LANGUAGE TECHNIQUE USED IN JOSEPH CONRAD’S HEART OF DARKNESS ABSTRACT The nineteenth century has been called "the age of the novel", as the last of the major forms of literature to appear. The novel was one of the most fluent, diverse, and unpredictable of literary forms. It was the dominant literary form which reached its apotheosis in the Last century. The novel may seem modern but is historically related to other literary forms such as drama and the epic. It took many forms when it emerged in England, and various techniques have been employed by writers with a variety of purpose. This paper attempts to understand the language technique used in the novel “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Cornard. "Heart of Darkness" was written for and serialized …show more content…
Many critics find a number of parallels between Marlow's journey to the Congo and Aeneas underworld journey in book sixth of Virgil's Aeneid (L.Feder, 1955). Both Marlow and Aeneas gain certain knowledge after a perilous journey into a far and dark region. Perhaps, for Virgil as for Conrad truth is to be found in Darkness. Conrad describes the two women in the Brussels offices of the company as "guarding the door of Darkness", (HD 55). This may evoke the Sibyl in Virgil's Aeneid who guards "the door of gloomy Dis"(C.Watts, 1977). I.Watts : (1980), C.Watts (1977), C.B.Cox (1978) and many other critics found that the description of the two knitters (H.D. 55-56) as a basis for a symbolic interpretation of HD as a version of the traditional descent into hell, This is a close parallel to Virgil's and Dante's descent into the underworld. The different company stations mentioned in the novel are compared to the circles of hell; the 'Inferno' itself is mentioned in HD (p:66) as a direct reference to one of the books Dante's "Divina Commedia" (1310-21). The following passage from Heart of Darkness is found to be having many mythical and historical
In "Letter from Birmingham Jail", "Heart of Darkness" and "She Unnames Them", language is used as a persuasive tool which shows the power that language holds. The authors of each of these pieces of writing can express how words are immensely powerful. The use of language in each of these is extremely important, since they can use it for different purposes. Different types of language can sometimes show emotion, prove a point, persuade somebody etc. Words and the use of language is extremely important in any piece of literature.
TO WHAT EXTENT WERE THE CHARACTERS OF AENEAS AND DIDO, IN VIRGIL’S AENEID, INFLUENCED BY MARK ANTONY AND QUEEN CLEOPATRA VII, PHILOPATOR OF EGYPT? Dido and Aeneas, fictional characters in Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid, may be based upon true accounts of Cleopatra VII, Philopator of Egypt, and Mark Antony of Rome. In the final years of his life, Roman poet Virgil wrote the epic as Augustan propaganda, recounting the story of the founder of Rome, waylaid in his destiny by a beautiful, politically forward African Queen. In the epic, similarities exist between both Queen Cleopatra and Dido and Mark Antony and Aeneas.
Throughout the ages, authors have offered their opinions on what important qualities and defining characteristics a leader needs to posses by manifesting these critical qualities inside of their characters. One such book, the Aeneid by Virgil, offers such a scenario where Virgil argues that duty to gods should take precedence over everything, and he does not shy away from showing the consequences of when one neglects his or her duty. Virgil accomplishes this idea through his presentation of Aeneas, the main character of the story, as he routinely evidences to the reader that devotion to duty takes precedence over everything-even life itself. Aeneas, for example, even though he often suffers in the moment, he trusts the promptings of the gods,
The literary works that C. S. Lewis read seeped into his own fictional writings. In the novel Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Lewis draws from the literary tradition of Arthurian legend and Dante’s Purgatorio and Paradiso to shape his book’s story, style, and theme. These literary allusions and similarities contribute to Lewis’ rise to literary significance and the timelessness of his Narnia books. Arthurian legend “subtly but consistently” influenced Voyage of the Dawn Treader’s plot, theme, and characters (Tolhurst 158). Lewis read Malory’s Morte DarArthur for the first time at age sixteen, and it held a lasting impact on his life and works (Tolhurst 142).
