Examines how Joseph Conrad expresses his anti-imperialistic views through his novel.
In his novel, “Heart of Darkness”, Joseph Conrad exposes the reality of imperialistic rule and shows the world the true picture of the white man’s ‘enlightenment’ projects in the ‘savage’ world. This paper shows how Conrad viewed imperialism as an intrusion by corrupt and ignorant white men, who left a profoundly negative mark on colonies and destroyed them in the most barbaric manner possible.
Prior to his trip to Congo, Joseph Conrad had also been under the same false impression of imperialism being a good influence. The savage world of Africa actually represented to him a romantic fantasy land. However nothing could be farther from the truth as Conrad’s tour of Congo proved. This psychological damaging trip to Congo brought an end to the idealized realities of a boy’s daydreams!`(Conrad, 25) His melancholic visit to the heart of darkness prompted him to pour out his observations and details of his experience in this novel, which turned into a classic almost instantly.`