1. HEART OF DARKNESS
Joseph Conrad

2. Historical-Biographical
Born 1857 in Polish Ukraine
English was his 3rd language
Died 1924
Father exiled to Siberia/mom dies/Joseph raised by uncle in Krakow
Became a seaman at 17 years of age
Began writing in 1889 at 32 years old
Boyhood dream of traveling to the Congo was realized/provided outline for H of D

3. Moral-Philosophical Bridges Victorian values
Rapid growth into cities/transition from rural economy/abandonment of traditional rhythms of rural life
English superiority/age of certainty and national pride
Rapid change created pessimism for experience with no meaning beyond itself
Masses suffered greatly during this period of growth

4. Africa in 1880

5. Africa

6. Congo River is 2733 miles long
Enormous semicircle
Dense forest
World’s sixth longest river

8. Things to Look For
Adventure story-seafaring, river boating, trade and exploration, imperialism and colonialism, finding meaning to the mysteries of life
Framed story told by am unseen narrator who describes Charlie Marlow-still a sailor
Imagery of light and dark
Marlow is Conrad’s alter-ego
Cultural irony
Displacement of culture
The horror or the human mind
Appearance and reality
Impossibility of innocence
Moral Ambiguity
Omens

9. Style
Impressionist writer (impressionist painters—Monet, Manet, Van Gogh and Renoir, et.al.)
Intentionally ambiguous/reader has the responsibility to determine meaning
Action is described through the MC eyes while the events are occurring
Concerned with the “emotional landscape”—how the landscape evokes emotional responses for characters and readers
Marlow reports what he sees
Landscape is figurative
Doesn’t push along the plot or explain things

10. Impressionists Painters
They found many of their subjects in life around them rather than in history, which was then the accepted source of subject matter. Instead of painting an ideal of beauty that earlier artists had defined, the impressionists tried to depict what they saw at a given moment, capturing a fresh, original vision that was hard for some people to accept as beautiful.

11. Monet: Soliel Levant

12. Renoir: Girl with Watering Can

13. Achebe’s Thoughts on Conrad
“Joseph Conrad was a thoroughgoing racist”
H of D is an “offensive and deplorable book”
It contributes to “the dehumanization of Africa and Africans.”

14. The Journey Belgium First station Central station Russian’s cabin
The gateposts

15. Is Man Good or Evil?
In Kurtz, Marlow saw the inconceivable mystery of a soul that knew no restraint, no faith, and no fear. Why is this dangerous? Why do people tend to fear a person such as this?
What does Joseph Conrad think?

16. What does the “Heart of Darkness” mean to you?
Two minute discourse with the person next to you.