published in 1902 in England. This primary source is told to the reader from an anonymous narrator who is actually narrating a story being told to him by Charles Marlow. Heart of Darkness takes place after the Scramble for Africa, which was a period in which European countries divided Africa and pillaged its natural resources according to their respective interests and needs. European nations also claimed to be civilizing the African countries while they were actually only interested in profiting off of them. Through Marlowe (who’s experience is based off of the author’s, Joseph Conrad) the reader gets a first hand experience of the oppressive and exploitative actions of Belgian colonizers towards to the Congolese people. Conrad uses very advance diction and his style is very hard to follow, and this mostly as of a result of his target audience. The sophisticated European population was intended to read account, as Conrad attempted to disprove the savage and barbaric perception of the Africans and to prove that it was in fact the European colonizers who were barbaric. Simply put, he was to show the true horrors of colonialism. This novella is important because it showed the true motives of European colonizers and completely undermined European rule despite Conrad being European.
Bibliography
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Penguin, 1999. Originally published in 1902.
Print.
Hochschild, Adam. King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in
Colonial Africa. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York, 1998. Print.
Print.
Hochschild, Adam. King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in
Colonial Africa. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York, 1998. Print.
Media Gallery
The picture to the left illustrates a village position of the bank of the Thames River in the Congo. Marlow often passes by natives doing various activities on these banks, which represents the primitive object of exploitation in the novella.
European colonizers believed themselves to be far superior to the Congo natives, and this image depicts this quite powerfully. Belgian colonizers worked the natives tirelessly, which was usually never answered with much resistance.
This image depicts native Congolese men holding the hands of other natives. If the natives failed to produce the proper amount of ivory, they were maimed or killed.
This picture shows the natives holding large piece of ivory. King Leopold II primary extracted ivory among other resources to profit off of the.