Paradox In Conrad's Heart Of Darkness

Reviewing from critics' works on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the author of this thesis finds out that almost all critics center on one aspect of the novella, that's to say, language characteristics, narratives, Colonial attack, symbolism, civilization or human nature. Few have criticized this novella in a systematic way. However, this thesis focuses on exploring paradox hidden in Heart of Darkness from four aspects, namely, social background and personal experience; narrative technique; symbolism and thematic duality. The author of this thesis believes all these four aspects are closely related to paradox hidden in Heart of Darkness. Joseph Conrad lived at the end of Victorian tradition when the declining of it was already in the air despite its seeming prosperity. What distinguishes Conrad from those contemporary manifestations of a weakening of traditional stabilities is his unique way to express it, which is both puzzling and profound. Conrad's works appear conservative and conformist at first impression but then something original emerges from the fog of convention and the reader realizes that bleak and terrible disbelief, that radical skepticism that corrodes the bottom of everything he values. This thesis will analyze paradox hidden in the novella from four aspects. Accordingly, this thesis is composed of four chapters. Chapter one basically analyzes social background. Chapter two centers on narrative techniques. Chapter three discusses symbolic implication while chapter four focuses on thematic duality.Chapter one is dedicated to a basic analysis of social background which deeply influenced Conrad's mentality, prompting him to doubt about Victorian tradition. The turn of the century in a transitional stage from capitalism to imperialism witnessed the material prosperity and scientific revolution, accompanying which, however, was an unprecedented moral and spiritual chaos. On the one hand, Conrad's expectation for peace and stability was smashed by the living turbulence, leaving him frustrated. On the other hand, some revolutionary ideas came out in the Victorian age, a complete revolt against traditional moral standard and thinking mode. As modernism shows, people concern more and more with the inner world—a completely different one from the outside strictly subject to social ethics and convention. Such a tendency is particularly true with Conrad, which is also revealed in his master work. From Conrad's Heart of Darkness, readers may clearly detect Conrad' preoccupied modernistic anxiety commonly representing mentality of the twentieth century and he explores the ways in which the traditional codes people abide by are tested in moments of crisis, revealing the inadequacy either in the codes or in the people.Chapter two mainly focuses on discussing the novella's narrative techniques. Since the reality turns out to be one with multiple faces and layers, which presents different aspects in the eyes of different people, and the subsequent representation of it is naturally taking a new form. The author clarifies three narrative voices from Heart of Darkness. The first one is the protagonist—Marlow's voice: judging from Marlow's narrative voice, he seems to shoulder different roles at the same time. Juxtaposed narrative voices help to forge varied images of Marlow, which in turn is interpreted differently by readers from various angles. Thus, readers are unintentionally led into a dissimilated world in Marlow's eye. The second one is Conrad at the back of Marlow. It's inevitable that every literary work shall carry traces of the writer either in form or in content. Instead of being a forcibly "self-imposed" commentator, Conrad is willing to just stand in a hidden place so as to easily divert readers' attention into Marlow's distorted world. Through this means, Marlow is endowed with not only a super-skilled statement power, but remarkable descriptive capacity. The third one is "I" between Marlow and Conrad. "I" seldom appear in the novella so that it may easily be neglected. However, "I" do exist. Through an intricately-designed narrative structure and language, Marlow functions to make narration an experience threading text-writer-reader. Such an experience may include communication between reality and illusion, consciousness and sub-consciousness. This complex multi-layer narrative is well consistent with the complexity of the contemporary moral world reflected in Conrad's Heart of Darkness.Chapter three is aimed at exploring symbolic implications. The Russian's basic instinct towards Kurtz is boundless admiration since Kurtz is the perfect demonstration of European civilization. Kurtz's mother was half-English and his father was half-French. Meanwhile, the Russian's lenient heart prompts him to doubt about Kurtz's cruelties, which is a consequence of imperialist evasion. On the other hand, traditional symbolic sense of the White and the Black is totally reversed in the writing of Conrad. In the novella, the Black mistress's fecundity and vitality forms a remarkable contrast with the White woman's paleness and sterility. Such an unconventional writing skill underlies Conrad's split mentality towards European civilization.Chapter four is devoted to illustrating thematic duality. Conrad stands in the tug of war between shattering traditional moral standard and the modern life with complete moral crisis. Totally turning inside offered by modernism will inevitably give rise to the prevalence of personal desire for boundless wealth, power, leading to invasion and suppression, just as what European colonists have done in African land. Conrad finds it disgusting. On the other hand, Conrad can't deny blindly that the arrival of European has helped to enlighten and civilize African natives. Therefore, Conrad is thrown into a dilemma. With keen insight and sensitive heart, he is able to detect social ailments but fails to find its recipe.After four chapters of discussion, this thesis comes to the conclusion that Conrad's artistic consciousness is constantly split between a shattering traditional moral standard and modernistic chaos. Conrad explores the way traditional moral standard people live by is tested in crisis. Multi-perspective narratives serve to expose paradox hidden in Heart of Darkness while the reversing of traditional symbolic implications well conform to Conrad's split mentality. Conrad may find imperialist activities unbearable. However, he can't deny blindly that the arrival of the European has been conducive to civilizing and enlightening African natives to a certain extent. Thus, all the four aspects serve to expose paradox hidden in Heart of Darkness.