Despite being a classic, I admit that before I read Heart of Darkness (and in fact after I'd read it, before I'd researched it!), I wasn't really sure what it was about. The title undoubtedly suggests a dark story, but I didn't know whether the heart was a metaphor, or that of a person or place. It turns out that it's all three. Actually, it could be something else entirely; the title is left open to interpretation, as is Conrad's ambiguous central character, Kurtz.
The novella tells the story of Marlow, a sailor who takes a job as a captain with the Company, a Belgian organisation that trades in ivory in the Congo. He journeys up the river on a steamboat in a quest to meet with Kurtz, the chief of the Inner Station who has been described to him, somewhat obscurely, as a most remarkable man. Yet as Marlow and his crew near their destination, they enter into a darker world away from civilisation, where imperialism has led to slavery and savagery. The oppressive and smothering mist adds to the tension and the ambiguity of the situation. They hear that Kurtz is ill, the implication being that he has gone mad, and they fear that he might be dead by the time they arrive.
In case you want to read it for yourself, I won't go on and give away the ending. Personally, I enjoyed reading this book, thanks to Conrad's beautiful way with words, as well as the appealing character of Marlow. I also found myself wanting to 'meet' the curious Kurtz just as much as he did, which kept me reading on.
Had I not read up on it, however, I'm sure I would have missed out on many of the underlying messages and themes, which would have undoubtedly caused me to be less appreciative of Conrad's creation. So, seeing as the book itself is only around 110 pages long, I don't think reading a quick analysis before or afterwards would do anyone any harm!
Next up is something a little lighter- Jane Austin's Emma.
Have you read Heart of Darkness? What did you think?
Harriet x
