NEW LITERARIA-

An International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities

Volume 1, No. 2, November-December, 2020, PP 217-223
ISSN: 2582-7375
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.48189/nl.2020.v01i2.017
www.newliteraria.com

The Colonial Evils Depicted in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

Md Masihur Rahman

Abstract
Written in the colonial context, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a potential exploration
of the nature of colonial evils and hypocrisy. Set in an atmosphere of gloomy darkness
dominated by criminality towards humanity the narrator reveals his agonising experience and
realisation regarding organised plunder of the colonial human/natural resources. The novella
published in book format in 1902, is partly based on the writer’s experience in the Congo
basin where he was appointed a captain of a river steamer named Roi Des Belges in 1890.
The novella published during heyday of European colonialism represents in its multi-layered
capacity some distinct forms of evils associated with Colonialism. As part of postcolonial
study this article would like to explore forms of such colonial evils. Three distinct forms of
evil are prominently found in the novella: the base, primitive instincts like lust and greed
associated with individual take the shape of evil in some characters; the banality of ordinary
mankind whose wilful silence and assumed denial helps the evil to grow; and the colonial
European hypocrisy and trading secrets shows its evil aspects in Congo. Although Heart of
Darkness has highlighted more the primitive and base evil, the other colonial evils have been
depicted in its ugly shape through the images, metaphor and phrases in the novella. Going
through these colonial evils this article would like to contribute to broader understanding of
inclusive humanism.

Keywords: Evil, Colonial Site, Hypocrisy, Torture, Humanism.

Introduction
This section should be concise and define the background and significance of the research by
considering the relevant literature, particularly the most recent publications. When preparing
the introduction, please bear in mind that some readers will not be experts in your research
field.While undertaking journey to visit a place of his childhood dream and fascination
Conrad discovered how the place and its inhabitants are fast losing its lustre and it was
transformed into a devil’s playground. Congo was a childhood dream and its shocking
revelation prompted him to write down and unmask the evils of colonial enterprise. The
multi-layered text is rich in its depiction of Colonial evils manifested in multiple ways.
Charles Marlow, the primary narrator, is seated aboard a yawl, Nellie, with his friends who
are enjoying different position under the colonial rule: a Company Director, a Lawyer, an
Accountant and an unidentified narrator who like Marlow, has much similarities with Conrad
himself. They are enjoying each other’s company. The atmosphere is gloomy. The narration
of Marlow’s strange and unfamiliar experiences made it gloomier. Firmly setting a sinister
echo of the story at the outset of the novel that would hover in the air throughout the novel,
Conrad probably hoped to bring the processing of evil before the readers. Marlow, seated in a
The Colonial Evils Depicted in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

Buddha like posture with legs crossed, back straight, arms dropped, palm in a prostrate mode
started talking about his sojourn before the group of listeners. Evening darkness descends
making the story teller a mystical body. Our narrator who is recollecting the whole thing
before us is hypnotized. In fact, the narrator is feeling compelled to disseminate Marlow’s
story before the readers who would be awakened to a fresh way of ethical thoughts about
Colonialism and its associated evils. Conrad’s contribution to reformation and humanity lies
in the understanding and depiction of the origin and nature of evil in Heart of Darkness: the
primordial, corrupting and self-eroding temptation of evil inside the human heart; the
darkness in the so-called progress of civilization and the banal evil found in decent and
ordinary people like Marlow. Although there are other sources of evil found here, the novella
is more fascinated with the primordial manifestation of evil.
1.1.1 Historicizing the colonial evils depicted in “Heart of Darkness”:
During 1890’s when Conrad was searching a job as captain to go to his dream point, there
was headlines in London about the successful Emin Pasha Relief expedition of Henry
Stanley1. Like Conrad everybody with some idea about Africa firmly believed about these
highlighted campaigns which were assumed to be conducted to civilize and enlighten the
ignorant people of Africa. According to Adam Hochschild, “in the nineteenth century
European drive for possessions in Africa, people justified colonialism in various ways,
claiming that it Christianized the heathen or civilized the savage races or brought everyone
the miraculous benefits of free trade” (Hochschild 1999, p.38). The Victorian moral
sensibilities took these noble causes heartily. Joseph Conrad was appointed captain ofa river
steamer Roi Des Belges by a Belgian Trading Company. During his trip to Congo Conrad
witnessed “evidence of atrocities, exploitation, inefficiency, and hypocrisy and it fully
convinced him of the disparity of imperialism’s rhetoric and the harshest reality” (Watts
1996, p.48) of looting. Conrad saw forced labour and corruption perpetrated by King Leopold
II’s agents in Congo 2. According to Peter Eichstaedt, by taking Congo as his personal
property where he was assumed to bring the lights of civilization, actually King Leopold II
sets “in motion one of the most monstrous plunders ever by a colonial power. Ivory, gold,
rubber and an array of minerals were taken in his name, along with millions of lives”
(Eichstaedt 2011, p.1).

