Indeed, it is implicit
in the title that the novel will contain some kind of darkness. Gathering
erroneous conclusion one may think of it in a cliché way, as a treacherous love
that will darken the hearts of the characters. Yet, in the novel
the darkness is different; it is one that consumes the sole with hatred against
the conquered Indians. Conrad will mention darkness in various aspects such as:
setting, character description, color, race or a state.
“I thought of these two guarding the door of Darkness knitting black
wool as for a warm pall…” (Pg. 74)
The above quote talks about Darkness as a setting. The
doors represent the entrance to the new world he came to explore, the entrance
to the darkness of the Congo.
“…Too dull even to know you are being assaulted by the power of
Darkness.” (pg. 122)
In this case darkness is the Indians of the Congo.
They will be referred to as the bronze people throughout the novel. Marlow will
later understand they are the same color, all humans.
“…A treacherous appeal to the lurking death, to the hidden evil, to the
profound Darkness of its heart.” (pg. 102)
This is the precise
moment when Marlow notices that his heart is filled with darkness towards
something that has been created in his mind. A hatred that is not malleable,
yet it has been drilled into his mind since he set sail to the Congo.
Throughout the novel we
see the development of Marlow’s ideas. As we notice in the first quote he
believes he is going to encounter a place full of darkness, were the
uncivilized reigns. As he comes in contact with such evil at a glance they seem
bronze. All that surrounds them seems brought up from hell. Finally he notices
that the darkness is not what he believes so to be. The darkness is a state of
mind, his state of mind. When he notices this he recalls it being “the profound
darkness of its heart”.
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