Heart of Darkness Summary, Character list, Historical context, Settings

Heart of Darkness Summary, Character list, Historical context, Settings | Try.Fulfil

Heart of Darkness is a novella written by Joseph Conrad centering the theme of European colonialization in the central Africa.

Heart of Darkness Summary: Historical context:-

The writer of the novella ‘Heart of Darkness’ Joseph Conrad had an experience of visiting Congo, a part of the central Africa. He spent one year in Congo in 1890. The novella is the representation of Conrad’s visit to Congo. He worked in “the Belgium Company.”

European country Belgium made Congo a colony. King Leopard 2 of Belgium decreed in 1889 that his mission is to make the African civilized. For him, Africa was a dark continent and Europeans had the right to civilize the continent which was uneducated, without government, without culture, uncivilized.

King Leopard led Congo as his personal property separating it from Belgium government. He was very harsh to the people he maintained colonial standards.

Ivory trade was the main way of income for the Europeans in Congo.

Heart of Darkness Summary: Settings:-

The novella ‘Heart of Darkness’ has two settings. One is at the beginning when first narrator narrates the story. The rest is in the story told by Marlow.

At first, the setting is in a cruising yawl or yacht on the Thames River in England. The second setting is Brussels, the capital of Belgium and then it turns to the Congo River and Congo. Then, it back to Brussels.

Heart of Darkness Summary: summary of ‘Heart of Darkness’ – by Try.Fulfil English Literature:-

The novella opens in a yacht where five persons were waiting for the tide on the Thames River to head out to the sea. They started telling stories. Marlow, the best storyteller started telling his story of visiting Congo last year.

The European city, African river and country weren’t mentioned in the novella, it seems Brussels, Congo River and Congo, the African country.

Marlow was working in an Ivory trading company of Europe named ‘The Company’. The company gave Marlow the task of taking back one of their agents in Africa named Kurtz.

Then, Marlow starts his travel to central Africa on a French steamer. He reached to the coastal Outer Station and walked 200 miles to the Central Station.

Reaching in Central Station, Marlow knew that his steamer was sunk and was surprised. Further, he meets with the Central Station Manager. He needed three to repair the steamer and thought that somebody sunk his steamer to make him delay to meet Kurtz. And in this time, Kurtz would die out of illness. There he met with a brickmaker whom he suspected as a spy of the station manager. He also heard the conversation of the station manager and his uncle about Kurtz. They were criticizing Kurtz.

After he set off for the Inner Station where Kurtz were working. In the way, 8 miles from the Inner station, their steamer was attacked by native Africans when the helmsman of his steamer was killed. Marlow pitched his body to the water because the crew members were cannibalistic.

After all, Marlow met Kurtz. Kurtz told Marlow that the natives asked him to write a report for the Suppression of savage customs. Marlow thought he went mad.

At the Inner Station, Marlow met with a Russian man who told him about Kurtz, “Kurtz often visits the natives and they love him. The natives have attacked Marlow because they don’t want to get Kurtz back to Europe.”

When Kurtz arrived, he was too ill. Marlow understood that the Manager suspects him as he also think as Kurtz and doesn’t trust Marlow. When they started the trip, Kurtz was dying. Marlow had feelings for Kurtz. Kurtz died in the way saying “The horror, The horror.”

Backing to Europe, Marlow published the report of Kurtz and delivered his letter to his Fiancée. He lied to the fiancée that Kurtz died uttering her name.

Then the scene turns to the Yacht where Marlow was telling his story.