Allegorical Meanings of the Journey Depicted in Joseph...

For decades, Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness has been appreciated, studied, and speculated upon. Indeed, as a work of literature, the novella can be considered as one of the finest of the modern era not only because of it aesthetic value but also due to its underlying meanings. Many have speculated as to what the whole story means, what the characters, objects, and events represent, and what message the story is conveying. In the tradition of analyzing stories, this paper holds that the Marlow’s voyage to retrieve Kurtz is not a voyage per se but acts as an allegory to three journeys: one journey towards hell, another towards back in time, and lastly as a voyage towards one’s own psyche. Why is Marlow’s mission, or the ship’s voyage†¦show more content†¦However, the setting is not the only element that bespeaks of hell but rather is just a part of it. Perhaps a second, deeper hell in the voyage is the contrast in the setting between the conquerors and the conquered. In the jungle, where authority is absent, men are left to their own devices and are at liberty to do as they please. This is exemplified by the white man’s exploitation of the natives and their use of technology and power to drain the country of its riches. In a way, Marlow’s journey exposes him to a land where laws rarely exist, where imperialism reveals its darks side, and where men trample upon others just as they trample on the basic laws that govern social equality. But aside from signifying a journey towards hell, Marlow’s voyage is easily a trip back in time. As stated earlier, the Heart of Darkness features Africa as it looked during the late 19th century. Despite being under one empire, Britain and Africa are utterly different in almost every aspect. Marlow and his companions come from Britain which is characterized by burgeoning wealth, expanding urbanization, and continuous industrial growth. Adding to these are the empire’s large overseas territorial holdings and its position as a principal power among the nations. Being accustomed to such a setting, it is no wonder that for Marlow and the others, the voyage up the Congo River is similar to seeing the world during the stage that is untouched by civilization andShow MoreRelated Transformation in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Essay1685 Words   |  7 PagesTransformation in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since Francis Ford Coppola’s   Apocalypse Now was based on Joseph Conrads novel, Heart of Darkness, it is possible to draw many parallels between the two works. Both can be interpreted as metaphors for a journey through the inner self, and each has its own particular message to convey. In many ways they also appear to have similarities to Arthurian Legend, in particular the quest for the holy grail, and other allegorical journey narrativesRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesantagonist), as, for example, in most detective fiction. Internal conflict, on the other hand, is confined to the protagonist. In this case, the opposition is between two or more elements within the protagonist’s own character, as in Joseph Conrad’s â€Å"Heart of Darkness†, when Kurtz struggles (and fails) to subdue the savage instincts concealed beneath his civilized English veneer. Most plots, it should be noted, contain more than one conflict. In some cases, however, these multiple conflicts are presented