Question

What is the colonial background in heart of darkness?

Answer 1

The colonial background in Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' centers on the critical representation of Belgian colonialism in the Congo, while postcolonial critics highlight the work's perpetuation of racism and Eurocentric views.

Step-by-step explanation:

The colonial background in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is an essential aspect of the novella's commentary on the effects of colonialism. Published in 1899, the text uses the Congo Free State as a backdrop to critique Belgian colonialism, embroiled in exploitation and brutality. Despite its intentions as a critique, post colonialist critics like Chinua Achebe have argued that Heart of Darkness perpetuates racism and Eurocentrism, depicting Africa as 'the other world', an antithesis to European civilization. Achebe emphasizes the novella's failure to humanize African characters, condemning it for dehumanizing Africa and Africans. This conflict between the novella's critique of colonial exploitation and its own potentially exploitative portrayal of Africans is a focal point in discussions of Conrad's work and its place in the literary tradition and postcolonial critique.

Answer 2

The novel "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad is set in the late 19th century during the European colonization of Africa. The story is set primarily in the Congo River basin, which was then a colony of Belgium, and follows the journey of the protagonist, Marlow, as he travels up the Congo River to meet Kurtz, a European trader and ivory agent who has established himself as a god-like figure among the native people.

The novel is critical of the European colonial enterprise and the exploitation and degradation of the African people and their resources by European imperialists. The novel exposes the hypocrisy and moral corruption of the European colonizers, who claimed to be bringing civilization to the "savages" but in reality, were only interested in exploiting the land and its people for their own gain.

The novel also deals with the theme of the "Other", and how the European colonizers viewed the African people as inferior and savage. This is exemplified in the character of Kurtz, who has completely lost touch with his own humanity and has become a despot, ruling over the native people with an iron fist.

In summary, "Heart of Darkness" is a powerful critique of European colonialism and its destructive impact on both the colonized people and the colonizers themselves. The novel exposes the hypocrisy, moral decay, and dehumanization that were inherent in the colonial enterprise.