Heart of Darkness: Imperialism and the Madness in Characters
Heart of Darkness, unarguably one of the best novels ever, on the subject of imperialism and the madness that it gives birth to. The novel deals with the subject of madness not in terms of medical lunacy but lunacy that originates from becoming very powerful, from corruption of soul and from higher level of intellect. In one of his letters, Joseph Conrad described the central premise of the novel as "an anecdote of a man who went mad in the Center of Africa." (Collected, 417) From the beginning of the novel, it appears that madness is a critical theme as Marlow faces the rather intriguing question: "'Ever any madness in your family?' |the trading company's doctor~ asked, in a matter of fact tone" (11). Madness is a omnipresent threat in a place where temptations are myriad and many and where soul is always vulnerable. Marlow realizes that when in the presence of boundless temptations,
He thus appears mad and completely out of control to Marlow. Apart from power that can always corrupt people, it is the intellect that is also a known source of corruption that leads to madness. has led certain writers to regard the organic basis of all genius as a neurosis or abnormal deviation from the healthy type of nervous organization. He saw himself as better than and above the rest. He knows that Kurtz is not facing any real medical problems. His madness is grounded in unbridled power combined with intelligence that had turned him into a demi-god. Kurtz is repeatedly described as mad and this madness had its sources in two important things: a) intellect/genius and b) unbridled power. Believe me or not, his intelligence was perfectly clear-concentrated, it is true, upon himself with horrible intensity, yet clear; and therein was my only chance-barring of course, the killing him there and then, which wasn't so good, on account of the unavoidable noise. The man had lost faith, fear and anything else that could keep a watchful eye on his soul. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself, and, by heavens! I tell you, it had gone mad.
Common topics in this essay:
Africa Collected,
Mind Sully,
Heart Darkness,
Joseph Conrad,
moral failings,
moral failings weakness,
faith fear,
failings weakness,
unbridled power,
madness kurtz,
|
Acceptance Essays
