HOD

Joseph Conrad was consumed with writing about the human condition and the underlying circumstances that drive humans to do the things they do. He recognized early on that the psyche can be an enhancer, a redeemer, and a destroyer. Heart of Darkness is not only a tale of Marlow’s self-discovery in the Congo, but one which exposes and redefines morality, amorality, and immorality. This moral ambiguity is a common thread throughout Marlow’s story deriving from his inconsistent moral standards relying on the activity of societal checks and cultural norms. On the other hand, Kurtz neither survives nor returns from the heart of darkness because he takes advantage of his surrounding and thus suffers from moral regression. Kurtz therefore represents the effect of Freud’s “uncontrollable personal needs” acting as the physical representation of Marlow’s unfulfilled desires.