When the poet Virgil wrote the national epic The Aeneid between 29 and 19 BC, all written works and conduits for creative expression were monitored by Roman ruler Augustus Caesar – a real-life contention between passion and control. Throughout the excerpt on pages 139 and 140 of Fagle’s translation (which covers themes such as fate, the gods, and divine intervention, and piety), Virgil explores the underlying theme of conflict between desire and duty, emotion, and reason. Exploring irony, the comparison of Dido and Aeneas’ traits, and pietas being a decision, Virgil shows Aeneas to be a flawed, enigmatic epic Roman hero who personifies the human conflict – passion versus control – of the Aeneid and the Roman empire itself. To begin with, it’s
They say that with knowledge comes power; so it’s safe to assume the inverse is also true: “with no knowledge comes vulnerability”. In the passage from the Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad uses austere syntax, concrete details and strong diction to express his view that there is no real justification for the march of civilization, when in reality it is a matter of selfishness and brutality. Power, one of the most dangerous drives of human nature is what caused the Romans to destroy everything in their path. Corads use of varied syntax to illustrate the instability of imperialism. His use of long sentences, dashes; descriptions of nature are disorganized “ like a needle in a bundle of hay- cold, fog, tempests, diseases exile, and death-death
Into the Darkness: How and why is a social group presented in a particular way? Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness takes a multi-faceted approach to the issues that surrounded 19th century colonization and imperialism in Africa. Marlow’s journey into the heart of Africa serves to highlight the hypocrisy of this endeavor, and how this deceit followed the rhetoric utilized by the colonizers in order to justify their colonization of Africa and the treatment of the natives. As the novel progresses, Africa becomes more of a backdrop for Conrad to truly expose the depravity of European intervention in Africa. Through Marlow’s narrative, varying connotations of words and his own main character’s reactions,as well as copious amounts of descriptive imagery, Conrad casts Europeans in a negative light in order to criticize imperialism and colonists.
Ignorance of another's personal values or situation results in an impassable schism between the two parties. People fail to understand each other, and as such, they regard each other in lower lights. In “Heart of Darkness”, Joseph Conrad, through Marlow, writes his novella through a lense of ignorance and the perspective of the typical white person of the time in order to relate his story to the reader. Marlow and the accountant are contrasted with Kurtz to display the effects of evil on an individual.
In Dante Alighieri’s famous The Inferno, the author Dante makes himself the main character as he has the special opportunity to enter into Hell with Virgil as his guide and travel deep into the horrifying Nine Circles of Hell. As he travels further into Hell, Alighieri uses different literary methods to emphasize the importance of numerous events and people inhabiting the circles of Hell. While Dante continues his trek in Hell, Alighieri utilizes the use of Hell’s circles, the importance of human emotion, and the significant use of numbers as three different ways to represent the symbolic journey through Hell and to Heaven. The Inferno, a metaphorical poem on Dante’s voyage through Hell, uses many distinct ways to showcase how symbolic and fulfilling the expedition is through the utilization of Dante’s changing reactions towards the people in Hell, the deepening circles of Hell, and the
To be bluntly honest, after having gotten to page 8 without having understood a word of the text, I was very frustrated. Not only did Heart of Darkness have an old-fashioned English style of writing but the first few pages were completely filled with references, symbols, metaphors and vivid imagery. I found myself either looking up each metaphor to understand it better or rereading each imagery because of its vividness. Thankfully, as the book progressed and Marlow’s story began, the plot became clearer and the story started to carry on more smoothly. I have come to realize that Heart of Darkness can be regarded as a story within a story.
Psychotic Darkness A gun gives you the opportunity, but a thought pulls the trigger. In this world, there are many life changing situations that can test one's sanity. Such situations can capture one's mind leading the mind to be on the verge of psychotic. Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, grants the characters with a series of insane scenes that can generate question of psychotic characters.
The lights from the city reflected the Thames River because London is described as being light, the light symbolizes Conrad’s view of civilization. According to Conrad civilization is where evil is present but ignored. The light is the knowledge that is gained through exploring. Conrad uses Africa and the Congo River to represent the evil that waits in the unknown. The darkness is said to be full of savages and cannibals it is further emphasized as being the uncivilized part of the world where people eat people and the savages wait in the trees and in the darkness.
BRIEF ANALYSIS The use of various literary devices in Joseph Conrad’s novel helps to bring his story to life, which ultimately is to his advantage. Conrad brings the reader into the darkness, displayed the corruptibility of humankind and left them pondering the absurdity of evil and imperialism. One of the strongest literary devices that Conrad uses to engage the reader in his novella is the use of imagery. However other important literary devices that are used throughout the novel as well as in the extract above is: similes, metaphors, personification, foreshadowing, and symbolism and narrative techniques.
‘Heart of Darkness’ was written in 1899 by a Polish novelist Joseph Conrad, about the expedition up the Congo River in the Heart of Africa. This essay will mainly deal with the reference of the ‘darkness’ in the novel and it even deals with the theme which will further support the statement. The idea of ‘darkness’ in ‘Heart of Darkness’ represents evil or dark side of Humanity. It is also related to the idea of colonization, especially when it comes to the idea of mistreatments of people and misuse of natural resources.
Civilization and Savagery in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness portrays the differences between the civilized Europeans and the “savages” of which they were tasked to bring into civilization. Marlow recounts a tale of his experiences as a captain of a river-steamboat for a Company that trades ivory. He retells the story of his predecessor, Fresleven, a Dane, characterized as being told of being “the gentlest, quietest creature that ever walked on two legs.” Fresleven dies in a scuffle with the natives due to an argument regarding two black hens.