"Heart of
Darkness", written by Joseph Conrad in 1899, belongs to late Victorian
literature, a time when the British Empire was beginning to expand its
borders, with Africa being one of the continents where the impact of
colonization caused the most devastation. A writer like Conrad can be
considered a realist due to his professional background in Belgium and
the Congo, the novel's main setting, leading one to wonder if his past
as a sailor and office worker inspired the work.
The realism of
Heart of Darkness is evident in the themes it addresses: the supremacy
of the British Empire, which considers colonized peoples as subhuman,
and certain characters who are its quintessential: Kurtz or the
Director-General.
Furthermore, we find darkness as a literary
realism. This darkness can be seen in the skin of the Black population
or in the souls of the companies that traded in ivory. Therefore, Conrad
denounced the workings of that society in his work: the prejudices
against countries it ignored, the need to exploit what was not useful to
the interests of the Empire.
Finally, one might ask: Was the
novel useful in changing opinions? Is it possible to abandon prejudice
or racism? In conclusion, a novel like Heart of Darkness warns about the
dangers of hatred, and perhaps it could help raise our awareness of it.
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario