Kurtz, an Enigma

Marlow learns more about Kurtz through a russian trader he meets at the station, otherwise known as "Kurtz's last disciple." When he talks about Kurtz, its as if he was talking about God himself, which after a while I found thoroughly annoying, but it was interesting because we also learned more about Kurtz. Kurtz established himself well in the hearts of a native tribe and accompanies them on brutal raids in search of ivory. He also learns that Kurtz directed the attack on his ship in the hopes of making it turn around so that he could stay and carry out his plans. As it turns out, Kurtz is extremely ill when they arrive and Marlow gets to spend a brief, but intimate, moment with Kurtz that night when he follows Kurtz into the jungle and witnesses his depravity and degredation firsthand. He blames Africa for Kurtz's state because he rejected European society and was forced to look into his soul and thus has driven him mad.
While on the steamship back to civilization, Marlow is pretty much left alone with Kurtz and listens to the lectures the Russian praised endlessly and is impressed but also dissappointed. Fearing that the manager is poking through his stuff, Kurtz entrusts Marlow with a bundle of papers for safekeeping. He dies not soon afterwards. Marlow is the only one to hear his last words, "The horror, The horror!" His last words are eloquent and poetic yet vague at the same time. His last words were an enigma, as Kurtz was.
Once back in Brussels, after recovering from his illness, Marlow is left with the responsibilty of distributing of the documents. He learns from a Kurtz's cousin that Kurtz was a great musician, and a journalist colleague of Kurtz's thought his true talent was in politics. Marlow decises that he is best described as a "universal genius." Finally he visits Kurtz's fiancee and supplies her need for a sympathetic ear. Marlow is annoyed at first with her sentimentality, but then he begins to pity her. When she asks to know his last words, Marlow lies to her, hoping not to shatter her illusion of Kurtz.
Marlow's encounters with the people who knew Kurtz makes him question his own memories of Kurtz as everyone seemed to have a different version of him. The reader gets to see how powerful Kurtz's influence over the people in his life was, including Marlow. The most dissappointing thing I found about the end was the fact that Kurtz is never a fully realized individual even after all built-up anticipation for his appearance. I thought it was strange how we didn't spend that much time with Kurtz but yet he left an impression. It was a testament to his character I guess.
Mikaela M.