Anti-Imperialism In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness

The novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is not merely a work of anti-imperialism; even Joseph Conrad’s critic Chinua Achebe acknowledges that Heart of Darkness is a fascinating exploration of human mind. While Conrad appears to attribute the breakdown of human minds and savagery within human nature to the predominant influence of wildness of nature, a closer examination of his work suggests otherwise. Through the characters’ actions and Marlow’s commentaries of characters, Joseph Conrad reveals that the corrupting power and the unchecked human desire are the source of madness and the heart of darkness, and only rigid social institutions can save mankind.

Structured as an adventure toward the center of Congo, the novella gradually introduces

The general manager 's uncle famously proclaims, “get [Krutz] hanged” for “anything can be done in this country” (65). The claim that “anything can be done” indicates the lack of rule of law, or any social constraint, in African colony. The association of murder and the lack of rule of law in African colony demonstrates that rule and social constraints are the only gateways that prevent humans from their own savagery. As such, unlike the Conard’s racist narrative assertion that a primitive civilization creates primitive humans, the true heart of savagery rises from the lack of restraints of any human. The exhibition of lack of humanity due to a loss of constraints cannot be made more distinct than the mad, dying Kurtz. Kurtz, a brilliant musician, agent, and husband, is turned to a body of a “mad” (139) soul. Kurtz’s madness is not a surprise. Rather, driven by his desire for conquest and ivory, he opens the cages of his devil when

Conrad spends lengthy paragraphs to describe the two women, a clerk, a secretary, and a doctor in the Company’s center in London. That is no coincidence: the women and additional staffs are not created merely to introduce the doctor who fascinates by psychology; rather, they demonstrate a hierarchy existed in the company. These “ceremonies”(17) and “fromalit[ies]”(18) as the Kurtz and clerk call it, serve as restraints that prevent individuals from exerting vast powers and in turn keep their wants in check. Indeed, while the hierarchical machine in Europe provides perfect services and serves people with sanity, the chaotic outpost in African fills with dysfunction and contains only those who are insane. Perhaps for the exact reason, only Kurtz, out of entire African station, is well known, as the similar formalities exist in Kurtz’s native clan. Not only does Kurtz introduces a new religion to the native tribes he controls, Kurtz creates a display of “heads of rebel”(Conrad). The introduction of the concept of rebel, along with religion, reveals the generation of social order and rules of law. Just akin to the hierarchy in London that creates significant sense of formalities to maintain orders, the attempt to create a hierarchy and rituals within the clans maintains the function of the clans and