Conrad and Darkness: Themes of a Masterpiece Novel

There is a specific class of literature that accomplishes both complexity and brevity in a way that provokes deep thinking without slipping into the abyss of senselessness. These pieces compact layers upon layers of perspectives, thoughts, actions, and emotions until there is not one but several themes that a reader can ponder or even create for themselves. 

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is approximate 70 pages filled to the brim with harsh commentary on the dangerous travels of old seaman Marlowe down the Congo River at the height of the age of Imperialism. Every page presents lines on the state of specific characters who represent states of human society, creating one large picture of the consequences and perspectives that society has as a result of various group's actions. The symbols and motifs throughout the novel itself offer dramatic insight in a dark yet snarky way that show Conrad's thoughts and ideas about the state of humanity as a whole.

One of these such symbols is ivory and the white traders that are stationed along the river. With the most significant of these persons being one Mr. Kurtz, the central focus of Marlowe's travel downstream, the idea of more ivory equaling more power and success directly reflects those who hunger for money and power in any society. The upper elite continuously battle for larger income, expansive territory or business, and widespread reputation, a parallel that Conrad portrays with Kurtz's success and other businessmen, like the manager's thirst to become bigger, better, and more efficient. Throughout the novel, the thirst for ivory and the continual obsession to obtain it captures the minds of many, as Marlowe observes, and creates a sense of tension that persists through til the end of his travels. 

This symbolism connects to a larger idea Conrad portrays throughout the work: the idea of darkness representing the unequal and violent state of society. Through Marlowe's recount of his experience, the idea of darkness is constant, with not only the people but also the surroundings being described as dark or monstrous. This is yet another, larger parallel by Conrad, connecting these descriptions with the state of the world at the time, with heavy negativity and inequality a large part of common life. At the end of the novel, outside of Marlowe's story, the narrator ends the work with their current ship sailing off into the darkness, drawing the idea full circle. Not only did the darkness exist in Marlowe's story, it continues to prevail in the present, with the elite still violently oppressing the common people, and greed, lust for power, and violent ambition dominating the actions of many. This ending leaves the reader to think not only on the events of Conrad's novel but also the state of their society, here in the 21st Century. 

The novel leaves endless questions and possibilities open for hours upon hours of discussion. What was the true meaning? Was Marlowe's story real? Was Marlowe or the narrator himself even reliable? There seems to be no correct answer, just the continual repetition of the effects of darkness, both literally and figuratively.