Heart of Darkness

4.5.

A great book. I don't believe that by judging the book for its outdated language and understanding of the world is useful. Conrad I argue sympathises with the African people - Marlow is told they are barbaric, it is not something he concludes himself, rather he concludes that in the seeming barbarity there is human connection that is very possible to be deciphered.

Kurtz is the most interesting character here. He's certainly a villain for his high likelihood of crimes in the region (he threatened the Russian for his ivory) and the only praises he really receives are from strange people - the Russian adores him but it can be inferred that it's a kind of Nightingale Syndrome where he essentially fell in love with his patient, that being Kurtz. The fiancé is also deeply in love with him but she is obviously biased as he believes to know him extremely well despite spending years abroad and nobody knowing what he really does for a living.

The book as a result does two things: a critique on colonialism and a ambiguous critique on the hunter-explorer. I think it does it well in great prose as well. I certainly look forward to my re-read.