1.1.2. Trip to Congo:

Conrad’s Congo trip for six months surely and firmly provided “a basis for the indignation”
(watts,1996, p—48). Conrad’s trip “gives an authenticity that undoubtedly has contributed to
its enduring power and appeal” (Firchow, 2002, p.22) According to Conrad’s own words
“Heart of Darkness is experience… pushed a little (and only very little) beyond the actual
facts of the case” (Mongredien, 2011). Heart of Darkness has been instrumental in exposing
to readers the atrocities unleashed by Leopold II’s 3 agents to extract and export the resources
like Ivory and rubber “which may, in turn, account for the death of almost ten million
Congolese natives” (Hochschild, 2005, p.40). Under the pretext of “white man’s burden”4-the
prevalent modus operandi, the Belgian colonialism robbed the people of its resource and
culture. Such colonial policy is denigrated by Conrad through his mouthpiece-Marlow.
“the conquest of earth, which mostly means taking it away from those who have a
different conception or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when
you look into it too much.” (Conrad, 2008, p.107)
This passage shows Marlow’s shocking revelation about assumed superiority based
on physical differences. During his trip to Congo Marlow witnessed the brutalities in many
forms. While passing a railway construction site Marlow saw the abominable nature of
colonialism.
“A slight clinging behind me made me turn my head. Six black men advanced in a file
 219 NEW LITERARIA, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2020

toiling up the path. They walked erect and slow, balancing small baskets full of earth
on their heads, and the clink kept time with their footsteps… I could see every rib, the
joints of their limbs were like knots in aa rope, each had an iron collar on his neck and
all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them,
rhythmically clinking” (Conrad, 2008, p.116)
Marlow is appalled to see the dehumanization of the native people to set the footprint of
progress in that region. Phrases like “every rib” and “the joints…were knots in a knob”
(p.116) shows the poor health condition of these people. These people have been chained like
animal to get the work done. King Leopold II considered such forced labour “the only way to
civilize and uplift these indolent and corrupt peoples of the far east” (Hochschild,1999, p.37).
To his shocking revelation he saw some of these people who crawled away to the grove of
death to die. He also noticed “now and then a carrier dead in harness, at rest in the long grass
near the path, with an empty water gourd and his long staff lying by his side”(Conrad, 2008,
p.121).Again, Marlow observes the “body of a middle-aged negro with a bullet hole in the
forehead” (Conrad, 2008, p.121). He can hear the screaming of a negro boy being beaten up
to accidentally causing a fire: “A nigger was being beaten up nearby. They said he had caused
the fire in some way… he was screeching horribly” (Conrad, 2008, p.125). Images have been
portrayed to show instances of how people were terrified about forced labour
“The population had cleared out long time ago. Well if a lot of mysterious niggers
armed with all kinds of fearful weapons suddenly took to travelling on the road in England
between Deal and Gravesend catching the yokels right and left to carry heavy loads for them,
I fancy every farm and cottages thereabouts would get empty very soon… I passed through
several abandoned villages” (Conrad, 2008, p.121).
1.1.3. Economic exploitation:
Again, from Marlow’s speech the economy of Congo reflects the exploitation. “A stream of
rubbishy cottons, beads and brass wire (were sent) into the depths of darkness and in return
came a precious trickle of ivory” (Conrad, 2008, p.119). Ironically “ivory rang in the air, was
whispered, was sighed. You should think they were praying to it” (Conrad, 2008, p.125).
Ivory constituted the core area of Congo economy before the discovery of rubber and other
minerals. Every agent cum trader would dream of collecting ivory from a trading post “where
ivory was to be had, so that they could earn the percentages” (Conrad, 2008, p.126). This line
indirectly refers to the system of commissions offered to the agents of king Leopold to
increase the dynamics of extracting ivory using the native people.

