Intentions

Joseph Conrad’s “The Heart of Darkness” explores certain aspects of the human soul by using characters such as Kurtz, and the ivory traders to represent this. Two specific aspects are the free, yet savage extreme of barbarianism which is represented by Kurtz, and the moral yet condescending civilization which is represented by the ivory traders. Kurtz’s years in the Congo had led him to ignore the moral conduct that had been followed by the ivory traders that have come down to the Congo to do business. He has taken a liberty to show off his advanced technology in order to make the natives believe that he is one of their charismatic demigod. Kurtz represents the freedom of savagery because he follows his own methods to get what he wants. He has long since rejected what was considered normal business practices, and as a result has turned into a representation of what imperialism sought to control.
The ivory traders on the other hand follow the code of conduct very strictly. They focus on making money, and look down at the natives who they are oppressing. They think of Kurtz as a man who once was capable of great things, yet as his health began to fail him he became nothing more then a unimpressive has-been. The traders represent the “light of civilization” as opposed to the “Darkness of Savagery” that Kurtz represents.
These two extremes exist in the human soul, and Conrad’s intention was to explore the two them in-depth. The freedom that savagery and barbarianism represent also comes with the loss of control of impulses. However on the other side of the spectrum, the rules and moral conducts that keep civilization under control, gives a false sense of advancement, and superiority. Marlow, who is caught in the middle of these two conflicting forces represents the average person who within this internal battle is waging.
posted by Eddie D.