The Heart of Darkness
(Joseph Conrad)

Part I

Waiting On The River Thames

The story begins with an unnamed narrator on board the Nellie with Marlow, a lawyer, an accountant and the Director of Companies serving as captain. The yawl is waiting for the tide to turn on the River Thames in front of London, which is noted as “the biggest, and the greatest town on earth.” The narrator describes the scene in admiring prose, giving the river an aspect of a tired entity resting, and then describes the setting sun (the first of many references to darkness). He also recounts the tales of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Franklin- highlighting how they and so many other explorers launched from the Thames into unknown lands, some never returning and others coming home with gold and treasures. And not only did they return with treasures, but the narrator points out how they left with “the dreams of men, the seed of commonwealths, the germs of empire.” The sun finally sets, and London lights up in response, which makes Marlow remark how the city “has been one of the dark places of the earth.”

Marlow is described by the narrator as a sailor through and through, but an atypical one in that while most sailors are happy to never understand the mysteries of life, Marlow sees a mystery enveloping everything. It is here that Marlow’s narrative voice takes over the story.

He begins by imagining out loud what it must have been for a Roman military man to have been stationed here, so far north from the civilized comforts of Rome in a barbarous landscape. He suspects that the terrifying sensation that they felt when facing the darkness doesn’t inflict the modern European in the same way due to a commitment to “efficiency.”

Marlow quickly sketches out what effect his experience in Africa did to him- noting that it cast a light on him- and describes how he went about getting the job that took him down there.

After resting in London from six years in Asia, Marlow tired of the life and sees a map that makes him long for Africa. He bothers some friends about a job who refuse him, and then enlists the women in his life to beg for him. An aunt eventually writes a letter and manages to find Marlow a job due to some other steamboat captain- Fresleven- having been killed. Marlow says that he eventually learned that Fresleven had been killed in a fight over some hens, and that the tribe whom the killer belonged to had entirely abandoned their village, afraid of the punishment they would receive, though if never came. Eventually, Marlow finds Fresleven’s bones untouched- lying where the man had died.

The Company’s Offices

Marlow details his trip across the English Channel to the Company offices to sign the papers of employment. He says the city reminds him of a “white sepulchre,” where the citizens were happy about the prospect of running an overseas empire. In the waiting room of the office, sit two women knitting black wool, one of which ushers him into a room further in where a map detailing Africa and the colonial powers that hold it hangs on the wall. Another secretary brings him into the owner’s office, where Marlow quickly signs the papers. Before he knows it, he’s outside in the waiting room with knitting women again, who now seem to be making palls. This is appropriate, as Marlow suspects that not even half the men who come into this office ever come back alive.

The Company’s doctor then examines Marlow. They both have a drink, and the latter talks about how the physical and mental effect on men from the Congo is how he is reaping the benefits from colonialism.

Before he sets off, he says his farewells to the aunt that acquired the job for him. They discuss the nature of the work, and the aunt frames Marlow as an envoy of civilization. Marlow clearly doesn’t believe this, and makes observations about the delicate nature of women and how they live in some made-up world that is out of touch with reality.

Sailing Down African Waters

Marlow sails down the African coastline in a French steamer that stops at various ports along the way to let people off. The names of the ports sound strange to him- fitting, for the coast seems to be grim, formless, and unlike any other he has seen before. They pass another French boat that is blindly firing off its guns into the jungle.

Marlow then reaches the mouth of the Congo River, but still needs to travel 200 miles more. He books passage on a steamer that is captained by a Swedish man who invites him to talk. The Swede brings up that a man had hung himself, though he couldn't explain as to why the man committed suicide.

The Company Station

Marlow is dropped off by the Swede Company’s station where a railway is being built. He sees the natives in various states: some are chained together, and moving earth, others are sick and starving under the shade of trees, and even others have been “reclaimed” and are dressed in European ware, overlooking the atrocities. He is horrified and suspects that somewhere amongst this horror he will meet a weak European whose only strengths are greed and a lack of mercy.

Marlow then meets the Company’s chief accountant, an orderly man. Marlow admires the fact that the accountant can manage to both keep his own space in order and still dress well, even after three years of being out in the jungle. That being said, the accountant also seems downright unconcerned about the well being of fields agent who are brought back to the station when they are deathly ill. The accountant is also the first person whom mentions Kurtz, who is described by him as someone who is going to go far in the Company.

