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Heart Of Darkness: Tension in Marlow's Mind
Joseph Conrad1s novel Heart of Darkness is about a seaman named Charlie
Marlow and an experience he had as a younger man. Early in the novel it
becomes apparent that there is a great deal of tension in Marlow1s mind
about whether he should profit from the immoral actions of the company he
works for which is involved in the ivory trade in Africa. Marlow believes
that the company is ignorant of the tension between moral enlightenment and
capitalism . The dehumanization of its laborers which is so early apparent
to Marlow seems to be unknown to other members of the Company1s management.
In this story Marlow1s aunt represents capitalism. Her efforts to get him a
job are significant because of the morally compromising nature of the work
of which she seems totally ignorant. When Marlow expresses doubts about the
nature of the work, she replies, 3You forget, dear Charlie, that the
labourer is worthy of his hireư (12). It is clear that Marlow has mixed
feelings about the whole idea. At one point, trying to justify his actions
to himself, he says, 3You understand it was a continental concern, that
Trading Society; but I have a lot of relations on the living continent,
because it1s cheap and not so nasty as it looks they sayư (12). Marlow
finally takes the job, however, and tells himself that the pain and
unusually harsh treatment the workers are subjected to is minimal.
During the tests and the requirements that he has to undergo before
entering the jungle Marlow feels that he is being treated like a freak. The
doctor measures his head and asks him questions such as, 3Ever any madness
in your family?ư (15). In this part of the story Marlow is made to feel
small and unimportant. Any feelings or concerns that he has are not
important to the company, and as a result, he feels alone. It is only
logical that Marlow would have been second guessing his decision and
feeling some kinship with the other (black) workers who are exploited, but
he does not reveal any such understanding.
Upon reaching his destination in Africa, Marlow finds that things are just
the same. At the point when he is denied rest after traveling twenty miles
on foot he sees things are not going to change. Marlow then tells of how
disease and death are running wild through out the area, and the company
does nothing in the way of prevention other than to promote those who stay
alive. Marlow1s theory on why the manager was in that position was that
3...he was never illư (25). This is a bad situation for Marlow because he
sees his boss as a simple man with little else to offer the company other
than to be a mindless foreman over the operation. This is an example of the
company stripping self worth from its workers in the sense that it does not
encourage or expect input from them. This is all significant because Marlow
finds himself in a position where he is giving up a big piece of himself
and his beliefs to make money.
The tension between capitalism and moral enlightenment in the first twenty
pages of this story is evident. Conrad uses Marlow to depict a seemingly
good-hearted person caught in the middle of the common dilemma of moral
ethics and desire for monetary success. Marlow knows that there is a great
deal of repugnance in what he is doing, yet he finds himself forced to deal
with it in his own personal way, which is justify it or ignore it. It is
clear that the company also is forced to deal with this same issue, but it
does it simply by pretending that it is not dehumanizing its entire work
force. This blindness allows the Company to profit and prosper, but only at
the expense of the lives of the workers in the jungle who have no way to
protest or escape and the 3white collarư workers like Marlow who have to
live with their hypocrisy.
ADDITIONAL FEATURED ESSAYS
Heart Of Darkness 5
The infinite battle between good and evil can destroy, refine, or rebuild the human soul by means of choice. However, go
Heart Of Darkness 5
The infinite battle between good and evil can destroy, refine, or rebuild the human soul by means of choice. However, go
Heart Of Darkness 13
In literature, contrasting places are used by certain authors as a way of representing opposed forces or ideas that are
Artificial Restraints In Lord
"GOLDING PUTS SO MANY ARTIFICIAL RESTRAINTS ON HIS STORY IN ORDER TO EMPHASISE HIS POINT, THAT THE WHOLE THING COMES OUT
Heart Of Darkness: The Symbol Of Ivory
In Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad often uses vague,“muted” descriptions, leaving a melange of possible meanings in the
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