In the “Heart of Darkness”, Joseph Conrad explores two extremes of the human soul, which are barbarianism and civilization. Barbarianism is represented by Kurtz, who rejects the rules of conducting ivory trade, and has his own methods to get what he wants. Which in turn causes him to become a sort of wild man, when compared to the rest of the ivory traders. Civilization is represented by the ivory traders, who hold their heads up high, follow the moral code that Kurtz strongly rejects, and don’t give second thought to the natives, whose resources they are abusing.
Throughout the novel these two extremes are battling with each other, until finally Kurtz’s dramatic death brings the conflict to a close. As Kurtz represented barbarianism, then his death would also bring about the oblivion of that extreme. During a time when imperialism was trying to teach the natives civilization and Christianity, civilization began to spread to the farthest reaches of the world. So it is only reasonable to say that Kurtz’s long fight against illness would represent the savage nature of the human soul slowly dying away, and with Kurtz’s death came the oblivion of this one extreme. With Kurtz’s death, the ivory traders continued to handle their business without any intervention from him.
posted be Eddie D.
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What i found the most intersting about this premace was the fact that the very people who were deemed as "civilized" were the ones who were commiting the worst forms of human punishment and exploitation. i actually wonder if conrad himself partook in this savage mentality of "european supremacy". The whole confilct of civilized v. savage is really interesting.
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