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Author: Joseph Conrad
Book Name: Heart of Darkness
Genre: Romance, Tragedy, Colonial Adventure
Language: English
About Author
Joseph Conrad (December3, 1857 – August3,1924) was a Polish-British author widely considered as one of the best in the English language. He became a great prose stylist who introduced a non-English perspective to English writing despite not speaking English well until his twenties.
Joseph Conrad (December3, 1857 – August3,1924) was a Polish-British author widely considered as one of the best in the English language. He became a great prose stylist who introduced a non-English perspective to English writing despite not speaking English well until his twenties.
Conrad authored stories and novels, many of which have a nautical setting, on the struggles of the human spirit in the face of an impassive, unfathomable cosmos, which he regarded as impassive and incomprehensible.
About book
Joseph Conrad's work Heart of Darkness is about a narrated journey up the Congo River into the Congo Free State in the heart of Africa. Aboard a boat anchored on the River Thames, the narrator, Charles Marlow, relates his narrative to companions. The narrative of Marlow's infatuation with the wealthy ivory dealer Kurtz is set in this environment. Conrad draws comparisons between London and Africa as gloomy realms.
Joseph Conrad's work Heart of Darkness is about a narrated journey up the Congo River into the Congo Free State in the heart of Africa. Aboard a boat anchored on the River Thames, the narrator, Charles Marlow, relates his narrative to companions. The narrative of Marlow's infatuation with the wealthy ivory dealer Kurtz is set in this environment. Conrad draws comparisons between London and Africa as gloomy realms.
Book Summary
Marlow, an introspective sailor, goes on a voyage up the Congo River to see Kurtz, a reputedly idealistic man of extraordinary skills, in Heart of Darkness. Marlow joins the Company, a Belgian company specializing in Congo commerce, as a riverboat captain.
Marlow, an introspective sailor, goes on a voyage up the Congo River to see Kurtz, a reputedly idealistic man of extraordinary skills, in Heart of Darkness. Marlow joins the Company, a Belgian company specializing in Congo commerce, as a riverboat captain.
Marlow meets widespread incompetence and cruelty at the Company's stations as he goes to Africa and then up the Congo. The region's natives have been pushed into the Company's service, and they suffer horribly as a result of overwork and bad treatment by the Company's agents.
Marlow arrives at the Central Station, which is managed by the general manager, a shady, conspiratorial figure. He discovers that his steamer has sunk and must wait months for components to rebuild it. During this period, he takes an interest in Kurtz. Kurtz appears to be a threat to the manager and his favorite, the brickmaker.
Marlow arrives at the Central Station, which is managed by the general manager, a shady, conspiratorial figure. He discovers that his steamer has sunk and must wait months for components to rebuild it. During this period, he takes an interest in Kurtz. Kurtz appears to be a threat to the manager and his favorite, the brickmaker.
Kurtz is believed to be unwell, which will add to the expense of the ship's repairs. Marlow ultimately obtains the components he requires to fix his ship, and he and the manager go on a long and hazardous journey up the river with a few agents and a cannibal crew. The thick forest and stifling stillness make everyone on board nervous, and the pilgrims get worked up by the odd glimpse of a local town or the sound of drums.
Marlow and his men come to discover a hut with piled firewood and a message indicating that the fuel is for them, but that they should proceed with caution. A thick fog surrounds the steamer shortly after it has taken on the firewood. A thick fog surrounds the steamer shortly after it has taken on the firewood.
Marlow and his men come to discover a hut with piled firewood and a message indicating that the fuel is for them, but that they should proceed with caution. A thick fog surrounds the steamer shortly after it has taken on the firewood. A thick fog surrounds the steamer shortly after it has taken on the firewood.
The ship is assaulted by an invisible gang of locals who shoot arrows from the shelter of the forest when the fog clears. The African helmsman is slaughtered before Marlow uses the ship's steam whistle to scare the locals away.
Marlow and his colleagues arrive at Kurtz's Inner Station expecting to find him dead, but they are greeted by a half-crazed Russian trader who assures them that everything is OK, and he admits to being the one who dumped the wood.
According to the Russian, Kurtz's intellect has grown and he cannot be subjected to the same moral judgments as regular individuals. Kurtz has apparently established himself as a deity among the natives, and he has conducted salvage expeditions throughout the surrounding region in quest of ivory.
According to the Russian, Kurtz's intellect has grown and he cannot be subjected to the same moral judgments as regular individuals. Kurtz has apparently established himself as a deity among the natives, and he has conducted salvage expeditions throughout the surrounding region in quest of ivory.
His "methods" are evidenced by the collection of decapitated skulls adorning the station's fence posts. A huge number of local warriors burst out of the forest and surround the pilgrims as they carry Kurtz out of the station-house on a stretcher. The Natives flee into the woods when Kurtz talks to them.
Kurtz, who is extremely unwell, is brought aboard the steamboat by the management. Kurtz's mistress, a lovely local lady, emerges on the shore and stares out at the ship. The Russian suggests that she is somehow connected to Kurtz and has previously caused chaos through her control over him.
Kurtz, who is extremely unwell, is brought aboard the steamboat by the management. Kurtz's mistress, a lovely local lady, emerges on the shore and stares out at the ship. The Russian suggests that she is somehow connected to Kurtz and has previously caused chaos through her control over him.
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After committing Marlow to silence, the Russian explains to Marlow that Kurtz had ordered the attack on the ship to make them believe he was dead so they would turn back and leave him to his schemes. The Russian then flees by boat, fearful of the manager's wrath. Kurtz vanishes in the middle of the night, and Marlow goes in pursuit of him, only to discover him crawling on all fours toward the native camp. Marlow brings him to a halt and persuades him to return to the ship. The next morning, they head out down the river, but Kurtz's health is suffering badly.
While piloting the ship, Marlow listens to Kurtz speak, and Kurtz entrusts Marlow with a package of personal documents, which includes an elegant book on civilizing the savages, which concludes “Kill all the brutes!” the scrawled note says. They must wait for repairs since the steamboat has broken down. “The horror!” Kurtz exclaims as he passes away. “The horror!” said Marlow, who was puzzled. Soon later, Marlow becomes sick and barely makes it.
He travels to Europe eventually and visits Kurtz's fiancée. Even though Kurtz's death was almost a year ago, she is still in sorrow and hails him as a paragon of morality and success. She inquires as to what his last words were, but Marlow is unable to confront her with reality. Rather, he informs her that Kurtz's final utterance was her name.
While piloting the ship, Marlow listens to Kurtz speak, and Kurtz entrusts Marlow with a package of personal documents, which includes an elegant book on civilizing the savages, which concludes “Kill all the brutes!” the scrawled note says. They must wait for repairs since the steamboat has broken down. “The horror!” Kurtz exclaims as he passes away. “The horror!” said Marlow, who was puzzled. Soon later, Marlow becomes sick and barely makes it.
He travels to Europe eventually and visits Kurtz's fiancée. Even though Kurtz's death was almost a year ago, she is still in sorrow and hails him as a paragon of morality and success. She inquires as to what his last words were, but Marlow is unable to confront her with reality. Rather, he informs her that Kurtz's final utterance was her name.
You can find this book easily on Amazon: Heart of Darkness
Written By - Grasha Mittal
Edited By - Anamika Malik
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