Heart of Darkness
The Second to Last Paragraph of "Heart of Darkness"
The second to last paragraph of Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" delivers the ultimate irony of the novella -- that the so-called "civilized" world, represented by Kurtz's Intended, has no idea of the "horror" that lies at the heart of man, when he gives himself over to his savage impulses.
Marlowe travels to pay his respects to the Intended and she, in her naivete asks Marlowe about Kurtz and how he died. Marlowe expresses his opinion earlier in words to the effect that Kurtz got what he deserved -- but the full meaning and significance of this expression is lost on the Intended, who remembers Kurtz fondly. She would not recognize the man that Marlowe met deep in the heart of Africa.
She begs Marlowe to tell her Kurtz's last words. Those last words -- "The horror! The horror!" -- he cannot say, because he hasn't the heart to shatter her perfect placid worldview. He lies and tells her that Kurtz uttered her name with his last dying breath.
The paragraph begins with her reaction to this false statement by Marlowe. The Intended sighs and says that she "knew it"! Marlowe ironically echoes her surety -- almost mockingly -- to himself. She has no idea of the revelation that Kurtz has been to him -- a revelation of the awful fall that man can suffer when he gives up his noblest parts. By denying the fall, Marlowe is denying the truth, and by denying the...
Heart Darkness The Postcolonial Landscape in Heart of Darkness Published in 1899, the novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is to this date described as an absolutely critical text in expanding the scholarly discourse on colonialism and its inherently related forces of racism, exploitation and ethnocentrism. By its intent, one finds a text that delivers an unflinching portrayal of the clearly abusive, unethical and racially-justified atrocities fueled by both the greed
Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Comparing and Contrasting Coppola's Apocalypse with Conrad's Darkness While Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now is framed by the music of The Doors, Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, upon which the film is based, uses the narration of Marlow as a framing device for the murky tale of the "horror" that hides in the human heart. The difference in framing devices has more to do with
Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Heart of Darkness The film version of Conrad's famous novel Heart of Darkness by Francis Ford Coppola entitled Apocalypse Now has been acclaimed as an important and insightful film. The novel is based on the early colonial invasion of Africa, while the film version deals with the context and the reality of the Vietnam War. However, the film follows the major themes and underlying meaning of the
Similarities among the Characters The Russian trader in the "Heart of Darkness" approximates Enoch in "Things Fall Apart" in providing the spark the leads to the explosion of the narratives. The Russian trader tells Marlow about Kurtz's secret, which leads Marlow to confront Kurtz. Enoch violates sacred rites that result in the burning of the church, the imprisonment of tribal leaders, Okonkwo's rebellion and suicide. The general manager in Conrad's novel
Heart of Darkness In Conrad's Heart of Darkness the author reveals the theme of mans natural inclination toward savagery by using diction and imagery. The author's descriptive detail paints a picture of an unfriendly and dangerous environment populated by uncivilized natives as the party makes its way into the interior of Africa on the Congo River. Throughout the second part of this story Conrad is developing the theme of civilization being
We must be cautious yet. The district is closed to us for a time. Deplorable! Upon the whole, the trade will suffer. […] Look how precarious the position is (Conrad 1902, p. 143). Otherwise, he notes, the ivory Kurtz collected is perfectly good. But in the face of months of strange rumors, the Company's refusal to check his activities earlier amounts to moral complicity; as Phil Zimbardo notes in a
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now