What Does Heart Of Darkness Symbolize Imperialism

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In “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad, the author presents the reader with two different kinds of savagery: the aggressive and barbaric nature of the Congo natives and the oppressiveness of the European imperialist culture, asking which of the two is the greater evil. Although Conrad remains ambivalent throughout the course of the novel, the fact that he asks this question is in and of itself a criticism of imperialism, for unlike tribal nature, imperialism attempts to justify its savagery. In this story the main character Marlow symbolizes positiveness within Imperialism. Marlow then comes to terms with the brutality that negative Imperialism has caused to happen and make the decision that it is unnecessary. When he states, "I had got a heavenly mission to civilize you,”(Conrad) he shows his good intentions to help the Africans flourish as a society. Furthermore, when he says, "I was an impostor,”(Conrad 193) Marlow then learns the…show more content…
He is degenerate, cutthroat, presumptuous and egotistical. He symbolizes the self-importance of Europeans as they experienced local Africans. His great wellbeing symbolizes the everlastingness of Europeans who attacked Africa and their capacity to ceaselessly come to Africa and assault it of its characteristic assets. He is the genuine image of the shrewd and chilly healthiness of settlers. The manager was an outline of a set up radical force. He was very much settled in, as exhibited by the reality that he controls every one of the stations. A sample of his control over others was the point at which he had the young black kid whipped for the burning of the shed. He states, “Clear this poor devil out of the country, and don't bother sending more of that sort. I had rather be alone than have the kind of men you can dispose of with me”(Conrad 207). Likewise, he is an expansionist and wishes to crush Kurtz and gain a monopoly on the

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