Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness and the European’s Claim to Superiority

Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness and the European’s Claim to Superiority Incomplete Works Cited Just beyond the â€Å"biggest and greatest town on earth†, four men sit patiently on their boat, waiting for the serene waters of the Thames to ebb (65). One of the men, a Buddha, breaks the silence, saying, â€Å"and this also†¦has been one of the dark places of the earth† (67). This pensive and peaceful idol, Marlow, explains to his apathetic listeners how a great civilization is blindly made out of a darkness, remarking, â€Å"The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much. What redeems it is the idea only† (70). The irony with which Marlow looks upon colonization suggests that this redeeming feature, â€Å"†¦Europe’s claim to be civilized, and therefore superior, needs earnest reexamination† (Sarvan). As Sarvan suggests, Heart of Darkness contrasts the appearance of African â€Å"savagery† with European â€Å"civility† to demonstrate the inhumanity of the Europeans, rather than that of the Africans. Conrad’s dehumanizing descriptions of the Africans serve to show the inhuman effects of colonialism, rather than to demean the African people. For example, Sarvan notes that when an African is â€Å"reclaimed† by serving the Europeans, â€Å"†¦it is grim irony because he has been reclaimed to a worse state of barbarism.† When Marlow reaches the first station, he notices one of the â€Å"reclaimed† in a uniform jacket missing a button and notes, â€Å"†¦[He] seemed to take me into partnership in his exalted trust†¦I also was a part of the great cause of these high and just proceedings† (82). By ironically referrin... ...rlow’s â€Å"ironic voyage of discovery† could have happened anywhere. Indeed, the appearance of a fiendish black figure with his â€Å"long black legs, waving long black arms† is a mere illusion created by the fire behind him (148). The possibility that this wild and mysterious being in the midst of a great darkne ss could represent any man in any place lends a great sense of significance to Marlow’s â€Å"inconclusive experiences† (70). The irony of this dark portrayal of human nature is that humanity must hide from its own abomination in order to survive. Just as Marlow tells a detestable lie to hide the horrors of one man’s corrupted soul, it is ironic that the â€Å"taint of death, a flavor of morality† should protect idealism (96). Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. â€Å"Heart of Darkness.† An Introduction to Literature. Terry, Joseph. New York, NY: Longman, 2001. 1614-1672.