1.1.4. Company Agents:

In this connection Conrad has represented the image of the “lone white agent far up the great
river, with his dreams of grandeur, his great store of precious ivory, and his fiefdom curved
out of African jungle” (Conrad, 2008, p.164). The character of Kurtz brings an image of
agent lurking in the darkness of colonialism. The dark force of colonialism left him
unrestrained. A character comments about Kurtz- “you cannot judge Mr. Kurtz as you would
an ordinary man” (Conrad, 2008, p.162). Certainly “all Europe contributed to the making of
Kurtz” (Conrad, 2008, p.154). And this character is an example of colonial European who
have brought an unknown inhuman behavior that seared the soul of the continent
(Eichstaedt,2011, p.211). One can argue that Kurtz is an evil incarnation of King Leopold II
and his devilish greed of colonial expansionism in Congo.
Kurtz’s character was probably made out of real-life agents. It may be inspired by
Leon Rom because when Conrad was “passed through Leopoldville, the station chief there
was Leon Rom”(Hochschild,1999, p.147) The dried severed heads on the fencing post
surrounding the house of Kurtz with their “heads on the stakes…(looking) black , dried,
sunken, with closed eyelids”(Conrad, 2008, p.164) is a reminiscent of Captain Rom whose
bed was similarly decorated with the severed heads of Congolese people who refused to

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The Colonial Evils Depicted in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

comply with Kurtz’s order or failed to touch the quota of ivory. Whispering the words “The
Horror! The Horror!” (Conrad, 2008, p.178) Kurtz metaphorically expressing the brutalities
and horror experienced by the Congolese people who faced the extermination /working to
death. These people were “virtually enslaved and cruelly maltreated in the quest for ivory.”
Kurtz’s is a colonial product because “all Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz”
(Conrad, 2008, p.154). He is half English and half French. His ancestry is symbolical of
colonial powers.

2.1.1. Evils in Abstract Forms:

Historicizing the atmosphere of the novel certainly some thoughts may surface to
conceptualize the depiction of evils in abstract terms. Conrad’s title of the novel- “Heart of
Darkness” drives us to glean the idea of evil lurking and working everywhere in the novel.
The historical context, fictional atmosphere and the characters along with their thought
process bring the working of evils at several levels. The personal motives of some characters
bring to the fore the primitive evils of human beings like lust and greed reflected in the
character of Kurtz. The policy and decisions adopted by the trading company to exploit the
native people of their resources constitute colonial evils manifested in the exchange of brass
wire and ivory. Again, Marlow’s willful silence and promotion of tortures under the garb of
protecting woman from bitter facts constitute the banality of evils. Eventually different
manifestation of evils merges together under the big banner of Colonialism.

2.1.2. Primitive Evil:

Marlow broods over human nature and its conditioned activities. He is also projecting
civilization as a disciplined system where powerful negative desires and dark impulses are
chained. The antihero Kurtz became savage while roaming in the assumed first ages as he
gets disconnected from the disciplined system of civilization or the restraining voices of the
disciplined public, neighbors and family members. Being immersed in a sense of superiority
due to his European origin, the evil aspects of his soul got the upper hand and consumed his
civilized self.
Kurtz, disconnected from civilized way of life was fated to assume “a high seat among the
devils of the land.” (Conrad, 2008, p.154) Marlow is informed by someone about Kurtz
presiding at “at midnight dance ending with unspeakable rites, which as far as I reluctantly
gathered from what I heard at various times-were offered up to him-do you understand-to Mr.
Kurtz himself”.(Conrad, 2008, p. 155) This devilish manifestation of evil is like falling in
love with evil. The devilish and irrational behavior of these Europeans left an indelible mark
on Conrad’s memory and imagination. Through the portrayal of the perversion of Kurtz,
Conrad seems to have drawn our attention to the different and peculiar
construction/manifestation of evil. He writes,
“what I distinctly admit is the fault of having made Kurtz too symbolic or rather
symbolic at all. But the story being mainly a vehicle for conveying a batch of personal
impressions, I gave reign to my mental laziness and took the line of learnt resistance”
(Kimbrough 10).
Kurtz’s malpractices are directly linked with barbaric self. Conrad seems to suggest that the
severing of heads or hands of colonized people or even the collection of their skull- the
European mode of atrocities did all of that in an agonized way-but rather executing the same
thing in uncivilized rituals of lust and self-aggrandizement.

