...Heart of Darkness Criticism Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a novella that despite its short length constructs a tale that is as dense and complex as the undergrowth of the jungle through which the main character travels. The tale, which begins as a frame narrative on the Thames in London, chronicles Charlie Marlow’s descent from Belgium into the heart of Africa in search of Kurtz, the infamous chief of the inner station. As Marlow travels through Africa, we are treated to a wildly different view of Africa then we typically see in popular culture, with the book portraying the harsh realities of Colonialism while also creating an atmosphere of dread and horror. This atmosphere is incredibly critical to the way in which we view the story, which has been criticized both as a racist text and as the first truly critical account of Imperialism. The journey culminates at the inner station where Marlow meets the legendary Kurtz, a character so complex that critics are still analyzing his purpose in the story. Heart of Darkness, is certainly one of the most polarizing novels of the last few centuries, with critical essays singing its praises and damning its aesthetics being almost equal in sheer volume. The watershed of criticisms towards Conrad’s visionary novella burst with Chinua Achebe’s scathing write up of the story, with its famous defaming of Conrad as a “bloody racist” (Achebe 343), that ends with the suggestion that it be banned from student book lists. Achebe’s essay...
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...good start. T.S. Eliot was born in St. Louis, Missouri and attended Harvard, and went overseas to England for graduate school. It was here that he settled down, becoming a banker, and more importantly, writing poetry (Nobelprize.org). In the early and mid-1920’s, Eliot suffered from numerous nervous breakdowns, and during one of these breakdowns in 1925 the poem The Hollow Men was written. Using the archetypal literary school of criticism we will magnify the archetypes of hopelessness, desperation, misery, and despair throughout the work. The archetypal school of literary criticism determines a text’s meaning using cultural and psychological myths. Commonly used symbols such as crucifixion or the snake serve as a marker to delve deeper into the reading. Carl Jung, whose theory of a “collective unconscious”, has been accredited with founding this school of literary criticism. This Jungian theory claims literature imitates the “dream of humanity”, not life. Archetypal criticism splinters from the Formalist or New Criticism schools of literary criticism by approaching the work in the context it is read in, instead of holding it aloof from other texts. Archetypal images, sounds, and symbols are used in all areas of the humanities and are tied to our fundamental thinking patterns (Delahoyde). Before the first line of the poem, the line “A penny for the Old Guy” (Eliot 79), is the first reference to Guy Fawkes Day, the English holiday where a celebration is held every 5th of November...
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...Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. N.p.: n.p., 1899. Print. Pedot, Richard. "Heart of Darkness" De Joseph Conrad: Le Sceau De L'inhumain. Paris: Éd. Du Temps, 2003. Print. Barringer, T. J., and Tom Flynn. Colonialism and the Object: Empire, Material Culture, and the Museum. London: Routledge, 1998. Print. Said, Edward W. Culture and Imperialism. New York: Knopf, 1993. Print. Zins, H. S. Joseph Conrad and British Critics of Colonialism. Vol. 12. N.p.: n.p., 1998. Print. BBC Company. Melvyn Bragg, n.d. Radio. Phillips, Caryl, and Renée Schatteman. Conversations with Caryl Phillips. Jackson: U of Mississippi, 2009. Print. Phillips, Caryl, and Chinua Achebe. "Was Joseph Conrad Really a Racist?"Philosophia Africana 10.1 (2007): 59-66. Web. Farn, Regelind. Colonial and Postcolonial Rewritings of "Heart of Darkness": A Century of Dialogue with Joseph Conrad. N.p.: n.p., 2005. Print Goonetilleke, D.C.R.A. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness: A Routledge Study Guide. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print Linfords, Bernth, ed. Conversations with Chinua Achebe (Literary Conversations). N.p.: n.p., 1997. Print. Achebe, Chinua. "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'" Massachusetts Review. 18. 1977. Rpt. in Heart of Darkness, An Authoritative Text, background and Sources Criticism. 1961. 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough, London: W. W Norton and Co., 1988, pp.251-261 Achebe, Chinua. Thing Fall Apart. N.p.: n.p., 1958. Print. Singh, Francis B. "The Colonialistic Bias Aspects of...
