Heart of Darkness

What is the setting of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness?

The novella is set in the 1890s during European colonization of Africa.

Who is the main character and storyteller in Heart of Darkness?

Marlow

What task is Marlow given by the company?

To pick up an agent named Kurtz in Africa.

What does Marlow discover about Kurtz's methods?

Kurtz employs questionable methods to collect more ivory than other company stations.

What happens to Marlow's steamer at the Central Station?

It is sunk at the bottom of the river.

What does Marlow overhear about Kurtz's character?

Hints of Kurtz's questionable character and behavior.

What is the fate of Marlow's helmsman?

He is killed during an attack by natives.

What does Kurtz say before he dies?

'The horror! The horror!'

What is a major theme of Heart of Darkness?

Racism and the exploitation of native peoples.

How does Marlow view the native people?

He shows sympathy for them but does not see them as equals.

What does Marlow call the native people?

Savages and cannibals.

What is the true goal of the company in Africa?

To plunder Africa's resources for profit.

What does Kurtz's greed for power represent?

The essence of imperialist logic.

What hypocrisy does Marlow observe in the company?

They criticize Kurtz's brutality while ignoring their own.

What does Marlow's aunt believe about the company?

She believes it represents Christian moral values.

What does Marlow know about the company's true motivations?

That they are primarily motivated by profit.

What symbolism is prevalent in Heart of Darkness?

Darkness symbolizes human origins and the moral corruption of imperialism. The land of the congo is also referred to as the Heart of Darkness.

What does Marlow imply about England's past?

That it was once a dark place before Roman conquest.

What does the darkness in the jungle represent?

Metaphoric darkness of the unknown, difference, and blindness.

How does Marlow's journey reflect on European colonialism?

It critiques the brutality and greed behind the guise of civilization.

What is the significance of the Thames River in the novella?

It serves as a contrast to the darkness of the African jungle.

What does Marlow decide to do with Kurtz's papers?

He agrees to protect them and Kurtz's reputation.

What does the phrase 'the horror' signify in the context of the novella?

It signifies Kurtz's realization of the darkness within humanity.

What does Marlow's encounter with the Russian reveal about Kurtz?

It reveals Kurtz's extreme methods and his adoration by the natives.

What does the ending of the novella return to?

The five friends on the yacht, reflecting on Marlow's tale.

What does Kurtz's heart symbolize in Heart of Darkness?

The metaphoric darkness and lost morality of the colonizers.

What do the decapitated heads on Kurtz's fence posts symbolize?

Kurtz's depravity and the brutality of colonialism.

What does ivory represent in the novella?

Greed and the corrupting influence of colonialism on Europeans.

How does Marlow describe the significance of ivory?

As something valuable that Europeans worship, akin to a religion.

How is Kurtz's appearance described at his death?

He is described as having an 'ivory face' and a bald head 'like an ivory ball.'

Who is Charlie Marlow?

The protagonist and narrator who captains a steamboat up the Congo River.

What does Marlow's journey reveal about imperialism?

It exposes the brutality and hypocrisy of colonial practices.

What is the role of the jungle in Heart of Darkness?

It acts as an antagonist that corrupts Kurtz and threatens Marlow.

Who is the manager of the Central Station?

A cold, calculating man indifferent to the suffering of native people.

What motivates the manager of the Central Station?

Greed and power, particularly jealousy of Kurtz's success.

How does the Russian character view Kurtz?

He idolizes Kurtz, contrasting with Marlow's more critical perspective.

What does Marlow think of the helmsman?

He respects him despite calling him an 'unstable fool.'

What challenge does Heart of Darkness present to modern readers?

It confronts the issues of colonial violence and racism.

What was Joseph Conrad's background?

He was born in Ukraine to Polish nobility and experienced political oppression early in life.

When did Conrad travel up the Congo River?

In 1890, which influenced his writing of Heart of Darkness.

