Exploring The Feminist Potential In The Heart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness was first published in 1899 and while it remains one of Joseph Conrad’s most celebrated works, it has also attracted its fair share of criticism and controversy due to the way that it depicts its female characters.

This article will explore more on how the author’s portrayal of women, both black and white, can be seen as a potential form of feminist commentary on colonialism and its negative effects on people from all walks of life, including but not limited to the few female characters in the story.

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Conrad’s Portrayal of Women

Feminist criticism holds that Conrad fails to fully flesh out his female characters as he does with male ones. Women are not given deeper context as complex people but are used as meaningless symbols when isolated from one another—empty vessels for what Conrad wishes them to represent. Also, despite being set in the Belgian Congo, where women hold a large cultural significance, few female characters are featured in the story at all.

His African Queen becomes a representation of dark nature and an eroticized symbol of her atavistic allure. Meanwhile, Kurtz’s “intented” (aka fiancee) is only significant as far as she demonstrates society’s illusionary reality. Neither woman has any agency or depth, and neither is given a name—a rhetorical strategy that proves less about Conrad highlighting how words can fail us but more how he prioritizes the voice of his male characters over those belonging to women ones.

Other criticism comes from the way the women are described. The fiancee is described as a worthless female to be used at the whim of Krutz. The Aunt is described as frail and dependent. The sister is compared to a child. The african queen is “evil” and “dangerous”. The russian is, apparently, a “witch”. Nothing positive to be said about any of the female characters.

Much contemporary analysis – including postcolonial and feminist critiques – is focused not only on the text but on other commentaries as well. This helps elucidate how academic discussions might inadvertently perpetuate some of the less desirable aspects of a novel like Heart of Darkness.

Moreover, this means that Heart of Darkness occupies an ever-changing position in the literary canon: no longer seen as a revealing text about human depravity, but instead now understood for what it is—an object produced by depraved individuals and which replicates these qualities itself.

Long Lasting Negative Effects

As mentioned before, women are depicted as weak and submissive, and are often seen as nothing more than sexual objects. This portrayal of women is harmful and can lead to negative consequences for women in society.

One of the most harmful effects of this portrayal is that it can lead to women being seen as inferior to men. This can result in women being treated poorly, both in society and in relationships. Additionally, it can lead to women being seen as objects, rather than as human beings. This can lead to sexual harassment and assault, as well as to a general feeling of devaluation and worthlessness.

The portrayal of women in Heart of Darkness is not only harmful to women, but it is also harmful to society as a whole. When women are seen as inferior, it can lead to a lack of respect for women and a feeling that they are not worth as much as men. This can create a rift in society, and can lead to discrimination and violence against women.

It is important to be aware of the negative effects that Heart of Darkness has on women, and to work towards countering these effects. One way to do this is to support women who have been affected by the book, and to work to create a more positive portrayal of women in literature and in society.

A Summary of Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness is told from multiple perspectives; the narration bounces from character to character. The novella begins with a group of passengers aboard a boat floating on the River Thames. While they are enjoying their time while drifting, one of them, Charlie Marlowe, starts telling his fellow travelers about his adventure in Africa, which he claims is extremely interesting and amazing.

His story starts in Europe, where he navigates through various cities and villages until arriving at the sepulchral city. In the story, he suddenly hears footsteps behind him and turns around quickly, only to find himself face-to-face with someone who gives him a clear look before disappearing into the darkness.

After arriving in Africa, he sees the evils of imperialism firsthand—the violence it causes to those exploited by European greed and the dehumanizing effects of colonial rule. He starts hearing tales of a man called Kurtz – an infamous colonialist who was thought to never fail in procuring ivory from Africa’s deep interior for the company.

Soon the were rumors that this beloved figure had been sick (and perhaps gone mad?) which meant that if these were true, then all hope would be lost for them – because what could they do without him? Marlow is given command of his steamer and a mixed crew of Europeans and Africans to man it.

As he penetrates deeper into the jungle, it becomes clear that his surroundings are impacting him psychologically: his journey not only into the geographical ‘heart of darkness’ but also into his psychic interior- and maybe even the dark recesses of Western civilization as well.

After struggling through countless setbacks, Marlow finally arrives at Kurtz’s territory. He finds Kurtz with his tribe of natives conducting raids on other tribes for resources. The older man is frail and unhinged, both physically and mentally, so much so that Marlow has to force him aboard the boat after threatening him multiple times.

As they depart from the coast again, Marlow orders his men to shoot at an indigenous group of people, one of whom is a woman whom he described in vivid detail as an exotic creature—just for her having been allied with Kurtz for such a short amount of time.

Kurtz dies on the journey back up the river, but not before exposing Marlow to his experiences of human evil in Africa. “The horror! The horror!” he exclaims before succumbing to death. Marlow nearly follows suit, barely making it out alive; even now, his chest stings when taking a deep breath or moving too quickly from sitting to standing.

Nevertheless, despite his lingering discomfort, he heals properly over time, which gives him plenty of time to think about what was at stake during his voyage upriver and how much had changed when it all came crashing down eventually.

A year after his return to Europe, Marlow visits Kurtz’s partner. She is represented—as several of Heart of Darkness’s female characters are— as naively sheltered from the horrors of this world. She praises and adores Kritz. Marlow can only hope to protect her innocence for as long as possible. He pauses before telling her about Kurtz’s last words because he knows it will sadden her, but again finds himself lying when he says that Krutz’s last words were her name.

Final Takeaways

Despite the fact that Heart of Darkness is set in the late 19th century, its treatment of women is strikingly modern. Throughout the book, women are portrayed as objects to be controlled and used by men. They are treated as second-class citizens, expected to be submissive and obedient. This is most evident in the character of Kurtz’s girlfriend, who is never given a name and is referred to simply as “the girl.” She is portrayed as a victim who is completely under Kurtz’s control. Even after Kurtz’s death, she remains loyal to him, despite the fact that he treated her horribly.

This negative treatment of women is a reflection of the patriarchal society of the time. Women were seen as property of their husbands or fathers, and were not given the same rights as men. This is an unfortunate reality that still exists in many parts of the world today. Conrad’s book serves as a reminder that we must continue to fight for equality for all.