HEART OF DARKNESS & TALES OF UNREST

Author: Joseph Conrad
Year: 2018 (1899)
Publisher: Arcturus Publishing
Language: English

This summer, I seem to spend an unusual amount of time in the literary wilderness. Already having reviewed Henryk Sienkiewicz’s “In Desert and Wilderness” (see review from June 2023) and Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” (see review from August 2023), the time has come for me to try Joseph Conrad’s classic novella “Heart of Darkness” on for size.

“Heart of Darkness” is a cornerstone in modernist literature and delves into the complexities of imperialism and the darkest alcoves of the human psyche. Published in 1899, it remains a subject of critical analysis and debate, as it raises profound questions about the consequences of colonialism and the conflicted relationship of 19^th century Europeans to the ethnocentric and largely arbitrary distinction between civilization and savagery.

This story of modest proportions, provides a blistering critique of European imperialism and the rapacious exploitation of Africa. The novella's setting along the Congo River serves as a microcosm for the larger imperial project, where European powers used to extract ivory and resources with little regard for the indigenous populations. Conrad's portrayal of the company's brutality and the dehumanisation of Africans underlines the moral bankruptcy of imperialism. The Congo becomes a symbol of the darkness that lurks beneath the veneer of European civilisation. Although Africa is sometimes referred to as ‘the dark continent’, the darkness in Conrad’s story does not come from there. It comes from Europe.

The character Kurtz, in particular, epitomises the corrupting influence of power on a European mind. Initially portrayed as an idealistic and talented ivory trader, Kurtz descends into madness and brutality in the heart of Africa. This transformation raises questions about the perversive effect of unchecked power and the capacity for evil embedded in European mentality.

In simplified terms, it may appear straightforward to argue that the Nietzschean concept of will to power manifests itself in its full glory in Conrad’s novella. The company's exploitation of Africa and its resources, driven by a relentless quest for profit, could be cited as examples of the inherent human desire for control and mastery over others and over nature. Nietzsche’s ideas of master and slave mentality also come to mind. I find it useful for the understanding of Conrad’s critique of colonisation to dwell for a while on why Nietzsche’s concepts of master and slave morality do not in fact apply.

Among the key concepts of Nietzsche’s thinking is the distinction between Macht (power) and Kraft (strength), which is not always correctly understood by his readers. The idea of Kraft is largely associated with the ability to impose ones will upon another by force. Macht, on the other hand, is first and foremost directed at the individual’s ability to take control over one’s own actions, reactions, emotions, and ultimately course of life. If that includes imposing one’s will on others, so be it, but it is not the essential meaning of the core concept. This also relates to the Master and slave morality dichotomy. The Master morality is characterised by intrepidity, individualism, and nobility, whereas the slave is characterised by conformity, submission, and humility.

Looking at Heart of Darkness through the Nietzschean prism, one will be bound to see that the colonisers established and maintained their domination of Africa by the use of strength, but their actions are governed exclusively by external forces such as greed and the pursuit of social status. Their interest for self-development, high-mindedness, courage, and individualism is close to nil. The characters’ conformist pursuits push them to extremes and make them commit unthinkable actions in the name of obedience and submission to social expectations. They are, by the looks of it, driven by slave morality and unable to obtain power without losing their minds. Conrad’s genius is thus to turn the self-aggrandised image of colonial Europe against itself as if he were holding up a mirror to a boastful creature thinking itself to be a prince, only for it to see that it is in fact a frog. To Nietzsche, the will do power leads to the rise of the Übermensch. There is no sign of an Übermensch in “Heart of Darkness”.

Now, while “Heart of Darkness” is a powerful critique of colonialism, it has also been criticised itself for its racist undertones. Some argue that Conrad's portrayal of Africans and his use of racial stereotypes reflect the prejudices of his time. This aspect of the novella has led to ongoing debates about whether the work is inherently racist or a condemnation of racism. My position in this ongoing debate, which also encompasses many other works of art from times long past, is that each writer in his or her time, uses the language that is available to them. There is a reason Mozart did not compose jazz tunes. Conrad used the language and the symbols available to him at the time. Even if he had been capable to write any differently, his message may not have been intelligible to the readers of his era. His intentions and his anti-colonial agenda could not be clearer and I am not willing to sacrifice that on a conceptual altar that was not erected until a century later.

Having said that, my final note is on the writing itself. Picking up this title, I was fully aware of Conrad’s legendary use of the English language, having read some of his works before. I braced myself for a ride on the rapids of linguistic contortion. I was however rather disappointed by the end result. In my view, the purpose of advanced use of language is to increase accuracy of the communication and to embellish or deepen the story telling. In Conrad’s case, more often than not, I found the choice of less frequently used words in the English language pointless. As if the writer was looking for, or even manufacturing, opportunities to squeeze in an odd, technical, or archaic word into the text. Some sentences seem to be there just to show off a particular vocabulary. Even still, despite all this forced variety, the word “brooding” occurs no less than five times in the first few pages of the book. One would think that a writer who by all conceivable accounts seems to have swallowed a thesaurus, would have managed to find a synonym for his favourite word.

“Heart of Darkness” is not the only story in this volume. It is followed by a series of five short-stories under the collective title “Tales of Unrest”.

“Karain – A Memory” is one of Conrad’s early Malay stories and is about how a Dutchman bulldozes into a fragile Malay society and brings dishonour to the people. It tells about their revenge and their remorse as manifested by an imagined ghost haunting their chieftain.

“The Idiots” is set in Europe, more specifically in Brittany. The story describes how a couple has one child after the other, each with a mental disorder and how the stress that this puts on the family leads to fatal consequences.

“An Outpost of Progress” brings the reader to West Africa. Two moderately qualified administrators for a trading post are duped by their local foreman into accepting outrageous terms for a transaction of ivory which ultimately leads to a deadly rift between them.  

“The Return” is based in the City of London and circles around how an up-and-coming gentleman’s response to his wife almost (but not actually) cheating on him spirals out of control and about how artificial appearances clash with human desire.

“The Lagoon” brings Conrad back to the rivers of Malaysia and tells the story of an indigenous man who is so blinded by love for a woman that he is capable of no other decisions than those which will immediately guarantee his possession of her.

Though still composed in a language that is varied and advanced, none of these short stories suffers from the same conspicuous linguistic preternaturalness that encumbers “Heart of Darkness”. The title of the collection as a whole is quite appropriate as there is a disturbance, a tension, or an element of asymmetry or disequilibrium in each of them that is enough to incinerate the entire fabric of reality for the characters. I particularly enjoyed “An Outpost of Progress” which I found to capture the frailty of European self-image and our inability to make rational decisions when required to act off-script in a foreign environment. The savage inside of us, Conrad seems to say, is never farther away than our next act of greed, ambition, or desire. For a species that has the audacity to call itself ‘the thinking man’, we sure are governed a lot by our primal instincts.

Finally, a shoutout to Peter Gray and Peter Ridley for the beautiful cover.