2.2.1. Evil at The Heart of Civilization:

King Leopold’s rule was distinctly marked by innocent killing, forced labor, torture and the
spread of disease and famine. Hands would be cut off in some cases to save bullets. These
 221 NEW LITERARIA, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2020

severed hands were mostly visible at the posts along the river. Around 10 million Congolese
were killed for their personal profit during the period of 1885 and 1908(Jones,2006). In
response to torture, killing and maiming of Congolese, Congo Reform Association was
formed owing to the tireless service of Edmund Dene Morel, the founder of the association.
Journalistic accounts documenting Human Rights abuses were widely circulated among the
European people. Some contemporary literary figures like Mark Twain wrote critical
comments criticizing Leopold’s cruelties.
Marlow could hear the buzzing sound of entrepreneurship and profits when he was preparing
himself for Africa. He could hear talks about the inferiority of native people and “white man's
burden” to bring lights of Civilization to African people4. These talks along with the
indistinct and hazy talks about business and personal gains began to make Marlow feel
uneasy. In a way this prefigures subsequent discourse of the fierce plundering of the resource
of Africa and African native. Conrad has contributed to humanity by divulging the secrets of
exploitation in the name of trade and business to his wide readers. He has rightly pointed out
that dark sides of Empire and the darkness at the heart of Civilization.
The idea of cultural relativism is also manifested in the novel. This observation is
clear when he speaks of Britain that it (Britain) too “had been one of the dark places of the
earth” (Conrad, 2008, p. 105). London, the Centre of world's largest Empire was once an
uncivilized territory. The advanced soldiers and politicians and religious scholars of Roman
empire made their way into Britain and forced the uncivilized and savage, primitive and
hostile natives to surrender before him. Through his mouthpiece Conrad concludes that
burden of the progress of a civilized territory requires an extension of cultural light to public
living in darkness but Marlow experiences foolish and aimless railway and industrial
activities, misuse of machines and human resources, the indigenous people beaten and killed,
worked to death in chain gangs. He finds “a flabby, pretending, weak eyed devil of a
rapacious and pitiless folly” (Conrad, 2008, p.117). The European people we find in Heart of
Darkness except Marlow are either agents of devil or greedy travelers/pilgrims. In a way
Conrad was reminded of “Russian Empire which destroyed his family and ravaged his
childhood” (Fincham and Myrtle,1996, p.43).
Some journalistic works are found revealing the Congolese life. William Sheppard,
Roger Casement, George Washington Williams have recorded their experiences to address
the issues and raise the European consciousness about the realities of colonial life. We can
see some literary presentation which seem to be connected to Conrad’s ‘Congo Diaries’
which include the bodies of several dead Africans, one who had been shot; another in a
meditative mode sitting on a road; again a mere skeleton of human body found tied up to a
pole (near) the grave of an unnamed white European; Heap of stones formed a cross. Marlow
stands different from the other Europeans. In the novel we find him recognizing the humanity
of all people irrespective of their colour, his self-restraint and his awareness of the
intelligence/virtue of simplicity of the native people.

2.3.1. Banal Evil:

While successfully dealing with the situations arising out of the demise of Kurtz Marlow
becomes involved in lies although his initial comment – “I hate, detest and can’t bear a lie...
There is a taint of death, a flavor of mortality in lies-which is what I exactly hate and detest in
the world what I want to forget” (Conrad, 2008, p.129) was opposite. During his meet with
Kurtz’s unnamed intended, after his return from Africa, he consciously dealt with lies to hide
the true face of European’s “Devil of rapacious and pitiless folly” (Conrad, 2008, p.117) as
well as Kurtz who was aligned with the evil. In response to Kurtz’s unnamed intended’s
inquiry into the last expression of Kurtz, Marlow does injustice with the innocent woman
practically hiding the truth. Marlow informs her that “the last word he pronounced was- your
name” (p. 186).

