A Theme of Imperialism in The Heart of Darkness

Introduction to Imperialism

Imperialism can be defined as a policy that helped foreign countries to expand their influence and territory through militarism or diplomacy. As we discussed in our World History class, this type of governance was different from colonialism because it forced the natives to adopt the customs, traditions, and beliefs of foreign countries. In my opinion, the book “Heart of Darkness” written by Joseph Conrad illustrates both cases, as the French and Belgian empires forced Africans to adopt their customs and practices using violence. Consequently, they expanded their territories and commerce with products that could only be found there, like ivory (Conrad, 1899).

A Theme of Imperialism in "Heart of Darkness"

Based on the facts mentioned, I will discuss specific parts of the reading that explain the situation of the natives and the violence implemented by outsiders. Additionally, I will share how the sailors perceived the African jungle from their perspective. Marlow, the protagonist, was a captain of a steamship that transported ivory from the center of Africa, known as the Belgian Congo, to the empires of France and Belgium. This journey took several months to reach the settlements where ivory traffickers were located. During these months, the crew had to make stops along the river where some settlements were built.

The imperialism led to a situation where the empires did not know the languages of their neighbors, while the Africans learned the language of their conquerors. Joseph Conrad wrote, “I could not believe my eyes! They were encrypted! Yes, they looked like encryption” (Conrad, 1899), referring to the notes Marlow found in a book in an abandoned house. When Marlow discovered the author of the notes, he realized that the "encryptions" were actually in Russian, a language not so common at the time.

Resistance and Subjugation

It is important to note that not every native of Africa was “domesticated.” Many tribes continued their normal lives while hiding from foreigners because they did not want to adopt foreign traditions or become slaves. These natives were considered savage, but sometimes they could be seduced by the gifts from traffickers or by their treats or knowledge. Mr. Kurtz, an ivory trafficker, aimed to vindicate a group of savages, and he succeeded after a few months. The tribe that Mr. Kurtz influenced adored him, and he felt part of the tribe without losing his objective of obtaining ivory.

What I did not mention is that Mr. Kurtz was the best trafficker in the French empire, although some people disliked his methods and wanted him dead. Most seafarers did not know all of the Belgian Congo, and venturing deep into the jungles (often referred to as the "heart of darkness" in the book) frightened them, as they were unsure of what would happen to them. Imperialism contributed to this ignorance, as African territories were divided among European countries, each with its own territories that others could not enter. Additionally, some zones were dangerous due to savage tribes that could attack ships and crews (Hampson, 2002).

Cultural Clashes and Consequences

One intriguing situation occurs near the end of the story when Marlow arrives at the settlement where Mr. Kurtz was. In the distance, he saw what seemed like ornamental stakes, but upon closer inspection, he realized that these "ornaments" were the heads of the tribe's rebels. This is a stark illustration of how violence occurred not only among white and black people but also among natives. However, there is a significant difference, as white people considered themselves superior, while natives did not hold such views.

As I understood, there were three types of people on the steamship: the pilgrims, the black domesticated people, and the cannibals. The pilgrims were in charge of the ship and the other two groups. The rest of the crew, primarily black people, contributed to the ship's activities. Foreigners educated them to perform various tasks, spending their lives on ships without payment. An interesting fact about the cannibals on board is that they could control their hunger for meat, whether human or animal. Marlow pondered how this was possible if they were cannibals by nature, but like regular people, they could control savage habits through ambitions, goals, or purposes. This logic allowed the cannibals to control their hunger by waiting patiently until the ship stopped to hunt animals or consume the dead bodies of soldiers. Another option (as depicted in the book) was to take a dead animal onto the ship, even if it was rotten, despite the sailors' displeasure at the stench (Conrad, 1899).

Historical Context and Conclusion

Marlow comments, “I was thinking of remote times, when the Romans first came to these places, nineteen centuries ago…” (Conrad, 1899). Analyzing this remark, we recall that Rome was an empire. A former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom once said, “It has been alleged that Africa is developing under a natural incapacity for civilization… Permit me to apply this principle to Africa, and then I would like to know why it cannot be applied also to an ancient and uncivilized Britain. Perhaps some Roman senator predicted with the same crudeness: ‘There is a people destined to never be free, a people depressed by the hand of nature below the level of the human species, and created to provide slaves for the rest of the world’… We were once so dark among the nations of the earth, so diminished in our morality, so wild in our ways, so degraded in our understanding as those unfortunate Africans are today” (Pitt, 1770). In sum, William Pitt suggested that Africans were destined to provide slaves for the world, especially for empires that conquered their territories. According to Robert Hampson, African slaves were in England before the English arrived in Africa due to the Romans in 45 B.C. having those slaves in their army (Hampson, 2002).

To sum up, Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" is somewhat confusing due to its use of metaphors, which I tried hard to understand. However, it was interesting because I learned more about imperialism and how that system operated. I believe the violence used against Africans was exaggerated, as depicted in the book when they became useless, they were liberated, but the Africans did not know where to go and eventually died.

References

Conrad, J. (1899). Heart of Darkness. Blackwood's Magazine.

Hampson, R. (2002). Joseph Conrad: Heart of Darkness. Penguin Classics.

Pitt, W. (1770). Speech in the House of Commons, London.