Through the Jungle to Central Station

Marlow begins a 200-mile trip through the jungle on foot with sixty men. He notices that everything is either abandoned and uninhabited, but it’s no surprise as the men in his company often force the natives to help them carry their packs. Every now and then they’ll come across a dead worker whose load is still strapped to him, and his body left by the wayside or hear the faint sounds of drums and singing in the night.

Marlow has contact with only two other white men on the voyage. The first has come along with him, though his large weight made him physically unfit for the trek. This leads to him having to be carried in a hammock by the sum of the nonwhites- a task that they all despise and makes Marlow threaten the group if they don’t shape up. At some point, the hammock is accidentally felled and- echoing the murder of Fresleven- the workers who had been carrying the hammock were nowhere to be seen.

The other white man was accompanied by some guards and camped along the side of the road, claiming to be looking after it. Marlow then finds the body of worker on the road who had been shot in the head and left there.

Central Station Life

After fifteen days, Marlow finally arrives at Central Station where he is informed that the steamer he is to captain has been sunk and should immediately see the general manager.

The manager is described as someone who brings uneasiness to those around him and has gained his position in the company, not through any particularly remarkable managerial or administrative skill, but by the fact that after working nine years for the Company, he has managed to keep healthy while others are made ill by the environment. He runs the central station oddly, with the entire place so out of order that his own manservant treats the other white-men rudely in front of his very eyes without fear of reprisal (in contrast to the other workers who disappear when they think they’ve done something wrong). He also replaced the long, rectangular dining table with a round one after the men argued about who would seat where; it made clear that the only position that mattered was his.

Though Marlow later looks back on the events with suspicion, the manager claims that he didn’t know whether Marlow was coming or not and thus took the steamer out himself with another captain as the stations along the river had to be relieved. He reveals that he is worried about Kurtz- who he praises as the greatest agent the company has- as there are rumors that he is sick. After three hours out, the steamer’s bottom was tore open by some rocks and sank.

The Brick Maker

Given a time-window of three months, it’s now Marlow’s job to bring up and fix the steamer so he can get going on the river. The opportunity to get away from Central Station is appreciated though- as he sees nothing but death and greed from the place- and he goes so far as to sleep on the broken boat.

A shed catches on fire and one of the workers is severely beat for it. Marlow notes that after laying in the shade for a few days, the man walks into the darkness of the jungle, never to return. The fire leads to Marlow making the acquaintance of the man who is known as the brick maker of Central Station, though no bricks are being made nor is there any evidence that supplies for such activity are available or coming.

In their first conversation, the brick maker attempts to learn whatever he can of Marlow, though the latter realizes that it’s only because of his aunt’s string pulling that he is of any interest to the former. After Marlow notices some haunting oil sketches, the brick maker informs him that Kurtz made them. Marlow asks the brick maker who Kurtz is, and the latter responds that while ‘chief of the Inner Station’ is his official title, Kurtz actually represents both the best of the Company and the man who is accomplishing the allegedly philanthropic goals of colonialism.

After Marlow insinuates that the brick maker will pay for his prying, the latter changes his attitude so as to be more compliant and helpful. While Marlow knows he is in actuality powerless, he lets the brick maker think what he wants and takes advantage of the situation by getting the brick maker to more avidly request supplies needed for repairing the steamer. Again, the brick maker’s tone changes and he makes a veiled threat against Marlow.

As the general manager’s uncle comes into town with his Eldorado Exploring Expedition, Marlow notes that they clearly have no illusions about helping people here, desiring instead to just take from the land.

Part II

An Overheard Conversation

While sleeping on the steamer, Marlow is awakened by a conversation between the general manager and his uncle. While he never hears the name mentioned, Marlow is able to discern, by the way, they’re talking about a particularly problematic person for them that they’re discussing Kurtz. The manager is angry and upset about how much influence Kurtz has with the Company, as though he is the general manager and holds power over appointments, Kurtz was able to determine where he wanted to be placed.

The manager recounts to Marlow how Kurtz had undermined authority by acting independently, sending back agents that he didn’t approve of. The agent had also gone deeper into the jungle when he was to have returned, going as the lone white man. As long as Kurtz is able to send back ivory though- and he’s managing to do so better than any other agent in the field- there is nothing that the manager can do about it.

