Heart of Darkness

Themes
Mans inhumanity to man is his greatest sin.
Materialistic minds cannot grasp, or be
interested in, adventures of the spirit.
A mans confrontation with his dark self is
both dangerous and enlightening.
Every soul has its dark truth and its light
truth-in short, the potential for degradation
or nobility.
Blindfolded bearers of light destroy what
they profess to enlighten.
Heart of Darkness
Themes
Removal of all restraints in solitude
and silence will bring out a mans
true nature.
The strongest barrier to the abyss
is a previous commitment to faith
and responsibility.
Heart of Darkness
Characters
Charlie Marlow> thirty-two year old follower of
the sea/longs to find Kurtz
Turns from the ruthless brutality of the white
people and to the dark jungle
Conrad uses Marlow as a narrator so that he
himself can enter the story and tell it out of his
own philosophical mind.
Marlowe and Kurtz are the light and dark selves
of a single person.
Marlowe is what Kurtz might have been, and
Kurtz is what Marlow might have become. The
affinity between the men becomes a symbolic
unity.
Heart of Darkness
Characters
Kurtz>comes to the Congo with noble
intentions/cultured, educated/is an
orator, writer, poet, musician, artist,
politician, ivory procurer, and chief
agent of the Inner Station>a universal
genius and a hollow man.
He, at the lowest point, is also a thief,
murderer, raider, persecutor, and allows
himself to be worshipped as a god.
Heart of Darkness
Characters
Manager>based on a real person/the
ultimate villain of the plot/treacherous
nature/ordinary appearance/few talents
The Brickmaker>makes not
bricks/managers secretary/responsisble
for many of the plots entanglements
The Russian>always manages to be safe
regardless of the circumstances/gives
Marlow insight into the terrible nature of
Kurtz surrender to the wilderness
Heart of Darkness
Characters
The Immaculate Accountant>keeper of the
company books/gives Marlow his first
information about Kurtz/reveals white mans
hatred of the natives and the shady business
at the Central Station
The Foreman (the Boilermaker)>humble
worker, despised by the pilgrims/one of
Marlows few friends
Uncle of the Manager>almost as depraved as
his nephew/murderous intent toward Kurtz

Heart of Darkness
Characters
The Knitting Women>portend the dark
experience which is awaiting Marlow in
Africa
The Pilgrims>human counterparts of the
huge, buzzing ,stabbing flies that hover
over the dying agent/ivory-hungry
vultures, opportunists
Kurtz Intended>presents much of the
white truth about Kurtz to
Marlow/contrast to Kurtz Black Mistress