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The Colonial Evils Depicted in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

Such white lie was made to lead a livable life. The truth seemed to him too dark to
share. But to keep the bitter truth hidden from ordinary European’s consciousness is also
promoting silence and willful denial of colonial cruelty. this white lie is an instance of
Marlow’s Chauvinism and racism. Chauvinism because Marlow wanted to keep the truth
away from women. Racism because it was promoting indifference toward the plight of
Congolese people. The women and the common people remain ignorant of what was going
on in Congo.
Marlow’s companions were also involved in the same profession. Marlow’s personal
experience did not influence his friends except the secondary narrator. Again, Marlow’s
complicity in hiding the colonial criminalities is shared in different place and at a different
time. Such banal complicity is generally seen as ordinary and casual. By lying, Marlow is
engaged in subordination of human values. the necessity to talk openly about evil and
criminal activities is subordinated to the necessity of being kind and gentle. In this way a
status quo of an undisturbed life is maintained and evils are promoted.
Conclusion
Thus, Heart of Darkness successfully deals with several forms of evils relating to colonialism
and Conrad’s presentation of a trip to colonial world unmasks and bares open the camouflage
of colonialism. The dark mysterious atmosphere hovering in the novel is none other than the
construction of evils. Personal evil tendencies took a wild turn in a colonial setting. The banal
complicity very complacently employs silence and willful denial to grow the branches of evil
in the ordinary human heart. Civilizational superiority and western notion of progress and
enlightenment have also been questioned showcasing the battering and crumbling structure of
humanism in a colonial perspective. The failure to maintain basic moral standard is very
much incompatible with so called “white man’s burden”4. Conrad’s Inclusive humanism
expects to unearth such constructions of evils to have a broader understanding. By
participating in the process of discovery of colonial reality, its hypocrisy and treatment of the
native people Heart of Darkness is necessarily a novel depicting/ representing different facets
of colonial evil.

Notes
1. Henry Morton Stanley explored the Congo Basin at the invitation of Belgian King
Leopold II, which led to establish the Congo Free State-A personal property of Belgian
King Leopold II.
2. For detailed information on Conrad’s visit to Congo see Robert Hampson (ed.), Joseph
Conrad: “Heart of Darkness” with “the Congo Diary” (London: Penguin,1995)
3. For more information on King Leopold II, see Hochschild, A. (1999). King Leopold’s
Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa. New York: Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt.
4. “White Man’s Burden” – A poem by Rudyard Kipling is generally interpreted to mean
that white people have a moral obligation to rule over the other, especially black, people
in order to civilize and develop them so that they become enabled to take their place
economically and socially.
References
Conrad, J. (2008). Heart of darkness. Ed. Cedric Watts. Oxford University Press.
Eichstaedt, P. (2011). Consuming the Congo: War and Conflict Minerals in the World’s
Deadliest Place. Chicago Review Press.
Fincham, G., & Myrtle, H. (1996). Under Postcolonial Eyes: Joseph Conrad after Empire.
Juta and Company Ltd.
Firchow, P.E (2000). Envisioning Africa: Racism and Imperialism in Conrad’s Heart of
Darkness. University Press of Kentucky.
 223 NEW LITERARIA, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2020

Hochschild A (1999). King Leopold’s ghost: a Story of greed, terror, and heroism in colonial
Africa. Mariner Books.
Jones, A. (2006): A Comprehensive Introduction. Routledge.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203347447
Kimbrough, R (1988). Introduction to Joseph Conrad’s heart of darkness. Norton.
Mongredien P. (2011). “Heart of Darkness Review”
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jan/23/heart-of-darkness-conrad-review
Watts, C. (1996). “Heart of Darkness” (ed.) by J.H. Cambridge Companion to Joseph Conrad,
p.45-63. Cambridge University
Press.http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CCOL0521443911.003

Bio-note

Md Masihur Rahman is an Assistant Professor of English at Sukanta Mahavidyalaya,

Dhupguri, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. He has completed his masters from TM Bhagalpur
University. His areas of interest are- Postcolonial Theory and Praxis, Indian writing in
English, Subaltern study, Dalit Literature.
Email- [email protected]