The uncle attempts to console him by saying that it’s highly possible that the jungle will get the better of Kurtz, as the agent was known to have not fully recovered from a sickness. Continuing their wishing of death upon others, both men mention that there is a competing agent in Kurtz’s district that is collecting ivory as well and wish that he be hanged. The uncle again tries to console his nephew by telling him to “trust in this” as he waves across the jungle. The gesture terrifies Marlow as he realizes men are using the destructive power of the darkness.

Though Marlow never cares to find out if they had been killed, he comes to find out that the uncle's Eldorado Expedition lost all of their pack mules on their next trip out.

Travelling the River

Having fixed the steamer, Marlow sets off with the manager and three or four more Company men (whom he refers to as ‘pilgrims’ due to their staves) down the river. The boat hires some natives- who Marlow labels as cannibals- as part of the ship’s crew. They stop to pick up ivory at stations along the river whose residents give the impression that they are stuck there due to a spell.

Sometimes the sound of drums and dancing will rumble out from the jungle and the entire crew is made nervous. Marlow postulates that it’s because though they think of themselves as better and more civilized than the African natives; the sounds and motions appeal to them and make them desire to jump from the boat to join in. He says that it wasn’t any sort of principle that kept him from doing so- as none would have been a strong enough preventative- but rather it was the small duties of keeping the ship running that kept his focus. The native who is watching the water gauges acts as an example of this idea in action, as well. Focused on making sure everything stays level, the native is totally distracted and is an edifying sight to Marlow.

The primitiveness of the place makes a deep impression on Marlow.

Abandoned Hut and the Fog

The steamer happens upon an old hut that has been abandoned and has a pile of firewood nearby. When approaching it on foot, Marlow notices that there’s a sign reading “Wood for you. Hurry up. Approach cautiously.” The entire thing is a mystery to him, accentuated by a book about ships he finds in the hut that has notes written in code in the margins. The event is so potent for him that it makes him forget where his and who he is with. As evidence suggests the occupant was a white-man, the manager takes this to mean that it had to have been the residence of the invading agent and makes another threat against him.

Soon after, a fog falls down and is so thick that it doesn’t allow for vision farther than two feet past the steamer forces it to a halt. In the midst of this fog, they hear a loud yell, followed by a series of short shrieks. Marlow notes that the whites aboard the ship have become rattled- fearing an attack- while the natives seem calm about the entire affair. The leader of the native crew even suggests that they be given the opportunity to capture the people in the jungle so as they can have a meal.

Marlow reflects with wonder on the fact that he hasn’t been eaten yet as he reckons he may be the most appetizing member amongst the non-native crew. The manager makes a weak show of concern for Kurtz, and limply insists that Marlow should take the risk of moving forward for the safety of the station. When Marlow refuses to do so, the manager quickly concedes.

The Attack

Marlow assures the ‘pilgrims’ that there won’t be an attack, but one eventually does happen after the fog lifts. In hindsight though, he claims that the actions of the natives were less an attack and more of a defensive action, meant to keep them away from Kurtz. While maneuvering around an islet, arrows suddenly begin to rain across the ship from the shoreline, immediately killing the pole man. Marlow notes that the helmsman becomes fervent, jumping up and down and losing control of the ship; he is compared to a horse and Marlow assumes that his behavior is an unavoidable result of who he is.

Echoing the French ship that Marlow saw firing its cannons into the jungle on his trip down, the pilgrims shoot their rifles into the bush. The smoke from the discharge distracts him, and while trying to take control of the helm after the crewman leaves it to fire at the natives, a spear gets through, killing the helmsman. A pool of blood gathers at Marlow’s feet, soaking his shoes and causing him to panic a bit at the immediacy of the death in front of him.

Convinced that Kurtz is dead, Marlow feels regret about having not had the ability to speak to him. He considers how it wasn’t Kurtz’s actions that were intriguing about him, but rather his ideas and his words that are either a “pulsating stream of light, or the deceitful flow from the heart of an impenetrable darkness.”

Thoughts On Kurtz

Breaking the telling of the story, Marlow responds to the reaction of one of his shipmates on the Thames insisting that his expectations about speaking with Kurtz were not “absurd.” Marlow recalls how Kurtz referred to his fiancée, the ivory and the station in the same proprietary tone, and that had the jungle been able to, it would have laughed at him for saying so. The way that Kurtz equated his fiancée with the other things makes Marlow insist that women shouldn’t be part of the conversation and reiterates his earlier observations that he made about women when saying goodbye to his aunt.

