The Heart of Darkness
(Joseph Conrad)

Heart of Darkness is a tale within a tale. A narrator begins the story by describing himself on a ship in England of whose passengers include Marlow. As the sun sets and they wait for the tide to turn, Marlow begins to tell the story of the time he captained a steamer in Africa.

Having returned from an extended sailing job in the East, Marlow desires to head back out on the water after seeing a map of Africa that rekindles his childhood curiosity of the place. He acquires a job as a steamer captain through his aunt and heads down into the African continent. While he already has doubts about the idea that Europeans can better Africa, he immediately sees that they are harming the place as well when he arrives at the first Company station that’s using “prisoners” to build railroads. He hears about Kurtz from the accountant running the place.

Travelling through the jungle another to the main Company station, Marlow discovers that, in an effort to get to Kurtz, the steamer was taken out before he arrived and subsequently crashed. Marlow’s distaste for everything European in Africa extends to the people. He hears about Kurtz from someone who is labeled a brick maker and overhears a conversation with the manager about the problems Kurtz is causing. After some months of repair, they set off on the river.

The first thing they encounter on the river is an abandoned hut, which provides them with firewood and a warning. Soon after, they are attacked by a group of natives as they approach Kurtz’s station, resulting in the death of multiple crew members- an occurrence that affects Marlow deeply. Once the attack has finished, they arrive at the inner station where they meet a Russian traveller who has met and been charmed by Kurtz.

The Russian explains what has been happening with Kurtz out here in the jungle- from the transforming of a local tribe into a militia and the raids on surrounding territory that produces for Kurtz so much ivory. At this point, Marlow has heard various perspectives on Kurtz- described as the most eloquent of idealists whose mind will change the face of Africa to an insubordinate and troublesome troublemaker who is making enemies left and right.

Kurtz himself is powerfully ill for a third time and spends all of his time on the ride back in bed. Marlow’s short conversations with Kurtz lead the latter to trust him as the executor of his final wishes, while the former simultaneously despises and admires the man. His sickness taking its toll, Kurtz utters “The horror! The horror!” to Marlow and dies soon after.

Marlow falls ill, as well, and has a hazy recovery period back in Europe where he grows to despise all humans who live without the knowledge he has gained in the jungle. Three men visit him, all attempting to obtain something from Kurtz’s personal possessions given to Marlow.

An year after the events in the jungle, Marlow visits Kurtz fiancée under the pretense of giving her the rest of Kurtz’s things- though, in truth, he’s not sure why he is doing so. Her undying optimism about Kurtz angers Marlow, but then causes him pity. Desiring to know what her fiancé’s last words were, Marlow is unable to tell her the truth, saying that it was her name that the dying man whispered at the end.

The unnamed narrator returns once again, describing the water and dark sky on the river Thames.