Setting—Latter part of the nineteenth century, opens on the Thames River outside of London. Events of Marlow’s story take emerge in Brussels, the Congo, and a Belgian territory.
Marlow
❖ type—traditional booster (tough, honest, an independent thinker, a capable
➢ man); he is also “broken” or “damaged.”
❖ The world has broken him and made him weary, skeptical, and cynical
➢ Think “J. Alfred Prufrock” or “Quentin Compson” or “Frodo?
”
❖ Hard worker/intellectual
➢ Repairs and pilots his own ship
➢ Intelligent, eloquent, a natural philosopher
❖ intermediate between the extremes of Kurtz and the company
➢ People who confront the darkness within themselves/those who brush off it
➢ He is “contaminated” by his experiences and memories, and relives it through his story telling
Kurtz
❖ Archetype— worthless genius (highly gifted, but degenerate)
❖ Kurtz lacks substance
➢ Often referred to as “ empty”
▪ Allows for the “choice of nightmares for Marlow
▪ In his essential emptiness, he becomes a “ zip”
• Upon which other things can be projected
❖ Marlow knows Kurtz to be an “evil genius, but other’s concept of Kurtz makes him doubt the hardihood of his memories
➢ Kurtz via his cousin—a spectacular musician
➢ Kurtz via his fiancée—a great humanitarian and genius
➢ Kurtz via the journalist—a brilliant politician and attracter of men
Themes:
❖ The Hypocrisy of Imperialism
➢ Company uses the words “trade” and “civilization”
▪ unfeignedly stealing another country’s assets
▪ Near-enslavement of the natives to get what they sine qua non...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com
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