The Role of Marlow as Narrator in Joseph Conrads Heart...

The Role of Marlow as Narrator in Heart of Darkness Whether Marlow is, or is not, Conrad has been discussed extensively. Clearly, Marlow is both, at the same time that he is neither. Heart of Darkness is not, then, Marlows story exclusively. And if we examine it for a moment as the creation of the nameless member of Marlows audience, it takes on a different coloration. The narrators inclusion of Marlows story within his point of view appears as a deliberate attempt on his part to frame the concrete world and mans involvement with this world in a vision which negates the reality of both. Heart of Darkness creates for us the visible surface of life, but does so in such a way that we never forget that this surface is†¦show more content†¦Like Kurtz and Marlow, the anonymous narrator makes his voyage into the darkness, a voyage defined by the Nellies swing during the course of the narrative from its position facing the luminous estuary to its final heading into the heart of an immense darkness. Yet it is clear from the narrators calm acceptance of this final vision, an acceptance which contrasts so strongly with Marlows lie to the Intended, that he does not feel threatened. Because he has accepted the darkness to the point where even the final commitment to a positive self vanishes, he is not susceptible to the sense of vulnerability which overwhelms Marlow. He can say, in the words Conrad used to Cunninghame-Graham, je ne regrete rien,- je nespà ¨re rien, car je maperà §ois que ni le regret ni lespà ©rance signifient rien à   ma personalità ©. For this narrator, then, the act of writing Heart of Darkness is an act of self-denial, a self-denial which is apparent in the very tone of the narrators voice. In contrast to Kurtz and Marlow, his voice has a curiously passive quality, so that, although he occasionally uses the first person, his statements do not really appear as acts of assertion by an I. Significantly, he presents himself as a listener, not as an actor or speaker, andShow MoreRelated moralhod Relative Morality in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness1511 Words   |  7 PagesRelative Morality in Heart of Darkness      Ã‚  Ã‚   It has been well documented by critics that modernist literature departs from the blind acceptance of beliefs, religious beliefs in particular, evident in literature of prior periods (Abrams 1).   As Jump notes [...] the modern western world is less sure of its values than most previous cultures with which we are familiar; relativism and subjectivity are facts of everyday experience (15).   Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is no exception.   TheRead MoreJoseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness957 Words   |  4 Pages1977 focuses on the racist views woven into Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella, Heart of Darkness. Achebe claims that Conrad uses many western stereotypes of Africa and subtly weaves them below the surface of his writing. 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Marlow be gins here his only overt characterization of imperialism.Read More The Role of Women in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay969 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role of Women in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Women have taken an increasingly important role in literature. Only recently have authors portrayed women in a dominant, protagonistic light. Sophocles and other classical writers portrayed women more as reactors than heroines. Since the ancient Greeks, however, a trend has been established that gives women characters much more substance and purpose. A definite shift from the antediluvian ways can be seen, and the overall complexity