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...The “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad, takes a look into imperialism through the eyes of its main character Marlow. Conrad used this story to condemn King Leopold II’s exploitation of the Congo and imperialistic views. Unlike capital rich imperialism, which seeks long term sustainment, King Leopold’s capital poor imperialism allowed for hasty exploitation of easily obtained resources through forced labor. The story takes a powerful look at the cruel and inefficient exploitation of natives by the “civilized societies”. This essay will discuss Conrad’s distain for imperialistic societies as seen in “Heart of Darkness”, and how these criticisms are relevant in contemporary societies. The story “Heart of Darkness” explores the issues and hypocrisy...
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...Jasmine Williams English 103 Professor Bryan Henery 16 December 2015 Postcolonial Criticism When analyzing stories from a postcolonial criticism viewpoint, oftentimes one will see and oppressed group along with a dominant group. Postcolonial critics also see stereotypes in text as people without power are portrayed as the inferior ones. Oppressed individuals as seen from this viewpoint can also develop feelings of alienation. Postcolonial criticism can be similar to cultural studies, however it can have a unique perspective on literature and politics. This type of criticism can look at certain issues of power, politics, economics, and culture. Moreover, the authors can often reinforce colonial hegemonic ideology, such as Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Western critics might consider Heart of Darkness an effective critique of colonial behavior. But post-colonial theorists and authors might disagree with this perspective: "...as Chinua Achebe observes, the novel's condemnation of European is based on a definition of Africans as savages: beneath their veneer of civilization, the Europeans are, the novel tells us, as barbaric as the Africans. And indeed, Achebe notes, the novel portrays Africans as a pre-historic mass of frenzied, howling, incomprehensible barbarians..." (Tyson 374-375). In many works of literature, specifically those coming out of Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian Subcontinent, we meet characters that are struggling with their identities in the wake...
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...Heart of Darkness vs. Apocalypse Now Both the novel "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad and the movie "Apocalypse Now" are about one man's journey through Africa and Vietnam. A comparison and contrast can be made between the two. Both have the same themes but entirely different settings. Heart of Darkness takes place on the Congo River in the Heart of Africa while Apocalypse Now is set in Vietnam. The stock characters in both have the same general personalities but have different names. Of course, Kurtz is Kurtz, Willard twins Marlow, and the American photojournalist relates to the Russian Harlequin. Willard is a lieutenant for the US Army while Marlow is a captain of a steamboat of an ivory company. The first looks of Willard and Marlow differ a little. The movie begins with Willard lying in an apartment room completely out of touch with reality. He is haunted by his earlier deeds and he is getting very plastered. Willard smashes the mirror while fighting himself and cuts his hand. He falls to the bed crying. Marlow is portrayed as a traveler of the sea. The narrator described him as a hero somewhat. Their mission is to find Kurtz and take him down.. In both stories Kurtz is a psychotic rebel, worshipped as a god, who threatens the stability of his unit, but in one it is an ivory trading company and in the other it is the US Army. Kurtz, who had begun his assignment a man of great optimism and the highest morals, had become peculiarly savage. Tribes of natives worship...
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...Christmas from coming) until he is able to reach the true goal which may be different then when he set out. The Grinch is said to be “Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown, At the warm lighted windows below in their town”(11-12). A cave is commonly associated with darkness, dampness and coldness, where Whoville is warm and lighted; this introduces the battle between darkness and light. In a similar sense the Who’s are deemed as merry, lighthearted people, “Who’s down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot,” (1); a constantly jolly town who have no notion of evil in their minds is distinguished as something “good”. However, “the Grinch hated Christmas”(2) and in stealing Christmas from the Who-families, distinguishing himself as “evil.” The Grinch is a feared outcast with the skin colour of green (in animation and illustration); green is often used to describe jealousy which fits this lonely character. He also has Max, the traditional loyal sidekick and comic relief; Cindy-Lou plays the child completely innocent and sees flaws in her perfect world enough to find the good in the most evil people. The idea of the Grinch’s heart being too small is also important because hearts in Western civilization symbolizes love or compassion, thus proving the Grinch’s evilness. Lastly, the gifts represent respect, appreciation or generosity; all qualities the Grinch lacked until the end of the poem when he grows to gain these qualities by returning the gifts. The social...
