Heart of Darkness
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The Heart of Darkness is a powerful examination of the savage nature of western imperialism in the late 1890s. With stunning relevance to the politics and tribulations of today’s society, Joseph Conrad’s celebrated novel is just as important today as when it was initially published.
The story follows a young man named Charles Marlow. Soon after Marlow joins the Company as captain of a riverboat for a Belgian group organized to trade with the Congo, he uncovers is a fate worse than any life he could have imagined in London. Throughout the journey, Captain Marlow cannot turn away from the stark injustices and atrocious crimes being committed by the company he works for. Reflecting many of the experiences Conrad himself endured, The Heart of Darkness spares no mercy when retelling the many atrocities committed by imperial commanders; because of this, the story has long been considered required reading for all those seeking to better understand the true nature of colonialism. Told from the gaze of an employee privy to the conquest of the colonialist venture, Marlow’s experiences are considered exemplary of the brutal nature of human exploitation.
Joseph Conrad was a prolific Polish-British writer who became famous for his short novel, The Heart of Darkness. Most of Conrad’s writing focused heavily on topics of both imperialism and colonialism, mainly exploring the politics of a life at sea or in a foreign country. While his views were staunch, his writing was clear and profound, earning him a reputation of high regard among various prominent literary circles. Conrad eventually became known as one of the greatest English novelists of his time, thanks to the detailed and highly intelligent subjects of his novels. His style was considered by many academics to be early modernist, but also heavily influenced by realist philosophy. The entirety of his most celebrated work aims at portraying the real and savage nature of colonialism and its repercussions worldwide. Though never actually winning an important prize for his writing, Conrad came close, earning many nominations of various awards over the years.