Throughout Heart of Darkness, the forest takes its toll on the characters in the novel. Not only does the forest itself offers a setting for the short-story, however it is a strong symbolic aspect in the forest. It shows the true savage landscape and reality of being in the wild, however it also helps to show the brutality and violence in all of the characters as well.
The jungle, being a wild and unpredictable environment, lends itself to the men as a type of wake-up-call to reality. It is a way to show the reality and brutality of the real world, and exemplifies the natural path to corruption. The forest represents the temptations, and Kurtz is the one who succumbs to the jungle's influence, as quoted: "the wilderness seemed to draw him in to its pitiless breast by the awakening of forgotten and brutal instincts, by the memory of gratified and monstrous passions." (112) This shows how evil can corrupt and change a person, in which Kurtz becomes victim to the true state of mankind. The death of Kurtz can be related to anyone, in which the forest destroys a man's morals and life. Kurtz's eyes were "piercing enough to penetrate all the hearts that beat in the darkness" (119), and showed how he realized the reality behind living. The forest had decided to show the hatred and evil that can come out of any human being at any moment, and in the end wrapped this metaphorical concept all while giving the men a physical setting for the story.
The forest does serve as the driving force of the darkness in the novel. However, I wonder if the forest is really the main thing that leads to the savagery expressed by the natives and others on the inner station. It could be that the forest is so remote (Marlow could barely make it there) that it becomes an otherworldly place. Of course, this concept is apparent, due to the fact that the natives are so uncivilized and are considered the darkest point of the world. The forest could be an encasement to keep civilization out, or it could be trapping the uncivilized in. It could also be a blockage for light (literally) and figuratively. If the natives were exposed to "light" and were able to truly see one another, would they realize that they harbored a sense of evil in their practices? If the forest was opened up to the rest of the world, would the natives automatically conform and see that civilization was better? Or would they run even deeper into the forest to preserve their culture?
ReplyDeleteI believe it is more than just the jungle that takes a toll on the characters, it is what the jungle represents that impacts the characters, and it is the darkness. The darkness constantly is spoken of throughout the novel whether it is describing the jungle itself, or some man's heart. Either way it is this darkness in the jungle symbolizing a sense of mystery, fear, and change. And like you said, Kurtz is a perfect example of how the jungle changes someone. He came to Africa hoping to civilize the natives bring them into the light; however, before doing so, he got lost in then darkness and the jungle. By then it was too late even for Kurtz go back into the light.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the way you showed the jungle to be almost a personification of the evil which lurks in any figurative Heart of Darkness. It corrupts Kurtz, and therefore must be a tangible entity, one of evil and mystery. The first quote you used, “the wilderness…”, is very fitting for the manner in which Kurtz was indeed drawn into the forest, not entirely against his will, where encounters with the natives and an abundance of ivory kept him in the dark. Your point about Kurtz becoming “a victim to the true state of mankind” is very true, and I loved the way you brought it to light. Mankind’s roots rest within the bounds of the jungle, and within every savage the so-called civilized white men encounter. They see themselves in the savages, and the forest draws the feelings out, and thus they fear the “Heart of Darkness.”
ReplyDelete