Marlow recalls Kurtz’s report, written for the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs. In it, Kurtz writes about how the Europeans must seem like gods to the natives and that this power allows them to reform the natives for the better. The essay impresses Marlow deeply and makes him feel positive about the entire colonial effort until he reads the last line: “Exterminate all the brutes!” The report weighs upon Marlow as he’ll eventually have to be in charge of it and many of Kurtz’s possessions from the jungle.

While impressed by Kurtz, Marlow is unsure as to whether or not the men lost on the trip was worth getting him.

The Dead Helmsman and the Inner Station

Marlow’s thoughts turn to his dead helmsman. He says that while it may be surprising, he felt genuine fondness for the native, and proceeds to describe their relationship as one where he held the authoritative position. The body of the helmsman is thrown overboard, which causes the pilgrims to wonder why they didn’t have a proper burial and makes the cannibals sad to have lost a meal. The pilgrims quickly change topics though, and begin to brag about how they must’ve defeated the natives thoroughly; a sentiment which Marlow quickly shuts down.

They come up on the Inner Station quite quickly, where a white man is on the shore, waving to them. The stranger informs them that Kurtz is in the decrepit shack then joins Marlow on the steamer while the manager and pilgrims head up to meet Kurtz. Marlow learns that the stranger is a young, 25 year old Russian who managed to get a Dutch trader to give him some supplies on the coast, and has been wandering along the river for two years.

The Russian confirms that it was his hut and firewood pile that the steamer chanced upon earlier in the trip. He is clearly impressed by Kurtz and reveals that the reason the steamer was attacked was that the natives had no desire to see Kurtz taken.

Part III

The Russian and Kurtz

The Russian fascinates Marlow; how he has been able to survive with so little in such a dangerous land. What he doesn’t admire is the Russian’s blind devotion to Kurtz, and it makes Marlow despondent about the entire place to think about it. The Russian recounts to Marlow how Kurtz has managed to be so proficient at his job. Having run out of tradable goods, Marlow drummed up a group from one of the villages around a lake further in the jungle and then led them in raids across the area, taking what he wanted by force. He began to live amongst the villagers instead of at the station, which explains the rundown state of it.

It was on one of these raids that the Russian met Kurtz. The former claims that he was in possession of some ivory because it was given to him by a local chief for hunting services and that the latter demanded it be given to him, or he would kill the Russian. The Russian gave into Kurtz and stayed in the area, as he fascinated him. They eventually developed a friendship and held conversations that the Russian was entranced by. When Kurtz got sick, the Russian nursed him back to health, further strengthening their bond.

While listening to the Russian, Marlow uses his binoculars to stare up at the hill and notices that what he thought was merely an ornamental fence are actually heads mounted on poles. While Marlow sees it as a sign of Kurtz’s inability to control himself, the Russian attempts to justify the action by claiming that the Company abandoned Kurtz and that the dead men were rebels. Marlow remembers the so called ‘enemies’ being shot at on his way down the coast and the ‘prisoners’ who were dying under the shady grove and laughs at the ridiculousness of the statement.

Kurtz Aboard, Russian Ashore

The manager and the pilgrims bring Kurtz out on the stretcher- the sight of which brings the natives out of hiding from the surrounding jungle, brandishing weapons. Kurtz talks down the villagers from attacking and is placed on the steamer where he goes through all the correspondence he has missed out on. Though clearly sick and emaciated, his voice manages to be powerful.

A native woman then appears out of the brush, gorgeous and covered in ivory. The Russian insinuates that she was Kurtz’s mistress and she caused trouble for him while trying to nurse Kurtz. After lurking around the steamer for a bit, she eventually disappears into the jungle.

While watching all this unfold with the Russian on the deck, Marlow hears the screaming of Kurtz from inside the cabin, accusing the manager of only wanting to save the ivory and that he’ll come back to accomplish all his plans. The manager steps out and takes Marlow aside, informing him that Kurtz’s methods have utterly ruined the region for the Company. Marlow declares an admiration for Kurtz, and is subtly rebuffed by the manager, walking away.

Approached by the Russian who wants to share a piece of information with him, Marlow informs him that the manager is planning to kill him. The Russian is only slightly surprised by this, and then confides in Marlow that Kurtz- desiring to stay in the jungle- ordered the attack on the steamer to give the impression that he had been killed and insinuates that they might be attacked again if Kurtz wills it. The Russian then manages to get Marlow to give him some ammunition, tobacco and a pair of shoes. Accompanied by some natives equipped with a small canoe, the Russian heads off to a military station some 300 miles away.

