Heart of Darkness (103-116)

Joseph Conrad illustrates Marlow’s recollected journey through symbolic elements in Heart of Darkness, which ultimately expresses Marlow’s anticipation as he is journeying through the heart of darkness. Conrad metaphorically links the earth to a caged monster by stating that “The earth seemed unearthly. We are accustomed to look upon the shackled form of a conquered monster, but there—there you could look at a thing monstrous and free” (Conrad 76). The author describes the dangers within the Congo by relating it to the fact that the European explorers, including Marlow, have no idea what they are diving into. The fact that Marlow is “accustomed to look upon the shackled form of a conquered monster” signifies how Europeans are used to imperializing colonies that they knew of existence, whereas in the Congo, the Europeans do not know of this area through Conrad stating “but there—there you look at a thing monstrous and free”. The connotation of “monstrous” and “free” relates how Marlow is unfamiliar with the Congo, and how Conrad eventually utilizes symbolism to illustrate Marlow’s anticipation as he journeys through the river.

Conrad employs symbolism throughout the text to exemplify the relationship of fog to Marlow’s anticipation. The symbolism in fog can possibly refer to uncertainty or danger, and can relate to when Marlow states: “… a mystery greater—when I thought of it—than the curious, inexplicable note of desperate grief in this savage clamour that had swept by us on the river-bank, behind the blind whiteness of the fog” (83). The fog is symbolic of Marlow’s anticipation since he is desperately trying to gain contact with Kurtz, and also symbolizes the possible dangers the Eldorado Expedition could encounter during their journey. Since fog is symbolic of Marlow’s anticipation and his uncertainty, it also has a reverse symbolic denotation through Marlow stating “It developed itself, I should say, two hours after the fog lifted, and its commencement was at a spot, roughly speaking, about a mile and a half below Kurtz’s station” (85). In this example, the disappearing of the fog is symbolic of the previous uncertainty vanishing as Marlow is almost done achieving his goal of meeting Kurtz.