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...Joseph Conrad grew up in the Polish Ukraine, Polish Ukraine is a huge, fertile plain between the counties of Poland and Russia. Polish Ukrainewas a divided nation, that held four languages, four religions, and various of different social classes. Many of the families inethis area were Polish-speaking inhabitants, including Conrad's family. They belonged to the szlachta, a hereditary class in the aristocracy on the social hierarchy, combining qualities of gentry and nobility. Despite the areas poor state, residence in the had political power. Conrad's father, Apollo Korzeniowski, studied for six years at St. Petersburg University. Conrad’s father left before he had the chance to earn his degree Conrad's mother Eva Bobrowska, was thirteen years younger than Apollo. She was the only daughter in a family of six sons. After Eva met Apollo in the year 1847, Eva was was in love with Apollo's poetic personality and loyalty. On the other hand, he admired her lively imagination. Eva's family disagreed with the dating situation, the two were married in 1856 After the two couples got married, Apollo did not conduct much time for his wife. His main focus was his literature and political activities, which brought income into the house. He wrote many plays and social satires. Apollo works wasn’t known as much, but he had a huge influence on his song Conrad. Joseph Conrad is an Innovator in British Literature. His literature is influenced by his experiences in traveling to foreign...
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...see how much you have grown from the beginning of the semester. As I reflect on my work in your English 130 class, I am able to see much more clearly now just how much I have improved as a writer. I have learned to notice my strengths as well as my weaknesses and to learn from them. During the semester, I have engaged in peer edits which have helped me to realize some of weaknesses through reviewing other’s works and having my own works reviewed. My portfolio includes “Bermudas,” “The Tempest and Source Material,” “Heart of Darkness and Postcolonial Criticism,” my annotated bibliography for my research paper and my research paper....
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...Although the content within Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is universally commended for its deep thematic concepts and skillful literary techniques, there has been a spirited argument over whether the novel is itself a discriminatory work. Due to the many contradicting aspects of racism during the 17th century and the limited information known about the personality of Conrad, the question of racism versus realism is too complex to give a definitive answer. One of the passages that appears to be intuitively racist is included in Part I: “All their meager breasts panted together, the violently dilated nostrils quivered, the eyes stared stonily up-hill. They passed me within six inches, without a glance, with that complete, deathlike indifference...
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...feelings and images of darkness, dread, and depression in a reader as successfully as Edgar Allan Poe. Born in Boston in 1809 to impoverished actors David and Elizabeth Poe (Allen), Edgar’s entire existence seems to have been destined for struggle and loss. He was orphaned by age three, losing his mother to tuberculosis and his father by desertion (Allen). He was taken in by the Allan family, but during Edgar’s year-long stint at West Point in 1830—and subsequent expulsion—his relationship with his foster father suffered irreparable damage (“Biography”). His life soon became a mélange of depression, alcoholism, unemployment, and financial hardship (“Biography”). He died in 1949 while on a trip to Baltimore, under mysterious circumstances: theories of “congestion of the brain,” alcoholism, rabies, epilepsy, and carbon monoxide poisoning continue to swarm today (“Biography”). Having lived a life of constant struggle and turmoil, it is not surprising that his works are imbued with brooding and despondency, and that the common themes in his writings revolve around derangement and death. His short story “The Tell-Tale Heart” provides a perfect example of his fixation with madness, murder, and melancholy. It is this very fascination with all things grotesque, combined with his uncanny ability to weave multiple literary elements together to create a bizarre tapestry that appeals to readers, and what makes Edgar Allan Poe such a great writer. In “The Tell-Tale Heart,” an unknown narrator...
