Marlows Assessment of Africa in Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Marlows Assessment of Africa in Heart of Darkness Marlows assessment of the African wilderness in the beginning of the story is like that of something that tempts him and his fellow explorers to Africa. When Marlow says, And as I looked at the map of it in a shop-window, it fascinated me as a snake would a snicker - silly little bird (Conrad, Longman 2196). If we take note of the phrase silly little bird it uncontaminatingthorn be noted that the Marlow is comparing Britain to that silly little bird. It could be that he felt Britains occupancy of Africa was nothing more than his own country locomote into a trap. It was not a designed trap but champion of destiny. It was his countries destiny to fall prey to the allures of that Dark Continent. Millions would die in the onslaught to make monetary gains while occupying Africa. When Marlow mentions the whited sepulcher he could be referring once more to his homeland, and when he makes this statement he whitethorn be referring to t he fact that Britain has move many of its people to be buried in that deep and bass place referred to as the Congo. According to YourDictionary .com, the word sepulcher means, to bury (YourDicitonary.com). In combination with the word white, referring to his Caucasian race, could Marlow be referring to the finis of his fellow countrymen, or could he be referring to the death of a continent, Africa, at the hands of the white race invading her? These thoughts may both have validity when deciphering this text. When Marlow describes the, devil women, one fat and the other slim, sat on straw-bottomed chairs, knit stitch sorry wool he may be describing the next of two races feature in utter disarray in Africa. He may be using the black wool as something akin to insight into what future had in store for millions of people both black and white in the Congo (Longman 2197). The black wool may be referring to black shards for concealment the dead. It may also be an idea of not human d eath but the death of an area such as the Congo. He may have been sensing that the influx of his own countrymen may be victorious away the spirit of that wild and forbidden Congo. Marlows utterance of, guarding the door of Darkness, knitting black wool as for a warm pall, one introducing, introducing endlessly to the unknown, the other scrutinizing the cherry foolish faces with unconcerned old eyes could flop more clues to Marlows characterization of the African wilderness (Longman 2198).