Marlow Catches Kurtz

During the middle of the night, Marlow wakes up and remembers the Russian’s warning of more attacks. As he goes out on the deck to check up on things, he sees that a fire has been started on the hill the station was positioned on. He then notices that a wide trail has been paved through the grass from the steamer going up towards the fire and deduces that Kurtz has crawled himself up. After catching up with him, Marlow realizes his untenable position, being near enough to the fire that one shout would summon some of the defensive natives.

Marlow confronts Kurtz though, attempting to persuade him away from the darkness of the jungle that has changed him. He realizes that he can’t appeal to reason, faith or any other authority, as Kurtz has lived in a world where he is the only authority. Despite this, Marlow manages to get him back on the steamer.

Leaving Inner Station and the Death of Kurtz

As they leave the Inner Station the next day, a crowd of natives gathers around the ship and start chanting, yelling and gesticulating wildly; the sight causes Kurtz a mix of joy and anger. Noticing that some of the pilgrims have assembled on the deck with rifles, Marlow pull the whistle and causes all the natives to run off save Kurtz’s mistress who stands unafraid.

On the return trip, Kurtz’s mental health begins to fail. He is often overheard by Marlow muttering something about what he believes is his. He demands to be met along the way by kings, insisting that he’ll do marvellous things. He entrusts Marlow with some of his possessions- papers and photographs wrapped in shoe string- as he is paranoid about the manager sneaking in and looking through his things. In Kurtz’s finals moments, Marlow sees an expression on his face that seems to indicate that he is living through his entire life again- all the terrible moments included. Kurtz lets out in a tiny, breathy voice “The horror! The horror!” and dies soon after.

Marlow becomes just as sick as Kurtz and reflects on how pointless life is and how the best you can expect from it is to learn something about yourself; that fighting against death is a passionless battle where one is not quite sure as to who should win. The most influential realization that he gains though is that when he was at the precipice of death, he didn’t have anything to proclaim. Even if Kurtz’s words weren’t comforting, it was clear that he believed them- something that Marlow admires.

Return to Civilization and the Three Visitors

Not entirely recovered, Marlow returns to Europe where a strong animosity and sense of ridicule are the only emotions he can muster towards other people. He believes his experience in the jungle have given him a window into the truth of the world and that everyone else’s actions and motivations are unimportant, insignificant.

At one point, a man with gold-rimmed glasses who says he is a representative of the Company comes along and tries to convince Marlow to hand over the bundle of papers and pictures Kurtz gave him. Marlow denies him though, and it’s only after repeated efforts from the man that he hands over Kurtz’s report for the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs- though it’s without Kurtz’s last statement of “Kill all the brutes.” The man is clearly unhappy with this though, threatens legal action, and never returns.

Two days after, a man who claims to be Kurtz’s cousin appears. He describes Kurtz as having been a brilliant musician. Marlow sends him off with some appropriate family letters.

Lastly, a man saying that he was journalistic colleague of Kurtz shows up at Marlow’s door. He describes Kurtz as having been a mediocre writer and that his true talent lay in his ability to speak and to make himself believe anything he wanted to- skills the journalist though more apropos to politics than journalism. Marlow gives him the report that the Company man had no use for.

Kurtz’s Intended

Marlow is left only with the task of returning the remaining papers to Kurtz’s fiance. Standing at her door, he recalls Kurtz- what he said, the way he died, the person he had become. Though it’s only been one year, the fiancee is still in mourning, wearing black attire. With Kurtz’s mother dead, she has been unable to vent some of her feelings and does so on him. Since she only knew the Kurtz that hadn’t gone to the jungle, she does nothing but praise him, a sentiment that Marlow praises women for as it keeps the world going in a delusional state and simultaneously hates, though it eventually subsides into pity.

Wanting to be edified by his final words, the fiancee asks to be told what they are. Marlow is unable to tell her the truth and instead tells her that Kurtz’s last words were her name. He tells to the group he is sailing with that the act would’ve been “too dark” and stops abruptly. The captain of Director of Companies takes the silence as opportunity to point out that the first of ebb is gone. The narrator looks out to the ocean, which seems to him as leading “into the heart of an immense darkness.”