Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a link between Victorian and modern literary values and ideals, something which is evident in his writing. Victorian values focused on heroism whilst modern ideals are more centered on being critical-Conrad's hero is Marlow, a sailor, but Marlow still criticises contemporary colonialism and imperialism and Conrad has set the story on a stage other than Europe. Conrad's criticisms are voiced through Marlow, and although he could be considered Conrad's mouthpiece, this is not necessarily true. To provide some space and objectivity between the main narrator, Marlow, and his own personal story, Conrad makes use of a first person narrator who tells the story as he is listening to Marlow's story; the nameless first narrator is used in the first of two settings, on the ship, the Nellie, and Marlow's story itself begins in Brussels, continues to a ship which then sails to the Congo, and after visiting various locations along the Congo River, the story ends back in Europe. The setting aboard the Nellie and the first narrator create a narrative framework for the novella and for Marlow's own story.
             Marlow is an introspective sailor, and is served to the reader in the form of the traditional hero-tough, honest, and a capable and independent thinker, but he also appears as a broken man, the world has defeated him in some way, which also makes him sceptical, weary and cynical of the world. Marlow tells the yarn in an attempt to educate his fellow crew in the understanding of the world beyond oneself, and in the judgement of other people. The
             'novella is intended to be a commentary on the imperialistic exploitation of Africa, so he (Conrad) provided Marlow with an audience of his fellow tools of exploitation. By manipulating the reactions and thoughts of Marlow's audience, Conrad supplies an example of how he would like his own audience to react: list...