What was the initial reception of Heart of Darkness?

It received moderate critical praise upon publication in 1899.

What did Conrad aim to expose through his writing?

The barbarous colonial control and exploitation by Belgium in Central Africa.

Who was King Leopold II of Belgium?

He led efforts to control trade along the Congo River in the late 1800s.

What strategy did Leopold II use to claim authority over Central Africa?

He used trade agreements with indigenous groups as a pretext for colonization.

What does Marlow's admiration for Kurtz reveal?

A complex relationship of both admiration and abhorrence toward Kurtz's character.

What literary convention does the Harlequin character represent?

The wise fool, emphasizing the absurdity of the colonial situation.

What is the significance of the phrase 'the word ivory rang in the air'?

It illustrates the obsession and reverence Europeans have for ivory.

What does the term 'rapacious colonial violence' refer to?

The brutal and exploitative practices of European colonizers in Africa.

How does Conrad's personal history influence his writing?

His experiences with oppression shaped his understanding of human nature's duality.

Who ran the Congo Free State as his personal property?

King Leopold II of Belgium

What conference codified the existence of the Congo Free State?

The Berlin West Africa Conference of 1884 and 1885

What was the impact of Belgian rule on the Congolese population?

At least 10 million Congolese people died between 1880 and 1920, reducing the population by half.

What major resource was exported from the Congo Free State from 1888 to 1890?

Ivory

When did the Congo gain independence?

In 1960

What is the setting of Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness?

The Congo Free State during the height of European colonization in the 1890s.

What is the name of the company Marlow works for in Heart of Darkness?

The Company

Who is the agent that Marlow is sent to relieve?

Kurtz

What does Marlow think of Kurtz's methods for collecting ivory?

He thinks Kurtz has gone mad.

What happens to Marlow's steamer on his journey?

It is sunk at the bottom of the river.

What does the darkness symbolize in Heart of Darkness?

Both the literal darkness of the jungle and the metaphorical darkness in the hearts of the Company agents.

What does ivory symbolize in the novella?

The greed and corruption of the Europeans.

What literary figure does the Russian resemble in Heart of Darkness?

A Harlequin, emphasizing absurdity and the wise fool archetype.

What do the drums represent for Marlow?

The unnerving vitality of native life.

What do the two women knitting dark wool symbolize?

The knitting of funeral shrouds, reinforcing the theme of darkness.

What primary theme reflects the racism of the time in Heart of Darkness?

Racism

What does the Company claim is its goal in Africa?

To civilize the native people, while the true goal is to gain power and money.

What hypocrisy is evident in the Company's actions?

They recall Kurtz for excessive brutality while overlooking their own brutality.

How do the agents of the Company behave compared to the native people?

They behave in a more barbaric manner than the so-called savages.

What polarized views exist regarding Conrad's Heart of Darkness?

Chinua Achebe labeled Conrad as a 'bloody racist,' while others consider it one of the greatest short novels of the 20th century.

What nuanced appreciation exists for Heart of Darkness?

It tracks Marlow's condemnation of colonial violence while acknowledging its foundation in Western racist thinking.

What literary movement significantly influenced 'Heart of Darkness'?

Modernism

What narrative technique is prominently used in 'Heart of Darkness'?

A complex narrative structure with a first-person unreliable narrator

How does 'Heart of Darkness' reflect modernist themes regarding morality?

It presents ambiguous morality and critiques societal norms, leaving much open to interpretation.

What is a hallmark of modernist literature as seen in 'Heart of Darkness'?

The distrust of absolute truth and objective reality

What key characteristic of modernism is evident in the symbolism used in 'Heart of Darkness'?

Symbolism that challenges traditional Victorian norms

What aspect of the human experience does 'Heart of Darkness' explore?

The human psyche

What does the novella 'Heart of Darkness' deliberately avoid providing?

Clear-cut answers regarding morality and the nature of good and evil