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...Whether you need to write a book review, a piece of literary criticism, or an essay about an author's life and works, you will find writing samples in our Novels section to use for reference and from which to gather ideas. You'll encounter writing that addresses beloved, classic literature as well as modern, controversial novels. Find expository writing that discusses the life of Nathaniel Hawthorne and his chilling novel, "The Scarlet Letter." How is "the scarlet letter" in the story more than just the letter itself? What statement was Hawthorne making about the puritan beliefs of his ancestors? Read about Hemingway's life and how it compares with the lives of his protagonists. What were Hemingway's attitudes towards war as discerned through novels like "All Quiet On the Western Front" and "A Farewell to Arms." Discover essays that examine the symbolism in Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." What did Conrad mean by the phrase "heart of darkness"? What does "The Great Gatsby" have to say about the American Dream? Is its picture of life in the 1920's a favorable one? How does F. Scott Fitzgerald's personal life tie into the plot and tone of this novel? Find essays that discuss Arthur Miller's intent for his "Death of a Salesman." How does the fact that "Death of a Salesman" is a play and not simple prose impact the effectiveness of the tale it tells? Find writing examples here that illuminate Edith Wharton's theme of failed marriages and confining social conventions as evidenced...
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...and Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’. In ‘Frankenstein’ the abuse of power is most clearly exhibited by the protagonist of the story Frankenstein himself, his abuse of power results in his isolation and could serve as a warning to people, telling them not to play with forces that they can not control. In ‘Heart of Darkness’, Conrad abuses his power as the author to distance himself from the novella and in a sense absolve himself from any racist criticism the book may induce. The abuse of power is also a key theme in the novella itself. Firstly there is a sense of hypocrisy in the novella where the abuse of power is concerned, Marlow seems to have a slight reluctance to abuse his power over the natives, however he abuses his power before he even gets to the Congo, when he attains the job unfairly through the position held by his aunt in the company. Secondly the idea that the white western men have a superior culture and feel the need to impose their civility on the outrageous and almost in-human savages inhabiting the Congo is the most obvious abuse of power implicated in the short story. Overall the abuse of power in both novels is shown to end badly for the party involved. Marlow sees the abuse of power leave people without their minds, and Shelly’s novel also demonstrates this to some degree, but highlights more clearly the way that the abuse of power can leave you isolated. Conrad abuses his power as the author in his novella ‘Heart of Darkness’, by writing in the form...
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...Inner darkness in human nature is discovered by the use of disorganization and violence. As order collapses, terror becomes reality. Criticism is recognized as man rips nature apart without thinking about the consequences and outcomes. An attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature is revealed through criticism. There are several tools used to symbolize the fight against chaos. Golding uses objects as a representation of mass hysteria, and to show the end of innocence and the darkness of a man’s heart. Symbolism is evident within the story through the fire, the glasses, and the beast. Violence is shown through rescue and destruction. It shows the intention of humans to control nature by destroying it. Through harming the island surrounding them, the boys destroy their own habitat and cause damage to themselves. The signal fire serves the purpose of helping the group to be recognized by passing ships, eventually being rescued. If the boys’ world is just a symbol for the real world, then they are not being rescued at all. They are just going to a larger scale of violence. But in the novel, the fire gets out of control and threatens the boys’ lives. Consequently, the signal fire is a symbol of the boys’ diminishing hope. Golding uses the signal fire to also symbolize hope, something which Jack destroys as the novel progresses. At times the signal fire rages out of control, symbolic of the boys themselves. Furthermore, the signal fire is the island...
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...Lord of the Flies: A Psychological Study of the Nature of Humans William Golding once said, “What a man does defiles him, not what is done by others.” The phrase is approached so easily with his novel, Lord of the Flies (September 17, 1954), to depict the darkness of the natural man. The twentieth-century British writer in his novel argues the savagery of true mankind through a prose involving a band of young British schoolboys who are stranded on an empty island after a plane crash. He generalizes the human race by first developing the boys as helpless as they try to create a form of democracy with Ralph being the leader (and protagonist), then by creating opposition to the governmental tradition through Jack and his followers who separate...
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