Heart of Darkness – Autobiographical workor

Heart of Darkness – Record of Conrad’s own experience in Congo

Topic

Heart of Darkness – An Autobiography

Conrad’s Biography – His Interest in Congo Conrad’s journey to the Congo Conrad’s Experiences in Congo Conrad’s journey resembles to the Marlow's journey Persons during journey resemble the Characters in Novel Resemblance between thinking of Conrad and Marlow Marlow the mouthpiece of Conrad

Joseph Conrad

o Born 1857 in Russian-occupied Polando Joined French Merchant Marine at the age of 16 o Joined British Merchant Marine 1878o Left the sea & began writing 1894o Died 1924 & buried in Canterbury

o With the help of a relative in Brussels he got the position as captain of a steamer for a Belgian trading company.

o Conrad had always dreamed of sailing the Congo. He was at only 9 when looking at the map of Africa, He said, “when I grow up, I shall go there.”And in the novel Marlow also tells his friend on the deck of steamboat that, in his boyhood, he had dreamed to go there.

Conrad’s Biography – His Interest in Congo

Conrad’s Journey to the Congo

In a work called ‘A Personal Record’, Conrad describes his visit to Congo in 1890.

Conrad accompanied by Henry Morton Stanley who had explored the jungles of Central Africa and penetrated right into the heart of the dark continent. Conrad’s interest in Africa was greatly increased by Stanley’s exciting experiences and discoveries.

Stanley’s exploration of the dark continent led to the Belgian King Leopold-ll taking control of the region.

As a result of Stanley’s exploration, certain trading stations and administration centers were established.

By the time Conrad reached the Congo, it had almost become the private property of King Leopold-ll.

The colonial exploitation of Congo had begun, Conrad described this exploitation as the vilest scramble for loot that ever disfigured the history of human conscience and geographical exploitation.

Conrad’s Journey to the Congo

Conrad’s Experiences in Congo

Conrad described the experiences in ‘Congo Diary’Conrad felt very pleased to visit the region of his boyhood dreams.

Conrad had unpleasant experiences as well.Congo Diary informs us that hardly 60% of the company’s European employees were able to stay in Congo for 6 months.Hardly 7% Europeans could withstand the climate.Thus Conrad began to feel disillusioned with this region.

Marlow’s reaction to most people he meets is similar to Conrad’s reaction to the people he whom he met.

Conrad’s Experiences in Congo

Conrad also felt disappointed to find that Europeans speak ill of one another, and had very little else to do.In the course of his visit, Conrad had to walk over rocky territory in the scorching sun, camping at night in the amp and cold, and facing threats of mutiny from the porters.

Conrad’s journey resembles to the Marlow's journey

Congo in 1890’s

Inner Station

Conrad’s journey resembles to theMarlow’s journey

Conrad himself travelled in a steamer throughout his journey so he portrays the adventure in the shape of Marlow’s journey.

During the voyage some problem occurs in their steamer as in the novel we see a similar kind of problem with Marlow’s.

Description of several stations which are the trading stations in actual journey are described as some kind of small ports and staying areas in the novel.

Persons during journey resemble the Characters in Novel

An agent called Klein, the original of Mr. KurtzConrad’s duty was to bring one of the company’s agent whose health had been failing. The agent was Klein. He had been placed in command of the company’s station at Stanley Falls in 1890. It was the person who was transformed into Mr. Kurtz in Heart of Darkness.

At central station Conrad Quarreled with the station manager. Thus in the novel Marlow makes unfavorable comments on the manager of the central station.

Resemblance between thinking of Conrad and Marlow

Mentally; Marlow, like Conrad, feels a strong sense of disillusion and disappointment after observing the behavior of white traders and also the miserable condition of the lives of the natives.The colonial exploitation of the dark continent by the white traders in ivory, as witnessed by Conrad himself, is described by Marlow

Resemblance between thinking of Conrad and Marlow

Marlow experiences the sense of enlightenment and the same process of maturing through disillusion and defeat which Conrad himself underwent too.

Marlow undergoes an extreme personal crises, and this crisis is very much the same through which Conrad himself underwent.

Thus both in externals and in terms of the inward mental life, Marlow meets the same fate which Conrad had met.

Marlow the mouthpiece of Conrad

“We live, as we dream – alone.”

We can read Conrad’s own mind in such remarks. Marlow is more or less a lonely, isolated figure too despite the presence before him four or five associates to whom he tells his story.Marlow appears as a pessimist in the novel and Conrad himself was a pessimist too.On the whole Conrad had certain depressing ideas about life in general, and Marlow too expresses similar ideas about life.

Marlow the mouthpiece of Conrad

We can read Conrad’s own mind in Marlow’s such utterances as Marlow’s declaring that he hates and detest a lie not because he is straighter than other people but simply because a lie appals him.

Conclusion

It has to be recognized that Heart of Darkness is, to a large extent, an autobiographical book because, in most of the essentials, Marlow’s experiences and feelings are very much the same as Conrad’s own had been.

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