Themes in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

Themes are overarching ideas and beliefs that the writers express in their texts including poetry, fiction, and plays. Heart of Darkness has various themes which run parallel to at least one another. Conrad has used prominent recurring ideas wrapped in ambiguous language. a number of the main themes in Heart of Darkness are discussed below.



Themes in Heart of Darkness

Theme #1
Imperialism

One of the main themes of Heart of Darkness is imperialism. Imperialism is really European colonization of nations from Asian and African continents for resources. However, it had been hidden within the slogan of spreading civilization. Marlow accepts taking African’s land from the people isn't right. Kurtz is in Congo pretending to civilize the people and was engaged within the ivory trade and involved in horrific ancient rituals of sacrificing humans to appease the native Africans. Marlow describes the ravages of imperialism during his journey to the guts of Africa.



Theme #2
White Man’s Burden

Another prominent theme of the novel is irony of Marlow’s voyage and therefore the purpose. He journeys toward Congo to satisfy popular station manager, Kurtz. Though Kipling’s words “white man’s burden” wring in his ears, he sees the other . The man , including Mr Kurtz, has been engaged in killing the natives to plunder the resources. There are heads erected on the poles round the station where Mr Kurtz is staying. Marlow believes that his voyage is “heavenly mission” of a man to spread the enlightenment of Christianity within the darkness.

Theme #3
Lack of Truth

The superficial themes of the novel are imperialism and cruelty of the European powers powers. However, the theme of the shortage of truth lies at the guts of the text. All the European powers engaged in Africa are occupying their land and plundering resources while propagating it as a civilizing mission. Marlow says that several things are overlooked and, in his words, “away from the reality of things.” The ironic language used from the very start occasionally shows that Marlow cannot speak the reality . He finally tells another mislead avoid disappointing Kurtz’s Intended that Kurtz had said her name before dying.

Theme #4
Colonization

Colonization means establishing control over the indigenous people of a rustic or an area . This theme also runs parallel to diverse other themes in Heart of Darkness. In one among the situations, Marlow, the spokesman of Conrad, clearly states that conquest of the world means “taking it faraway from those that have a special complexion.” In other words, he's indicating that the Europeans think they're of a better race. They destroy their land by the colonization and eventually steal Africa’s resources.

Theme #5
Exploitation

The ivory trade is that the main trade throughout the Congo . However, Marlow doesn't clarify or accept the quantity of brutal exploitation that happened within the name of trade. it's only mentioned in oblique words like “the horror” and therefore the postscript of Kurtz “Exterminate all brutes,” which points out the reality about the trade and therefore the people involved. In fact, Marlow is additionally the a part of this exploitation where locals are misled and mesmerized by Kurtz. they're also enticed to attack the people not standing in line with the most agent, Kurtz, including the attack on the steamer carrying Marlow. These attacks also cause death to locals quite the targets. The exploitation continued even after Kurtz’ death.

Theme #6
Racial Discrimination

The novel Heart of Darkness shows that racism is dominating in Africa and other parts of the planet . Marlow also understands that “different complexions and flattened nose” means, Europeans were permitted to require the possession of the land from that race. Marlow too called the locals savages including the Intended of Kurtz. She tells him how racism has led to the white men’s action of creating ideas of civilizing those savages. The words of Kipling that it's “white man’s burden” echoes within the end when Kurtz dies, speaking of the horror that he committed against the African people.



Theme #7
Alienation and Isolation

Although alienation and isolation are often understood as a psychological issue of a private , the novel Heart of Darkness has presented alienation and isolation of both; psychological also as social. Marlow’s departure hints to social alienation and isolation which tries to rob him of his humanity. Kurtz is that the prime example of this alienation therein he mixes up with the locals and tries to become one among them. His alienation completes together with his final outburst of “horrors” when he involves know the results of his actions. Marlow’s initial Buddha-like posture, too, confirms this alienation and isolation.

Theme #8
Moral Corruption

Moral corruption is another underlying theme of the novel, Heart of Darkness. Kurtz goes to Congo to civilize the locals. However, he becomes a top agent of the corporate in robbing the locals of their treasure and exporting ivory. he's engaged in corrupt practices of punishing those that oppose him and becoming their demigod. an equivalent goes on at the opposite stations where Marlow sees many small agents engaged within the same practices.

Theme #9
Violence

There are two sorts of violence; the primary one is provoked cruelty. as an example , Kurtz incites the natives to attack the steam carrying Marlow. The other is that the violence among the natives and therefore the heads on the sticks around Kurtz house. Here Kurtz who claims to vary the savages has become a savage. He uses violence to dominate the natives to rob and punish them if they interfere in white men’s business.

Theme #10
Human Greed and Deception

Marlow says that he has seen “the devil of greed, and therefore the devil of hot desire” which refers to the ivory trade at the expense of the native Africans’ freedom and life. the ecu companies are competing against one another to extract treasures as soon as possible. Using violence, they are going on killing spree and massacring the innocents. The pieces of evidence of this human greed and deception are often seen clearly when Kurtz displays heads on the poles around his station.